Maybe this has been proposed before but I thought of this idea over coffee this morning. If the forum has the ability to store one music file for all to access. Pick a song that has been known for glare perceived or recorded. Maybe an Eva Cassidy song. Everyone downloads this file and posts their listening impressions. We all have the same file but a myriad of DACS and systems. This will require honesty on everyone's part to describe what they hear with no bias. If this is a crazy idea tell me to go drink another cup of coffee.
What is the cause of PCM glare? Bad recording or Bad DAC? Anything banish it?
- Thread starter caesar
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Maybe all willing participants must take a civility pledge first. Remember we are all adults here. 
Maybe all willing participants must take a civility pledge first. Remember we are all adults here.
i thought for many of the membership this place was a kind of regression therapy, WBF should start branding adult nappies.
yea thats what regression therapy is good for,it creates a root back to the childlike state for those who missed out the first time round or did not feel they completed that phase in their lives . my reading on the subject has helped me understand what goes on here.
yes it does tend to be popular with busy, well educated people who on the outside seem very successful and are known to retain a above average IQ. high achievers, just like many here...
if you do it the WBF way you don't have to worry about finding a wet nurse...
as for the critical question of ' to glaze' or 'not to glaze' well let's ask amir to try both and come up with a way to measure the results.
or the membership can burn through 100 pages arguing about it. its all good
yes it does tend to be popular with busy, well educated people who on the outside seem very successful and are known to retain a above average IQ. high achievers, just like many here...
if you do it the WBF way you don't have to worry about finding a wet nurse...
as for the critical question of ' to glaze' or 'not to glaze' well let's ask amir to try both and come up with a way to measure the results.
or the membership can burn through 100 pages arguing about it. its all good
I vote you the official WBF psychiatrist. You could provide sessions via Skype since you are over the pond to the USA based crazies.
Back on topic, maybe Amir will chime in and let us know if he has the ability to place a music file for all members to access. Then the issue of picking the one song........maybe this wasn't a good idea.
Well i have one hell of a job on my hands then...
nothing 3 well placed knitting needles through the back of the eye socket wont sort out. i will have you all right as rain in no time, happy to do it pro bono.
on topic, a good few of the members have the eva cassidy album that was recorded live in 1996, nightbird? there is a thread on it here.
nothing 3 well placed knitting needles through the back of the eye socket wont sort out. i will have you all right as rain in no time, happy to do it pro bono.
on topic, a good few of the members have the eva cassidy album that was recorded live in 1996, nightbird? there is a thread on it here.
Before we go off into this, shouldn't we be sure we're all talking about the same thing? A brief description of "glare" from each of us would be a good start.
I'll go first: A harshness in the upper midrange and treble that manifests itself often in vocals, horns and percussion, and is sometimes made more noticeable when multiplied, i.e.: vocal choruses, horn sections. It grates on the ear, especially at high volume, and makes you want to turn the music down or stop listening sooner.
Tim
I'll go first: A harshness in the upper midrange and treble that manifests itself often in vocals, horns and percussion, and is sometimes made more noticeable when multiplied, i.e.: vocal choruses, horn sections. It grates on the ear, especially at high volume, and makes you want to turn the music down or stop listening sooner.
Tim
ok tim we are on the same page,
donut? Glazed or o natural??
i don't get much of this but it does happen, i always put it down to mains rather than the recording as it seems less prevalent when listening very late or very early in the morning. this may well be total nonsense .
Something other than wanting to turn it down or stop listening? More than just listening fatigue? Do you agree with the rest of the description?
Tim
Female vocals, brass and violins. If they make you wince this is my idea of glare.
If I am eating lemon filled donuts whilst listening it will tone it down immensely.
If I am eating lemon filled donuts whilst listening it will tone it down immensely.
yes, anything with a lot of energy(high up the dynamic range) in the high mid and HF. some may get round this in the recording and mastering process. try your worst recording at 4am on a sunday, if it makes no difference ok but i think it might.
some kit my filter this out but at what expense? not talking monetary expense.
i don't necessarily believe mains is the sum of the problem but some of my listening sessions point to the possibility.
i never get this issue with electronica.
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Glad to see this being discussed
I don't think it's the recording or the format - tested this a while ago & heard this PCM glare on a crescendo in an Oscar Petterson track (can't remember the exact one) played through a Lampizator. When we switched to a modified Soekris DAC (an R2R DAC using discrete Rs), playing the same track, there was no glare, just a liquidity to the sound. Both playbacks were at the same volume.
The R2R DAC sounded very like excellent analogue with a smooth liquidity to the sound but no lack of detail. This fragility, graininess or brittleness of the sound has something to do with noise floor modulation, probably as a result of PS fluctuation, I believe but can't say for sure.
I don't think it's the recording or the format - tested this a while ago & heard this PCM glare on a crescendo in an Oscar Petterson track (can't remember the exact one) played through a Lampizator. When we switched to a modified Soekris DAC (an R2R DAC using discrete Rs), playing the same track, there was no glare, just a liquidity to the sound. Both playbacks were at the same volume.
The R2R DAC sounded very like excellent analogue with a smooth liquidity to the sound but no lack of detail. This fragility, graininess or brittleness of the sound has something to do with noise floor modulation, probably as a result of PS fluctuation, I believe but can't say for sure.
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