Thanks for reminding me, Chops. That was a thing that I wanted to try at some point, but then the pandemic hit and I didn't want to go to Home Depot to buy some concrete plates (like I have under my monitors) to put the subs on next to my speakers. However, coherence of bass timing is not an issue in my system (even though theoretically it might), so I wanted to do this out of curiosity rather than need. Now that the pandemic is under control in Massachusetts I might make the trip to Home Depot after all...
My monitor/subwoofer system
- Thread starter Al M.
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Thanks for reminding me, Chops. That was a thing that I wanted to try at some point, but then the pandemic hit and I didn't want to go to Home Depot to buy some concrete plates (like I have under my monitors) to put the subs on next to my speakers. However, coherence of bass timing is not an issue in my system (even though theoretically it might), so I wanted to do this out of curiosity rather than need. Now that the pandemic is under control in Massachusetts I might make the trip to Home Depot after all...
Those are not supposed to be literary jewels, guysI mean, mainstream rock lyrics are inane by definition, and while they did help me a lot when I was learning english as a kid, I'm glad I did read a book or two as well
Most of these guys were just kids or in their early 20s at best when they wrote this stuff, and most didn't have the greatest of educations too.
Education or not, the musicianship of the players in Black Sabbath was excellent, as also emphasized by fellow musicians.
You want more "cultured" stuff you have to dig into prog, but then there's no guarantee you won't run into gibberish as well, like Jon Anderson's lyrics
Oh gosh, those.
Agreed!
Glad I could help! Haha
Speaking of concrete plates, I had those white quartz bases custom made for me, and somehow when we moved into this house, I am now missing one, which is odd because I specifically remember packing both of them together.
I too decided to do this out of curiosity. That and the fact that I've been home for over a week now from smashing my big toe at work. Though with moving the subs and re-tweaking the settings on them, it really does sound good. I think better than before.
You inspired me to spin 'In My Time of
Dying'. What a trip!
***
The digital CD remaster of Physical Graffiti is famously anemic in the bass, but I always fix that with turning up the subs. I could also do it with the tone control of my preamp. Tone controls are good.
Fortunately, the remaster has not been victim to the loudness wars. You can fix the bass, but you can't fix dynamic range!
That's the one thing that worries me about the Paranoid master, squashed dynamic range (hence me trying two different ones). But listening to the file from Amazon over headphones makes me feel better already, it seems fine. We'll see.
They were my all time greats too until I heard them again about a year ago after a very long time. I still liked the sound but man the lyrics really suck
david
It's reversed for me. The lyrics are great. Some meaningful, some humorous, some admittedly meaningless but effective. Listening to the band these days, though ... That kind of sucks. About a month ago I found a legit sealed Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath original pressing. It's no longer sealed. And it's fantastic. One of the greatest debut rock albums of all time for me. Possibly top 3. Easily top 5.
Al, since you don't spin hi-res (which, IMHO, are the best Zeppelin on digital), you can try the 2nd best, the Barry Diament mastered CDs from the late 80s. They might be better than the recent remasters on 16/44.
If nothing else it's a trip down memory lane...
david
Well, the verdict is in.
War Pigs on the Paranoid CD is an extraordinary experience in my system, I love it. The guitar slashes like a whip through the soundfield, and mightily rings through it -- boy that's good (so much better than on the car radio for sure). I've always loved electric guitar in my system, but this is really special. While the guitar and bass are generously distorted, in a great way, Ozzy's voice is very clean. Very dynamic recording (also the other songs), no loudness wars in mastering and originally little compression apparently. One of my best and most addictive sonic experiences so far in rock.
Bass is great at the standard subwoofer setting that I use for classical and jazz, unlike that Led Zeppelin mastering.
Thanks, David, for bringing up Black Sabbath on my system thread! I know I'll enjoy this many times.
Al, very glad to hear this. However, and this is by no means a slight, War Pigs on any format and any system is fantastic, lyrics and all. @ddk also knows it deep down. . He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field? Come on, now. Edit: oops that was Iron Man. But the whole Paranoid record is top notch.... Generals gather at black masses...
PS I have no doubt it's superb in your listening room. And you've motivated me to go get some Sabbath off the shelf....
. He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field? Come on, now. Edit: oops that was Iron Man. But the whole Paranoid record is top notch.... Generals gather at black masses...PS I have no doubt it's superb in your listening room. And you've motivated me to go get some Sabbath off the shelf....
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Well either my system completely sucks or the versions that Tidal and Qobuz have suck. And I'm pretty sure my system doesn't suck. Of course it doesn't help this isn't my kind of music anyway, but still... If it recording quality sounded good, I'd say so, whether I liked the music or not.
Glad to bring you joy Al! I was a BS super groupie for years and still love their sound but the lyrics
, they just suck! But I loved them as a teenager. david
I was turned on by Ironman at 13 but have matured (I hope!) sinceAl, very glad to hear this. However, and this is by no means a slight, War Pigs on any format and any system is fantastic, lyrics and all. @ddk also knows it deep down.
PS I have no doubt it's superb in your listening room. And you've motivated me to go get some Sabbath off the shelf....
.david
Apparently. I'm sure The Beatles, The Who, The Doors, etc, etc, of the time wasn't either, but at least the majority of their recordings sound a lot better.
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