All that is wrong with "HiFi"

[TonyW]

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned the mastering process. A thought occurred to me that a good example of the importance of the mastering process is the Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions album. I bought that record in the 1980s. Love the music on that record even if the recording is less than perfect. The backstory is the band found a church they wanted to record in for the ambience. They had little time and had to rush through the production. For me it is like hearing good music in a bad venue. I am willing to put up with the bad sound to hear good music.

A few years back they released a remastered version of Trinity Sessions. Well, I am an Ars Gratia Artis kind of person. It’s like these “Directors Cut” versions of movies. My feeling is, leave it alone. The movie should stand as its own art as originally released. And so I had no interest in buying the new remastered version of Trinity Sessions until I heard it at HiFi Buys in Atlanta. The sales person put that record on for me and I thought, wow! This new remastered version sounds really good. I was torn. I bought a copy for myself. Now I listen to only this remastered version even though it is a pain having to change sides every 9 minutes because it is a two record set. But this set also includes two new songs not on the original album which I like.

This is a good example of the power of mastering. The remastered version of Trinity Sessions has no sibilance, no noise. The sound is cleaner and clearer. And all of this done from the original recording. From our perspective- the playback perspective it sounds like a new recording.

 

[TonyW]

The tubes in the Helene DAC will last you many years with that rate of listening (probably around 10000 hours for the E280Fs and the 5AR4).

Yes. I read before that the E280Fs actually sound better with age. I have had to replace my 5AR4 rectifier tube already. Modern versions of the 5AR4 have about a 4000 hour life span. I might get a NOS version sometime to try.

The DAC and Music Server stay on full time. In both cases they do not sound their best until they have been on at least a couple of days. I’m guessing that’s due to the internal clocks both have which need to stabilize.

 

[Lagonda]

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned the mastering process. A thought occurred to me that a good example of the importance of the mastering process is the Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions album. I bought that record in the 1980s. Love the music on that record even if the recording is less than perfect. The backstory is the band found a church they wanted to record in for the ambience. They had little time and had to rush through the production. For me it is like hearing good music in a bad venue. I am willing to put up with the bad sound to hear good music.

A few years back they released a remastered version of Trinity Sessions. Well, I am an Ars Gratia Artis kind of person. It’s like these “Directors Cut” versions of movies. My feeling is, leave it alone. The movie should stand as its own art as originally released. And so I had no interest in buying the new remastered version of Trinity Sessions until I heard it at HiFi Buys in Atlanta. The sales person put that record on for me and I thought, wow! This new remastered version sounds really good. I was torn. I bought a copy for myself. Now I listen to only this remastered version even though it is a pain having to change sides every 9 minutes because it is a two record set. But this set also includes two new songs not on the original album which I like.

This is a good example of the power of mastering. The remastered version of Trinity Sessions has no sibilance, no noise. The sound is cleaner and clearer. And all of this done from the original recording. From our perspective- the playback perspective it sounds like a new recording.

Part of the story is that the original recording was digital, done on a early DAT recorder, the bar is set pretty low here, remasters should definitely improve the sonics. Lovely music, Margo Timmins has a spooky good voice. The 2007 remake "Trinity Revisited" is badly mastered with totally overblown bass.

 

[morricab]

Yes. I read before that the E280Fs actually sound better with age. I have had to replace my 5AR4 rectifier tube already. Modern versions of the 5AR4 have about a 4000 hour life span. I might get a NOS version sometime to try.

The DAC and Music Server stay on full time. In both cases they do not sound their best until they have been on at least a couple of days. I’m guessing that’s due to the internal clocks both have which need to stabilize.

I use a "holy grail" 5AR4 (1955 Valvo metal base) in my Incito...these are supposed to run nearly forever.

 

[wil]

The description i quote actually from book i red called Non-liner editing, about convert analog video to computer for digital editing purpose. He explain digital problem as i mentioned, I think he is talking in general, possibly meant for video like DVD, not CD audio. Perhaps i took liberty and expand it to CD. I understand "might" not accurate or create confusion, i apologized for that!

I actually pointing toward fundamental problem rather aspect technicality, trying simplify understanding about digital because there is confusion. I choose word "compressed" because become common language for digital controversy and may not technically apply to CD. When i listen to CD i found the sound somehow shrink, like i quote: large fonts vs smaller, in better word: like compressed even its technically 100% uncompressed.

Might come for other places: bit rate, sampling, digital gear, ... . But who cares really!. All these technical data (16 bit or 32 bit, ...), can be useless. What really matter is making a test and see the results.

Pardon me if i say that: people who support digital always have high or complex speech, math's and numbers, like from advanced world. While analog people like little educated, Its not like that!

I listen to and “support digital” and have about as much technical knowledge as my cat.

All I can say is my sound has, over the past year, and in particular with the addition of Taiko’s Olympus server, become completely musically satisfying. That’s putting it mildly to be honest.

Given what I’m now hearing, the whole premise of this thread strikes me as irrelevant.

It reminds me of being in 8th grade with a new English teacher. I kept complaining to my classmates that her handwriting on the chalkboard was bad and hard to read. It took a month or so of this until it dawned on my primitive and inexperienced mind that the problem was I needed glasses. This is not a perfect analogy, I know, but think it can apply.

 

[Tonari]

The whole forum might be irrelevant not only this thread. But a lot of comments are really insightful

 

[Tonari]

I am hearing that quantum computing is the next big thing after AI. I am wondering how much it will impact our servers in the future considering the impact of the motherboard? Shall I go or shall I wait ??!! That is what bugs me with digital. Other than that I am also very very satisfied with digital.

 

[M2M]

In my home office I play music all day mostly background as I am on the phones often.
I have digital and vinyl records I plan to get tape. Then convert some vinyl or even digital to tape.
my current issue is heat from my Krell ksa200b. I’ve lowered the bias from 380mv to 250mv but sinks still hit 230 f middle sinks. I don’t have a pride of ownership in most all I own. This keeps me away from new mostly.
Ml no 26 pre and a 3.6r Maggie’s.
they alone are not perfect but do sound pretty good and good low level details
So loud is better but can be good st lower volumes.

Krell gears make heat even in standby mode, its normal but important for immediate playback. In summer I increase air-conditioner little to avoid over heating. Ironically but true: beneficial in winter time, keep the room warm without using dedicate heater. Maggies may not need higher watts, but stronger design similar to Krell, seems you have good match.

3.6 Maggies are dipolar, mean sound free from cabinet, which many prefer. They require particular set up different than cabinet, like reflective wall, and precise separation between L & R and from rear wall, in order have good depth and stereo separation. They tend have less focus than woofers, but some believe Dipolar design best for sound production, like live sound, i wouldn't underestimate yours really!

No idea if yours come with separate crossover like mine. If does you might (if you like upgrade) check if you can use better model like comes with MG-20, but first i asked Maggi people. Just idea I'm offering.

 

[bonzo75]

I listen to and “support digital” and have about as much technical knowledge as my cat.

That figures. My cat prefers analogue, I think Tima's does too, and the General's, and Bill's 4.

 

[MarcelNL]

Our cats prefer digital, they think the heatsinks of the passive cooling are the best invention for them.

 

[TonyW]

Our cat likes Jazz. He will sit near the speakers staring at them. Kind of like me. But if I play Eric Clapton, he leaves. I don’t get it.

 

[Lagonda]

That figures. My cat prefers analogue, I think Tima's does too, and the General's, and Bill's 4.

Even the mice and rats in my attic prefer analog, they get noisy when i play digital.

 

[Lagonda]

Our cat likes Jazz. He will sit near the speakers staring at them. Kind of like me. But if I play Eric Clapton, he leaves. I don’t get it.

Mostly bad digital recordings , RSO and Duck Records put out their share of thin shitty sounding records.

 

[andromedaaudio]

 

[MarcelNL]

me too, I just installed the second EPS cable in the dual xeon server (previous one was too stiff to bend at the required angle) and my face must resemble the cheshire cat so good is it...

Both CPU's at full blast, Solarflare in ultra low latency mode and music maestro....lots of it.

 

[ssfas]

me too, I just installed the second EPS cable in the dual xeon server (previous one was too stiff to bend at the required angle) and my face must resemble the cheshire cat so good is it...

Both CPU's at full blast, Solarflare in ultra low latency mode and music maestro....lots of it.

I barely understood a word of that post.

8 out of 10 cats prefer my analogue.

 

[TonyW]

The EPS conduit transfers power from the Warp core to the main deflector dish. It has saved them from the Klingons many times. As you can see from my picture I have served aboard a Starship. I know these things. Try recycling the power coupling. (Unplug it and plug it back in.)

 

[tima]

That figures. My cat prefers analogue, I think Tima's does too, and the General's, and Bill's 4.

no purring with digital

We are the Village Green Preservation Society -- one of their very best albums.

 

[Al M.]

no purring with digital

We are the Village Green Preservation Society -- one of their very best albums.

Love The Kinks.

 

[tima]

Love The Kinks.

So do I. For a long time they were my favorite band and I would say things like "Ray Davies is the greatest rock lyricist of all time." Which may still be true although I rarely listen to rock anymore. (Elvis Costello is number 2.) I had a collection of every Kinks album released in the US, up through 'Everybody's in Show Business' (meh) until I lost it in The Great Basement Flood of 1995 - the end of era.