Hopkins' System
- Thread starter hopkins
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I listened to @PeterA 's nice video below and was curious to see how this track sounded on my system - not in a "competitive" spirit, but just out of curiosity. The systems don't have anything in common (high-end vinyl rig, tube amplifiers, large vintage speakers vs digital source, poweramp, budget speakers). I enjoyed listening to the track.
I don't have this LP - I recorded the track on Qobuz:
open.qobuz.com
I don't have this LP - I recorded the track on Qobuz:
Open Qobuz
open.qobuz.com
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Here's a recording of a direct to disc LP:
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I listened to @PeterA 's nice video below and was curious to see how this track sounded on my system - not in a "competitive" spirit, but just out of curiosity. The systems don't have anything in common (high-end vinyl rig, tube amplifiers, large vintage speakers vs digital source, poweramp, budget speakers). I enjoyed listening to the track.
I don't have this LP - I recorded the track on Qobuz:
Open Qobuz
I compared the two videos listening with my Etymotyc earphones. I am not going to offer any comments on the systems, but I was struck by how different they sound:
- the recording quality is very different, even though both were recorded with a phone. PeterA's video has a pretty high level of background noise, and there seem to be some clipping/saturation on the louder passages
- the level of reverberation from the room seems to be very different, based on what I hear on the recordings.
So phone videos are interesting, but not without challenges when used to compare systems.
Sarah Vaughan - After Hours at the London House - Speak Low.
Mono LP - the digital versions are only available in stereo and her voice is recorded on a single channel, which I find annoying to listen to. The LP is not in mint condition...
open.qobuz.com
Mono LP - the digital versions are only available in stereo and her voice is recorded on a single channel, which I find annoying to listen to. The LP is not in mint condition...
Open Qobuz
open.qobuz.com
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Great Album , replete with plenty of audience ambiance bringing the venue alive … As well as a lovely companion to enjoy the music together :0}
Here's a nice LP box set of Duke Ellington in the years 1938-1940:
I got a "near-mint" copy on Discogs for a low price.
It was issued by the Smithsonian institution, in 1976. An all star cast of jazz critics of the time contributed to the project: Martin Williams, Gunther Schuller, Dan Morgenstern...
There is a nice booklet with extensive liner notes, pictures, and credits.
The sound is good, better on some tracks, IMO, than some of the well known digital releases like the "Never No Lament" or "Centennial" CD box sets, but there are so many CD versions that you may find one you like. It's also nice to listen to these on vinyl while leafing through the booklet.
Here's a sample (it's simpler to make a video):
The same track on Qobuz in one of those CD version has some heavy distortion during the same solo:
Listen to Conga Brava by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/207295
The distortion was fixed in a more recent CD version, I believe, but not available on Qobuz, as far as I know. I have a Ben Webster compilation CD that has that track in pretty good sound, but this LP version is still a little more relaxing to listen to.
I got a "near-mint" copy on Discogs for a low price.
It was issued by the Smithsonian institution, in 1976. An all star cast of jazz critics of the time contributed to the project: Martin Williams, Gunther Schuller, Dan Morgenstern...
There is a nice booklet with extensive liner notes, pictures, and credits.
The sound is good, better on some tracks, IMO, than some of the well known digital releases like the "Never No Lament" or "Centennial" CD box sets, but there are so many CD versions that you may find one you like. It's also nice to listen to these on vinyl while leafing through the booklet.
Here's a sample (it's simpler to make a video):
The same track on Qobuz in one of those CD version has some heavy distortion during the same solo:
Listen to Conga Brava by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/207295
The distortion was fixed in a more recent CD version, I believe, but not available on Qobuz, as far as I know. I have a Ben Webster compilation CD that has that track in pretty good sound, but this LP version is still a little more relaxing to listen to.
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About system videos...and those who make them: it's ok to admit you are pleased with your systems. It's nice to get positive feedback, and criticism can be difficult to accept (but it is rarely unfounded).
Even though we admit that the process is imperfect, we also, paradoxically, believe that videos do convey some sense of the sound of our systems, because we have all, at least once, been seduced by the sound we hear from others' systems.
Here are some that I have liked:
- the video of the large WE horns by Silbatone, playing Edith Piaf (and Sinatra before?) - this one is certainly my all time favorite! I played it for my son and he was impressed as well.
- another Silbatone video
youtu.be
- I like the sound of WaveTouch Audio's small bookshelf speakers
- JE LAB's are always a pleasure to listen to, this one for example
This one is "cool":
-
this one too:
There are so many more... They all sound different, they are all imperfect in some ways, but they all have something which I find captivating, and fun!
All the discussions about videos, how we should or should not use them, etc..., etc... are simply noise.
Even though we admit that the process is imperfect, we also, paradoxically, believe that videos do convey some sense of the sound of our systems, because we have all, at least once, been seduced by the sound we hear from others' systems.
Here are some that I have liked:
- the video of the large WE horns by Silbatone, playing Edith Piaf (and Sinatra before?) - this one is certainly my all time favorite! I played it for my son and he was impressed as well.
- another Silbatone video
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be
- I like the sound of WaveTouch Audio's small bookshelf speakers
- JE LAB's are always a pleasure to listen to, this one for example
This one is "cool":
-
this one too:
There are so many more... They all sound different, they are all imperfect in some ways, but they all have something which I find captivating, and fun!
All the discussions about videos, how we should or should not use them, etc..., etc... are simply noise.
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1958 10" that my father bought when it was released still sounds good! I need to get an adapter for 10" records to wash it in my machine. It's been played over the years many times...
I made a video of it with an Altec 755C speaker a year ago and thought that it sounded really dynamic, so I was curious to play it again on my current speakers. You lose some of the sense of speed but the sound is far from dull. I enjoy it.
Edit: the video may be blocked on YouTube (I opened a dispute!). Here's a link to the video:https://storage.googleapis.com/cloudplayer/samples/Miles Davis.mp4
With the 755C - volume is significantly louder - same record, same system:
I made a video of it with an Altec 755C speaker a year ago and thought that it sounded really dynamic, so I was curious to play it again on my current speakers. You lose some of the sense of speed but the sound is far from dull. I enjoy it.
Edit: the video may be blocked on YouTube (I opened a dispute!). Here's a link to the video:https://storage.googleapis.com/cloudplayer/samples/Miles Davis.mp4
With the 755C - volume is significantly louder - same record, same system:
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Got stuck on public trabsport today for hours without my headphones (forgot to bring them). I was eager to play some tunes on my speakers when I got home. I enjoyed this album:
Listen to the release The Soulful Piano of Junior Mance / Big Chief! / Junior Mance Trio At the Village Vanguard by The Junior Mance Trio on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/album/8427328606844
Ruby My Dear is given a swinging interpretation:
As I listened, I got curious as to how an original mono LP of this album - Big Chief - released in 1961, would sound
en.m.wikipedia.org
...so I ordered a copy on Discogs:
Listen to the release The Soulful Piano of Junior Mance / Big Chief! / Junior Mance Trio At the Village Vanguard by The Junior Mance Trio on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/album/8427328606844
Ruby My Dear is given a swinging interpretation:
As I listened, I got curious as to how an original mono LP of this album - Big Chief - released in 1961, would sound
Big Chief! - Wikipedia
...so I ordered a copy on Discogs:
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Here's an album which I am obsessed with: New Orleans Suite, by Ellington
en.m.wikipedia.org
One of the tracks - Portrait of Wellman Braud - is a favorite (all the others are great as well).
Bassist Joe Benjamin is in the spotlight here, accompanied at first by Ellington's piano, before the band kicks in. Cootie Williams has a trumpet solo, followed by Russell Procope on clarinet, and finally Harry Carney on bass clarinet paraphrasing the bass line, after which Benjamin finishes up with Ellington.
I have always been curious to compare the sound quality of various versions.
Here's a needle drop I made of my LP (with my M2Tech Joplin ADC) - my copy is not "mint":
My turntable is a Technics SL 1200 GR, which I use with an Ortofon 2M cartridge. Obviously, this is not "What's Best", but it lets me appreciate vinyl.
Unfortunately I stopped the recording just before the end, and realized only after uploading it to my computer - did not bother to do it all over again.
Here is a a playlist with various versions available on YouTube (include mine):
I always found that the CD versions sounded a bit "thin", but YMMV.
There is a quadraphonic version now available on BluRay, which I purchased, out of curiosity. I don't have a quadraphonic setup, but I plan on extracting the various audio channels anyway to just to know how they sound. Those who have listened to it in a multi-channel set up have praised the sound quality... I believe the disc also contains a stereo version.
store.rhino.com
New Orleans Suite - Wikipedia
One of the tracks - Portrait of Wellman Braud - is a favorite (all the others are great as well).
Bassist Joe Benjamin is in the spotlight here, accompanied at first by Ellington's piano, before the band kicks in. Cootie Williams has a trumpet solo, followed by Russell Procope on clarinet, and finally Harry Carney on bass clarinet paraphrasing the bass line, after which Benjamin finishes up with Ellington.
I have always been curious to compare the sound quality of various versions.
Here's a needle drop I made of my LP (with my M2Tech Joplin ADC) - my copy is not "mint":
My turntable is a Technics SL 1200 GR, which I use with an Ortofon 2M cartridge. Obviously, this is not "What's Best", but it lets me appreciate vinyl.
Unfortunately I stopped the recording just before the end, and realized only after uploading it to my computer - did not bother to do it all over again.
Here is a a playlist with various versions available on YouTube (include mine):
I always found that the CD versions sounded a bit "thin", but YMMV.
There is a quadraphonic version now available on BluRay, which I purchased, out of curiosity. I don't have a quadraphonic setup, but I plan on extracting the various audio channels anyway to just to know how they sound. Those who have listened to it in a multi-channel set up have praised the sound quality... I believe the disc also contains a stereo version.
NEW ORLEANS SUITE (QUADIO) (BLU-RAY AUDIO)
Buy NEW ORLEANS SUITE (QUADIO) (BLU-RAY AUDIO). Browse the vast selection of products available.
store.rhino.com
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I recorded the same track with my Joplin ADC, but this time plugged in to the Pyxi phonostage:
sotaturntables.com
The RIAA eq is applied by the Pyxi, so the Joplin's EQ is off, it is set to zero gain, so it is only handling the ADC, at 24/96kHz. The Joplin is plugged in to a MacBook, and the recording is made through Audacity, at 24/96kHz as well.
I got the Pyxi out of curiosity, and also because the Joplin, when used with its build in DSP, is a little glitchy. I sometimes need to turn it on/off a few times. I only know of one other person using it, and he does not seem to have those issues, but he does prefer it with an external phonostage (he has a much better turntable than I do, and incidentally, he uses it when listening to his vinyl on headphones plugged in to the poweDAC-SX, which only has a digital input...).
Here is the file:
And the file of the recording with the Joplin used as both a phonostage and ADC:
The gain setting is not exactly the same.
Here is the Pyxi phonostage recording on YouTube - this time with the full track (so you can hear the last chord played by Ellington):
I am using cheap (probably bought on Amazon) interconnects between the Pyxi and the Joplin. Will use better ones...
Perhaps I should get a mint copy of the LP as well.
I would be curious to hear a vinyl rip made with a really good turntable - no doubt it would blow mine out of the water... You can't really know the full potential of the recording otherwise, though you can still identify some issues which are not "playback" dependent. Anyway, there is no doubt that I enjoy listening to this record on my speakers "as is".
Pyxi Phonostage – Sota Turntables
sotaturntables.com
The RIAA eq is applied by the Pyxi, so the Joplin's EQ is off, it is set to zero gain, so it is only handling the ADC, at 24/96kHz. The Joplin is plugged in to a MacBook, and the recording is made through Audacity, at 24/96kHz as well.
I got the Pyxi out of curiosity, and also because the Joplin, when used with its build in DSP, is a little glitchy. I sometimes need to turn it on/off a few times. I only know of one other person using it, and he does not seem to have those issues, but he does prefer it with an external phonostage (he has a much better turntable than I do, and incidentally, he uses it when listening to his vinyl on headphones plugged in to the poweDAC-SX, which only has a digital input...).
Here is the file:
And the file of the recording with the Joplin used as both a phonostage and ADC:
The gain setting is not exactly the same.
Here is the Pyxi phonostage recording on YouTube - this time with the full track (so you can hear the last chord played by Ellington):
I am using cheap (probably bought on Amazon) interconnects between the Pyxi and the Joplin. Will use better ones...
Perhaps I should get a mint copy of the LP as well.
I would be curious to hear a vinyl rip made with a really good turntable - no doubt it would blow mine out of the water... You can't really know the full potential of the recording otherwise, though you can still identify some issues which are not "playback" dependent. Anyway, there is no doubt that I enjoy listening to this record on my speakers "as is".
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I have a Qobuz playlist with some test tracks, that I only play when I am changing things in my system or working on my room's acoustics. They are "tools". A couple of them I use because they have an impressive soundstage with a "tapestry" of different sounds. With those it's easy to see how immersed one can be in the sound.
Listen to Les Yeux Noirs by The Rosenberg Trio on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/59555767
Listen to Libertango by Gary Burton on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/505433
When those sound particularly good, I find that everything else does - including mono tracks - and I can go back to listening to my "regular" albums.
Listen to Les Yeux Noirs by The Rosenberg Trio on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/59555767
Listen to Libertango by Gary Burton on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/505433
When those sound particularly good, I find that everything else does - including mono tracks - and I can go back to listening to my "regular" albums.
Two weeks ago I experimented with diffusors on the ceiling. I took them down after a few days, to see how things sounded without them: not as pleasant, for sure.
Instead of putting them back up, I decided to try some absorption instead (something I had already played with a year ago, with my open baffle speakers). I ordered 4 panels of 10cm (about 4") thick basotect foam, which I cut up in squares and managed to fix - temporarily - to the ceiling:
Foam made of Basotect Absorber 100x50x10cm white
Foam made of Basotect is an exellent insulation guzzler. It reduces noise and resonance enormly within a room (or a hall) and ensures a quiet surrounding. Also the maximum fire protection in this building ...
www.panasorb.eu
I screwed 4 nylon wall plug into the small square panel, then put strong double sided tape on the plugs' heads and pressed them onto masking tape stuck to the wall. I used 3M masking tape for "delicate surfaces", which you can theoretically leave on for 60 days.
The total surface of the panels were 4 meters by 2 meter. I may add some more.
At this point, and in my room, absorption is probably the way to go (though I could try mixing the two). Will report back in a few weeks.
Everyone knows that each combination of speaker, room, and listening preferences, is unique and may result in different acoustic treatment solutions. So I'm not sure there is much to learn from my experiments, but perhaps it will motivate some to experiment as well.
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A poorly recorded track, played from a worn out LP, still sounds good to my ears:
en.m.wikipedia.org
Leroy Carr - Wikipedia
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Harry Edison, Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller:
Oscar Peterson can swing in the right company!
Oscar Peterson can swing in the right company!
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Two weeks ago I experimented with diffusors on the ceiling. I took them down after a few days, to see how things sounded without them: not as pleasant, for sure.
Instead of putting them back up, I decided to try some absorption instead (something I had already played with a year ago, with my open baffle speakers). I ordered 4 panels of 10cm (about 4") thick basotect foam, which I cut up in squares and managed to fix - temporarily - to the ceiling:
View attachment 140836
View attachment 140837
Foam made of Basotect Absorber 100x50x10cm white
Foam made of Basotect is an exellent insulation guzzler. It reduces noise and resonance enormly within a room (or a hall) and ensures a quiet surrounding. Also the maximum fire protection in this building ...
I screwed 4 nylon wall plug into the small square panel, then put strong double sided tape on the plugs' heads and pressed them onto masking tape stuck to the wall. I used 3M masking tape for "delicate surfaces", which you can theoretically leave on for 60 days.
View attachment 140838
The total surface of the panels were 4 meters by 2 meter. I may add some more.
At this point, and in my room, absorption is probably the way to go (though I could try mixing the two). Will report back in a few weeks.
Everyone knows that each combination of speaker, room, and listening preferences, is unique and may result in different acoustic treatment solutions. So I'm not sure there is much to learn from my experiments, but perhaps it will motivate some to experiment as well.
I woke up this morning and all my panels had fallen off. The "delicate surface" masking tape is not strong enough to hold them, even though the panels are very light.
I took a few breaks from work during the day to listen without the panels. This evening, I set them back up with regular masking tape, and listened for changes as I added panels. I also may adjustments to their position on the ceiling.
There is no doubt that the difference in sound quality is very significant... Listening is simply much more pleasant with the ceiling absorption panels, and the listening experience more immersive. I'm definitely "sold".
A sample (FWIW):
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To be honest, I am really surprised by the difference a few panels are making. I was not expecting this. It feels like the full potential of the system has been unleashed.
A few things I have noted:
- listening is comfortable even at high volume levels (not the case before)
- listening is optimal in the sweet spot, but when sitting off-axis, the sound quality does not really deteriorate (hard to explain) - there are obviously differences, but less so than before.
- the imperfections of the system are obviously still there (bass extension, etc, etc) but seem irrelevant, or at least do not stand out.
Good times.
A few things I have noted:
- listening is comfortable even at high volume levels (not the case before)
- listening is optimal in the sweet spot, but when sitting off-axis, the sound quality does not really deteriorate (hard to explain) - there are obviously differences, but less so than before.
- the imperfections of the system are obviously still there (bass extension, etc, etc) but seem irrelevant, or at least do not stand out.
Good times.
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