Hopkins' System

[hopkins]

Here is a video of vinyl playback through my system:


LP -> ADC > WiiM Pro Toslink input > WiiM Pro Toslink output > powerDAC-SX Toslink input

Sounds good to me

This LP was never released on CD. Here's a vinyl rip (probably a better turntable than mine). That track starts at 26:24

 

[hopkins]

Turns out the right speaker, on my previous video (Yusef Lateef) had a connector loose and one of the speakers was not playing, creating some imbalance, but not a big deal...

Mosaic Records has announced a new box set - Don Byas: https://www.mosaicrecords.com/product/classic-don-byas-sessions/

Liner notes by Loren Schoenberg, should be interesting. Sound quality of Mosaic releases is always good (given the source material). I've placed my order

Here is an audio clip:

https://www.mosaicrecords.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Deep-Purple_CD09_T02.mp3

 

[hopkins]

As I am changing the wiring of my speakers (using thicker, 12 awg wire and soldering it to the speaker terminals), I listened to a single speaker tonight. Here's Erroll Garner, recorded in mono in 1956, played on one speaker:

The track is from the Mosaic Columbia Jazz Piano Moods Sessions cd box set. The following video is probably from the same source (Columbia records):

On a side note, the cables connecting the amp to the speaker are basic 1.3mm solid electrical wire purchased at my hardware store...

 

[hopkins]

These mono tracks are really helpful for speaker placement:
- you can listen to each speaker separately and figure out which placement in the room gives the best sound
- then you can listen to both speakers and decide on how to adjust them to "lock in" the center mono image and maintain the tonal balance heard on each speaker individually

Sigh - it's not easy in my room...

 

[morricab]

As I am changing the wiring of my speakers (using thicker, 12 awg wire and soldering it to the speaker terminals), I listened to a single speaker tonight. Here's Erroll Garner, recorded in mono in 1956, played on one speaker:

The track is from the Mosaic Columbia Jazz Piano Moods Sessions cd box set. The following video is probably from the same source (Columbia records):

On a side note, the cables connecting the amp to the speaker are basic 1.3mm solid electrical wire purchased at my hardware store...

Yours sounds somewhat lightweight compared to the track file in the lower mid and upper bass region.

 

[Johan K]

These mono tracks are really helpful for speaker placement:
- you can listen to each speaker separately and figure out which placement in the room gives the best sound
- then you can listen to both speakers and decide on how to adjust them to "lock in" the center mono image and maintain the tonal balance heard on each speaker individually

Sigh - it's not easy in my room...

Really nice mellow sound in your clips. I like it a lot !

/ Jk

 

[hopkins]

Yours sounds somewhat lightweight compared to the track file in the lower mid and upper bass region.

Agreed - I'm testing (again...) all sorts of speaker placements right now...

 

[hopkins]

I ran a few "bit perfect tests" in various configurations.

The PowerDAC-SX has a bit-perfect test. Set the unit to "mute" and play the test files (44/48/88/96kHz) provided by ECDesigns. If the source is bit-perfect, a "P" is displayed at the end of each track.

- Foobar2000 on my Windows desktop computer, connected through ECDesigns' small USB to Toslink converter, set to "exclusive mode" = bit-perfect

- RaspberryPi running MPD with a USB attached SSD and connected using a JustBoom digi HAT = bit-perfect

- the same raspberryPi going through the Toslink input and output of the WiiM Pro = bit perfect

- files copied on my phone and played through USB Player Pro, set in bit-perfect mode, and connected through ECDesigns' USB to Toslink converter = bit-perfect

- files copied on my phone and played through the WiiM app to the WiiM Pro through the Chromecast protocol = NOT bit-perfect.

- files copied on my phone and played through the HifiCast app to the WiiM Pro through the Chromecast protocol = NOT bit-perfect.

- files copied on my phone and played through BubbleUPNP app to the WiiM Pro through the Chromecast protocol = NOT bit-perfect.

- files copied on my phone and played through BubbleUPNP app to the WiiM Pro through the UPNP/DNLA protocol = bit-perfect.

I was surprised that the Chromecast protocol on the WiiM Pro is not bit perfect, as they claim it is. I made sure I used the correct settings (ex: no volume control...), but will double check. Their DNLA implementation is bit-perfect.

The Toslink pass-through of the WiiM Pro is bit perfect.

It would be cool to find a way to upload these files to a streaming service to check whether these services are bit-perfect...

 

[hopkins]

Now that I am done re-wiring my two speakers, I worked on the speaker placement in a more "near-field" configuration with the speakers placed facing the length of the room. I still have the option of placing them along the width, but this is easier to setup and good for late night listening.

I used a combination of measurements (frequency response, RT60...) and listening, and found a placement I actually enjoy, meaning it provides a relaxing, "enveloping" sound, with well defined instruments.

My head is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) from each speaker, and the speakers are about 2.2 meters apart.



Here's the system in action:

The sound also fills up the flat nicely.

 

[hopkins]

It's a little strange to sit facing a wall, with two speakers fairly far apart on each side, and hear sound being projected in front of you at various locations of the soundstage. There's something magical about it!

 

[hopkins]

Benny Carter, born in 1907, live in a club in 1995:

Streamed (Chromecast protocol) from Qobuz

 

[Long Live Analog]

Now that I am done re-wiring my two speakers, I worked on the speaker placement in a more "near-field" configuration with the speakers placed facing the length of the room. I still have the option of placing them along the width, but this is easier to setup and good for late night listening.

I used a combination of measurements (frequency response, RT60...) and listening, and found a placement I actually enjoy, meaning it provides a relaxing, "enveloping" sound, with well defined instruments.

My head is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) from each speaker, and the speakers are about 2.2 meters apart.

View attachment 119161

Here's the system in action:

The sound also fills up the flat nicely.

Love your system and room aesthetics ?? very nice indeed. I like your choice of music

 

[hopkins]

As I am tweaking my speaker placement for nearfield listening, I was curious to learn of others' experience and found this post which pretty much corresponds to my findings:

Thread 'Near-Field Thread 'Near-Field Listening: Acquired Taste or Proper Paradigm?' https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/near-field-listening-acquired-taste-or-proper-paradigm.886/

Are my open baffle "line array" speakers suited for near-field listening? I believe they are.

 

[hopkins]

Vinyl meets digital...

Duke Ellington (solo recorded at Château Goutelas, Feb. 1966)

Duke Ellington - Duke "Solo"

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Vinyl release of "Duke "Solo"" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Johnny Hodges:

Johnny Hodges - The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951 - 1955

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1989 Vinyl release of "The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951 - 1955" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Don Joseph:

Don Joseph Featuring Al Cohn - One Of A Kind

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1985 Vinyl release of "One Of A Kind" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[hopkins]

Big sound from a (single) tiny and ridiculously cheap speaker: JVC SP UXT 200H

Big sound from a big speaker - live recordings are particularly satisfying, not sure it comes across:

I'm All Smiles (Hampton Hawes album) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Not available on streaming services, AFAIK. LP or CD can be found on Discogs:

Hampton Hawes - I'm All Smiles

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1993 CD release of "I'm All Smiles" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Highly recommended

 

[Rexp]

Vinyl meets digital...

Duke Ellington (solo recorded at Château Goutelas, Feb. 1966)

Duke Ellington - Duke "Solo"

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Vinyl release of "Duke "Solo"" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Johnny Hodges:

Johnny Hodges - The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951 - 1955

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1989 Vinyl release of "The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951 - 1955" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

Don Joseph:

Don Joseph Featuring Al Cohn - One Of A Kind

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1985 Vinyl release of "One Of A Kind" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

What would you say the differences are comparing your vinyl playback to this version of Johnny Hodges?

 

[hopkins]

What would you say the differences are comparing your vinyl playback to this version of Johnny Hodges?

View attachment 119488

I don't want to turn this thread into discussions of vinyl versus digital.

I have a digital version of that track, and it is not great, probably because they applied too much noise reduction. The Mosaic LP Box Set's liner notes don't actually mention what the source material was (master tape ? 78 ? LP?). We don't know what the source material are for all these digital versions either, and how they were made.

I bought the LP set because I am a fan of Johnny Hodges, I appreciate the liner notes, photography, and discography info on the box sets, and I appreciate the sound quality Mosaic Records offers (whether on LP or CD). Given the choice between a Mosaic box set of LPs and CDs, I would always buy the CD set, for practical reasons. Now they now longer do LPs anyways.

 

[hopkins]

On all these older recordings, the dominant aspect, to my ears, is not whether it is digital or analog, per se, but rather:

- the condition of the LP (especially when you look for original versions second hand)
- how much processing (noise reduction and others) have been done on the digital version. There are some very good and very bad digital versions, that is all that can be said.

 

[Rexp]

I don't want to turn this thread into discussions of vinyl versus digital.

I have a digital version of that track, and it is not great, probably because they applied too much noise reduction. The Mosaic LP Box Set's liner notes don't actually mention what the source material was (master tape ? 78 ? LP?). We don't know what the source material are for all these digital versions either, and how they were made.

I bought the LP set because I am a fan of Johnny Hodges, I appreciate the liner notes, photography, and discography info on the box sets, and I appreciate the sound quality Mosaic Records offers (whether on LP or CD). Given the choice between a Mosaic box set of LPs and CDs, I would always buy the CD set, for practical reasons. Now they now longer do LPs anyways.

Sure, I thought the version I posted sounded similar to your vinyl recording and wondered what your in-room impressions were.

 

[hopkins]

Sure, I thought the version I posted sounded similar to your vinyl recording and wondered what your in-room impressions were.

My in-room impressions are that the vinyl version sounds better than the digital version I have. But that is not always the case. I have the vinyl version (recent, LP is transparent/blue) of "Muddy Waters Live", for example, and the digital version sounds better. But then again, my vinyl rig is "modest".

I don't worry about which is best (vinyl vs digital). I don't worry either whether I am getting the best sound possible from either. I think that I am getting a good "bang for the buck". I don't want to spend more money on hifi equipment. I enjoy what I have.