In fact, at a later phase Tony Faulkner felt analog tape offered a unique character in terms of sound and returned to tape. However, as far as I know only digital versions of these few recordings were issued.
How Would You Describe the Sound of Tape?
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
In fact, at a later phase Tony Faulkner felt analog tape offered a unique character in terms of sound and returned to tape. However, as far as I know only digital versions of these few recordings were issued.
I almost bought another Telefunken M15 A . 
( No more room lol )
Later in the year / next year im gonna buy more Tape
( No more room lol )Later in the year / next year im gonna buy more Tape
I assume it was this interview:
Interview by Lawrence Schenbeck with Northstar’s Bert van der Wolf in
[Introduction: Bert van der Wolf is a Netherlands-based engineer/producer with over thirty years’ experience in developing and advancing high-resolution, multichannel classical recording. Recently he agreed to share his thoughts with us on a variety of topics.] You have an extraordinary wide...spiritofturtle.com
He definitely prefers high-resolution digital to analog tape and explains why.
Probably it was Bert, but is was not this one - in some sense it was complementary to this one.
Thanks for the link - I quote " In the past, when the best technology captured less information, engineers tended to over-gather data, placing equal emphasis (or worse, over-emphasis) on all aspects of the potential mix. Then, to compensate for the lack of visual and other sensory information (the data our sight, skin, and scent collect at live performances), they created layers—depth of field—via supporting microphones, EQ, and dynamic alterations. They could offer focal points everywhere simultaneously, often incoherent in imaging and perspective."
An interesting reference to something I often refer in sound reproduction - the "lack of visual and other sensory information".
I almost bought another Telefunken M15 A .
Later in the year / next year im gonna buy more Tape
I am selling one Studer A80 cheap in audiomarkt - but I do not take speakers in part-exchange!
You Should
.Never a A80 RC mk2 again at over 90 kg , may be an A80 R ( 50 kg ) , only portables for andro
.I did check the VTL S 400 mk2 Monos( and pre ) you had for sale , nice amps
Last edited:
You Should
Never a A80 RC mk2 again at over 90 kg , may be an A80 R ( 50 kg ) , only portables for andro
Yes, also an A80R without trolley - 54 kg - is available.
i don't get my music reproduction media truth from any pro audio guys. Faulkner for years was identified with dsd and sacd efforts and so it's natural he might (or did) have biases. or not. agendas are not evil. but they exist. in general pro audio guys have compromised playback gear and systems and that is also an issue.
OTOH i have years of dsd and sacd media and compares with high level vinyl and tape and really nothing to talk about based on music realism in my experience. mic feeds be damned. that is not the truth. music listeners hear the truth about the actual media. if mic feeds are less real than analog media then forget mic feeds.
maybe playback processes are not robust enough to reveal what the tape is doing compared to the mic feeds?
Last edited:
i don't get my music reproduction media truth from any pro audio guys.
In fact professionals present very interesting explanations about real aspects of stereo sound reproduction and articulated reasons to explain the differences and different abilities of the both analog and digital recording. IMO much more interesting than just out particular preference in some high-end very tailored systems. Surely we have different perspectives on understanding and enjoying the the hobby.
Tony Faulkner preferences do not interest me. I just reported a result from an experience he carried. Surely I can't ignore the quality of his digital recordings with labels such as Hyperion - I rank his recordings of ancient coral music very high.
Well, you will stay with your own preference that now becomes "truth". Ok, I am used to such common WBF semantic manipulations. Everyone wants his preference to become the "truth", probably it increases listening pleasure and gets better sleep ...
There is no reality in stereo, it is an illusion.
Again, I think you are not understanding the concept of preference. BTW, the speakers being used in this experiment were the Quad ESL63's.
I have done that many times. DSD128 is indistinguishable from direct mic feed. However, playback involves many other variables, especially if a network is involved. And there are very few pure DSD recordings, and no modern engineer at the level of Wilkinson, Leyton, Fine etc.
Sure. Best to fire all the pro audio guys and have audiophiles make recordings. LOL.
i don't get my music reproduction media truth from any pro audio guys. Faulkner for years was identified with dsd and sacd efforts and so it's natural he might (or did) have biases. or not. agendas are not evil. but they exist. in general pro audio guys have compromised playback gear and systems and that is also an issue.
OTOH i have years of dsd and sacd media and compares with high level vinyl and tape and really nothing to talk about based on music realism in my experience. mic feeds be damned. that is not the truth. music listeners hear the truth about the actual media. if mic feeds are less real than analog media then forget mic feeds.
maybe playback processes are not robust enough to reveal what the tape is doing compared to the mic feeds?
I assume it was this interview:
Interview by Lawrence Schenbeck with Northstar’s Bert van der Wolf in
[Introduction: Bert van der Wolf is a Netherlands-based engineer/producer with over thirty years’ experience in developing and advancing high-resolution, multichannel classical recording. Recently he agreed to share his thoughts with us on a variety of topics.] You have an extraordinary wide...
He definitely prefers high-resolution digital to analog tape and explains why.
I have about 4 of his CD/ SACD s .
Either my digital isnt good enough which could well be the case , but his recordings arent up with good tape .
Im comparing Meitner MA2 digital not Wadax level digital .
With tape there is just an abundance of info / clues which aren t even reproduced with digital
Digital sounds unnaturally clean compared to tape.
Ps i havent heard tape play back as good as i have at home currently .
At shows the tape revival has some what slowed , never heard tape at a dealer show ever.
Last edited:
Does "unnaturally clean" mean lack of hall ambience, spatial clues, decay etc? If that is the case, your digital may have a problem with low-level linearity. It's not intrinsic to the medium.
Instead, pro audio professionals could learn to respect audiophiles and let go of preconceptions such as “digital is just ones and zeros,” “computer processes do no harm,” and “cable length doesn’t matter as long as the connection is balanced.”
Additionally, audiophiles should understand that recording music and reproducing it at home are two different things. Pro audio expertise applies to recording, so they shouldn’t be consulted about home music reproduction.
I read the interview. In the interview he did not explain why.
We now have a much better knowledge of digital, how it differs from analog and how it became mature to a level that exceeds the best analog.
This doesn't tell us anything substantive.
The reality is that no matter the underlying preferences and the underlying perceptions no professional audio person wants to go back to editing a recording with a splicing block, a razor and splicing tape (like I used to do in high school). They will always find a reason to prefer digital today.
Last edited:
It was not the objective of the interview. Fortunately there is still a world where people want to explain things and debate with knowledge and facts, not just tell us "mine is the best".
Yes, he addressed the subject in other interviews. You can use chatgpt to locate them easily. BTW, I only wanted to address his view on different ways of recording to get the best of each technique, not the usual fishing challenge of previous year ...
Yes, one of many reasons. BTW, I still have my splicing block, a razor and a few collared splicing tapes - they are in a closet , close to my Edison phoongraph.
Yes, Ron, we know professionals are part of big conspiration against analog.
But......on electronic music i prefer the clean Digital sound.
Its modern music recorded digitally and sounds tighter in the bass ......
On Rock ,Classical , Piano Opera i prefer Tape
Its modern music recorded digitally and sounds tighter in the bass ......
On Rock ,Classical , Piano Opera i prefer Tape
Similar threads
