Impact

[LL21]

Actually, I was talking about unamplified instruments. The marching band that I heard had tremendous "impact". This same type of "impact" is also evident when listening to any "live" concert band in a hall. This presentation ( of impact) is something that I have NEVER heard reproduced, even closely, by ANY home audio system.

This is kind of like what I have read about the dynamic range of real life (...may not be true?)...for example, dropping a fork on a marble tiled floor can peak at nearly 120db for just an instant. A system needs to be able to flex instantly and easily i guess in order to properly reproduce the total range of dynamics and impact that occur with real instruments.

Its not about constant volumes...its about what the true, complete dynamic range is of, say, a snare drum when the mic is up close and recording. Multiply that by 12 performers on a stage...tambourines, bass, singer, few guitars, etc...or in Daveys case, a whole marching band.

How much juice on tap (and instantly on tap) would one need to get a system to approximate real life of even 12 performers? I have heard the Arrakis and Genesis 1 systems come surprisingly close on acoustic rock...to a level that made big Wilsons feel more like Sashas. Still not live though.

 

[Groucho]

Do binaural recordings listened to in headphones manage to capture anything of the impact of 'being there'? (Unfortunately they can't also reproduce the physical impact of the sound on your body.)

 

[GaryProtein]

Do binaural recordings listened to in headphones manage to capture anything of the impact of 'being there'? (Unfortunately they can't also reproduce the physical impact of the sound on your body.)

I can't see how they can. They don't move the kind of air to literally hit you in the chest.

 

[DaveyF]

I have NEVER heard headphones that I thought were even that great compared to the best audio system's; never mind compared to the sound of real unamplified instruments in a live setting.

 

[GaryProtein]

You could wear headphones and run a subwoofer in the background for the impact!

 

[DaveyF]

Or, you could put your ear right up against the subwoofer driver and get plenty of impact...BTW, is Frank from down under still here??

 

[Bruce B]

had a friend and his wife over last night and he brought along another couple. They were very interested in hi-rez recordings, so I put on "Liberty Fanfare" from the recording that I made at Dave's house. A lot has already been spoken about the 40" bass drum that was in that piece. I wanted to see what the Pass/Alexia's could do and I played the file for them. I knew when the bass drum was going to hit and when it did, everyone in the room jumped about 6" off the ground! It was quite comical to me, but it goes to show you, that impact and speed are not a problem for Mr. Pass and Miss Alexia!
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