Sublime Sound
- Thread starter PeterA
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It'll be said next that audiophiles need to know how many drums in a five-piece drumkit.
Thank you Tang for those suggestions. I will investigate. Yes, I played the Appassionata for Al the other night and the Master Signature did indeed contribute to the overall experience. It is a wonderful recording and can really test a system. The new cartridge rose to the occasion. I now have over 50 hours on it, and it continues to improve.
Ack, next time I'll play the Sheffield Drum Track for you. I continue to be surprised that Magico has this reputation for lacking dynamics and sounding sterile. I hear anything but those attributes from having spent years now living with both the Mini 2 and Q3. If anything, I find them to be very true to the source. They do need to be properly positioned and the room needs to be appropriate. At least with these two models, one hears the upstream gear to perhaps a greater extent than some other speakers. I've always had good amplification, so perhaps that helps. The new cartridge is also providing a very clean and energetic sound.
They are certainly not for everyone, but I simply don't understand the comments about the brand not producing a dynamic sound. That is simply not my experience at all. I guess people have different references.
I am just going to link here for all folks' impressions at the Q3 demo years ago at Goodwin's - https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/magico-q3-s-at-goodwin-s-high-end
I was there as well, but did not comment on audiogon; I believe I did post on WBF about it, though. Anyway, there are mouth-watering comments over there, and of particular note is the following:
I have my issues with some Magicos, as you well know, and they apply to just a couple of their products. BTW, that drum kit demo was the one you heard at my place as well last time. I believe you now have that LP as well?!?
I was there as well, but did not comment on audiogon; I believe I did post on WBF about it, though. Anyway, there are mouth-watering comments over there, and of particular note is the following:
I have my issues with some Magicos, as you well know, and they apply to just a couple of their products. BTW, that drum kit demo was the one you heard at my place as well last time. I believe you now have that LP as well?!?
Or how many chairs you need to get out when you have a visiting septet, and then out of the blue some stray viola player just randomly swings past and then you find yourself now entertaining an octet... or was that a nonagon... I can hardly keep count of these musos (and seriously who listens to violas anyways) and now have just completely under catered for the hors doovers. Being a music lover can be something of an analytical nightmare. I even struggle just with the strange rituals of the initiation of computer audio.
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Thanks Tasos, I will look up that discussion. I was at a Q3 demo at Goodwins years ago and it is the very reason I decided to audition the speakers in my own system years later when I could afford them. I remember an incredibly convincing recording of a soprano. I was transported to a near front row in whatever hall she was singing. I'll never forget it. Perhaps some of my own comments are in that thread, LOL. Sadly, I have not heard such a good demo at Goodwins for a long time.
Could you please remind me to what drum kit demo you refer? If I have the recording, I would certainly like to play it now with the new cartridge.
My post on that Apassionata from a year ago. Not denying the LP is good but the following caveat
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ing-audio-equipment.17547/page-17#post-539806
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ing-audio-equipment.17547/page-17#post-539806
I have a different issue with this LP, which I mentioned to Peter the other day: some notes ring, but it could be my arm. However, I don't have any problems with the Reference Recordings Nojima Plays Ravel - which I think is superior in sound and presentation.
Thanks Tasos. Yes, I've got that LP. I'll play it later. I don't hear the ringing with the Appassionata. Perhaps we can play it the next time at your house and you can point it out to me so I know what to listen for.
I did reread that Audiogon thread about the Q3. Indeed, I made a few posts about that Goodwin's demo. Seems that lots of people were impressed with that demo. I was pleased to see how the word "natural" was used a few times to describe the sound. I guess if the speaker were not capable of portraying dynamics, people would not use the term "natural" to describe its sound. Furthermore, people do not refer to the Q3 as sounding analytical or sterile. Thanks for the link to that old thread. It was a fun read.
I did reread that Audiogon thread about the Q3. Indeed, I made a few posts about that Goodwin's demo. Seems that lots of people were impressed with that demo. I was pleased to see how the word "natural" was used a few times to describe the sound. I guess if the speaker were not capable of portraying dynamics, people would not use the term "natural" to describe its sound. Furthermore, people do not refer to the Q3 as sounding analytical or sterile. Thanks for the link to that old thread. It was a fun read.
Well, I played this LP for Al the other night. I don't think he used the term "sublime", but he did post his comments in a thread titled "Sublime Sound".
He did not mention any sonic issues with the recording, though he mentioned a slight metallic sound to some notes. I think it is the close mic and resonance from the metal sound board, but I could be mistaken. It is certainly a dynamic tour de force. It does sound as though the pianist has two hands with ten digits, each playing individually. As my system has evolved, the individual notes and key strikes have become more distinct. I also really like the sound of the felt on the hammers as they strike the wires. The sheer energy captured on this recording is astonishing.
So this ringing I am hearing - using my effectively brand-new A90 - is in direct correlation to the loading discussions we've had over the years, and that wonderful thread we've had. I had to lower the loading to 500 ohms from 1K to get rid of them. Once you know what to listen for, it's easy to A/B between that loading value vs 1K or 47k. Similarly, the capacitive loading on our Pass phono stages injects deleterious artifacts as you turn it up - easy to hear with the Appasionata and For Duke; I will demonstrate for you next time you visit. This is why I removed entirely the lowest-value 100pF loading capacitor from my XP-25. As we said in that other thread, keep capacitance as low as possible.
I feel piano is the ultimate instrument for testing a system, especially a close-mic'd D2D. So, one again, that resonant peak in the phono chain and how it's managed is really critical. I believe you said said you are also loading at 500 ohms as well?
Yes, Ack. I am loading at 500 ohms and capacitance is at the lowest 100pF setting as per your advice. I find that the lower loading reduces distortion in both the high and low frequencies (ringing) and adds definition. More natural sounding. It depends on the cartridge, as some of my other cartridges are at 100 ohms. It's all a balancing act. I like piano for testing timbre, but also a drum solo for scale, dynamics, cello for coherence, and choral voice for articulation and emotional impact. After Jim Smith voiced my system and spent a day listening to specific tracks for specific attributes, once he declared the effort finished, he played a soprano/aria to gauge emotional involvement. That was the acid test for him. The earlier tracks were simply tools.
looks great Peter, congrats!
your arm tower is very elegantly done.
can't wait to hear what you think about how it sounds.
your arm tower is very elegantly done.
can't wait to hear what you think about how it sounds.
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