Videos of Acoustically-Coupled Audio Recordings

[Ron Resnick]

A recent video from Tang's system:

From this video I have no idea what Tang's system sounds like because I have never heard the recording before. But I can't get past the feeling that I don't think the recording itself sounds very natural or believable. The recording itself sounds to me very vintage-y and kind of loud but flat and not pure.

This recording doesn't sound to me anything like the Eleanor Rigby* on Tang's speakers at David's, which I thought sounded completely amazing and natural and believable.

*I now have the Eleanor Rigby, and I have played it on my new system. From the video I am sure I would prefer in person the instrumental introduction on Tang's speakers, but I prefer the vocal on my speakers. (Of course if I were listening in front of Tang's speakers in real life I might prefer the vocal on his speakers as well.)

 

[Ron Resnick]

I’m just saying that he told me when he puts on a record now it’s all about the music and he doesn’t hear the system the way he used to. He doesn’t hear it and he doesn’t think about it. This is a fairly major shift as far as I’m concerned, especially considering these speakers are new. It’s an indication that they are set up properly and presenting the music to the listener.

I think (based on the Zetas) that Tang's Cessaros have a very different tonal balance than David's speakers. I think the Cessaros have a very contemporary, subjectively flat/neutral sound.

I am very happy for Tang!

 

[Joe Cohen]

Is the slight pervasive schwa coloration to the singer's vowels a room acoustic issue or endemic to that speaker? Tough to tell from a YouTube video but then I liked Tang's old speakers much better. They didn’t seem like they were trying to make a presentation
(”natural”?) but instead solely let what was on the recording through.

What’s the make and model of these speakers?

 

[Scott Naylor]

Hello, Mr.Cohen! I’m afraid I’m no expert on the speakers in question, but if you search out Siemens Klangfilm Eurodyn you'll find a fair amount of info. about the various models and implementations. Blessings!

 

[andromedaaudio]

Here are my 3 favorite YT vids .
This is what i call high end audio , it makes me really curious for KARAN actually .
If you hear this you dont think about cables /amps / speakers / etc ( all this nonsense)

 

[mtemur]

Here are my 3 favorite YT vids .
This is what i call high end audio , it makes me really curious for KARAN actually .
If you hear this you dont think about cables /amps / speakers / etc ( all this nonsense)

Great sound. Thanks for sharing. IMHO Kharma classic is a great speaker.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Its the only speaker i d ever consider buying and at around 122 K euros its not that expensive given the sound and craftsmanship
Who knows in a year ... or 2.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Great sound. Thanks for sharing. IMHO Kharma classic is a great speaker.

yes it is.

 

[mtemur]

Two of my friends have Kharma exquisite speakers which were made on special order. They’re not regular exquisite models, almost everything is upgraded by the factory. I like the sound of those speakers too. They’re really something special but this classic is a speaker to lust for.

 

[tinkerphile]

Here is one of the "decent" setups:

I can also go to Jana's videos (Earspace) and easily tell tonality from her binaural recordings among several other criteria. No, its not an audition substitute but, hey, alot of people can't audition stuff locally. So they rely on forums and now videos to educate themselves.

I don't understand how expanding this hobby via videos is a negative. That's why several hifi retailers have opened up YouTube channels in the past year or two. That's what every other luxury hobby is doing as well - see Hodinkee or WatchBox Studios. This hobby continues to revolve around senior citizens - I loved that THE Show was still passing out magazines and brochures. Lol.

Yeah, Jana has done some great work. I appreciate what she has done, as well as the passionate interest and contributions she obviously desires to make.

 

[tinkerphile]

I saw videos of Mike's system. They Don't do it justice possibly because videos can't get the sweet spot and room acoustics right which are so important for his set up.

General's system is in my top 3. I have heard videos, they show some aspects of the system beautifully and some not. However, based on that background, I found two Russians who had the same driver, plus a bass horn, and one a bass tower of 4 maxsonic drivers per tower, that I was able to relate to over video. Do I have an accurate view of the room? Of course not. But the speakers are doing many things similar to a system I am regularly listening with additional bass crossover (something the General himself is against).

At lower budgets, I haven't seen too many tannoy videos I have liked on YouTube, or devores. At the same time, Altec and lowther videos have got my curiosity going big enough to investigate.

Videos are a great tool but I don't think the anti video brigade is getting what to use it for. It's the concept they find shocking rather than try out the experience

I think my Munich videos are fairly accurate presentations of how I thought the rooms were, except in person differences were higher

I have to agree: Here is a DeVore vid (AV Showrooms). The track, starting at about 39 seconds, is one of the better vids you'll find. That said, I think it highlights the point you make. I would suppose the quality is enough to arouse interest for further investigation. It provides a sort of sonic taste, if I can put it that way.

(180) Devore Fidelity sounding really good! RMAF - YouTube

 

[tima]

I read through the last quarter of this thread again and frankly I'm amazed at the poor argumentation in several posts. Some are working double overtime to account for how the mf video sounds inspite its maker stating it is representative of what he hears when he listens to his system. Some argument goes so far to claim that video cannot possibly represent what his system actually sounds like. That comes across as a desperate apologism for an icon or an attempt to hold on to their own strongly held beliefs about the system's owner -- he cannot possibly have a system that sounds like that because I respect him so much. As if criticism of the video is criticism of one's devotion.

Falling back on the argument that no video can accurately represent the sound of a stereo system turns on how one wants to weasel word the notion of 'accuracy'. Just as no stereo reproduction is identical to its actual performance, no video is identical to the in-room stereo reproduction. Some are better, some are not. The only person entitled to claim representation between in-room reproduction and a video is the person making the video or possibly an attendee at that making. No amount of sketchy reasoning can change that.

Does it make sense to say that if one has not heard a particular recording one is disqualified to judge the sound of a video of the reproduction of that recording? Not to me. That's like saying if one has not heard the original performance on which the recording is based, one is not qualified to assess the stereo reproduction of the recording. The sound of a video may be poor or squeaky or thin. We don't know if that comes from the record or from the system. But it doesn't matter. The sound of the video to an individual is how they hear it. How they describe it turns on what they value.

 

[bonzo75]

I read through the last quarter of this thread again and frankly I'm amazed at the poor argumentation in several posts.

Will be same with the first quarter and the middle

 

[andromedaaudio]

Great sound. Thanks for sharing. IMHO Kharma classic is a great speaker.

Off course i had to make one myself of Sade.
I think i can hear a difference on you tube when i close the bass channel , its a bit cleaner.
By the way its a Meitner dac MA2 / streaming you tube

 

[andromedaaudio]

Oh and by the way this is the first vid i made with my Samsung 52S workphone .
My A70 broke after 3 years and 6 months of excellent service ( the screen just flashed / went black )

 

[andromedaaudio]

Regarding the level of vocabulary in this thread ( i dont know to who this was directed ), but please keep in mind i never got past elementary school.

I suggest the best option for increasing the level of content is to post a couple of vids of your own personal system and blow us all away

 

[hopkins]

I have to agree: Here is a DeVore vid (AV Showrooms). The track, starting at about 39 seconds, is one of the better vids you'll find. That said, I think it highlights the point you make. I would suppose the quality is enough to arouse interest for further investigation. It provides a sort of sonic taste, if I can put it that way.

(180) Devore Fidelity sounding really good! RMAF - YouTube

The speakers sound dynamic, but it sounds to me like there is a lot of coloration, so I would say this is far from "neutral" and not to my taste.
If I were to listen to them live and come to the same conclusion, it would tend to prove that YouTube videos, in spite of all their limitations (the microphone used being the main culprit, and then the playback system you view it on), are informative.

 

[rando]

The speakers sound dynamic, but there is a lot of coloration, so I would say this is very far from "neutral" and not to my taste.
If I were to listen to them live and come to the same conclusion, it would tend to prove that YouTube videos, in spite of all their limitations (the microphone used being the main culprit, and then the playback system you view it on) are informative.

Bolding my own.

Somehow I am always the one who feels prompted to restate the most elementary *( )* of limiting factors.
Ease with which microphones on cellular devices become obstructed. Equals difficulties removing obstructions without compacting them.

 

[hopkins]

Bolding my own.

Somehow I am always the one who feels prompted to restate the most elementary *( )* of limiting factors.
Ease with which microphones on cellular devices become obstructed. Equals difficulties removing obstructions without compacting them.

Yes, there's a reason why we appreciate professional recordings made with high quality microphones, good ADCs, in good studios, with good microphone placement.

The fact that YouTube does compress audio tracks is only a very small portion of the problem.

 

[rando]

Yes, there's a reason why we appreciate professional recordings made with high quality microphones, good ADCs, in good studios, with good microphone placement.

The fact that YouTube does compress audio tracks is only a very small portion of the problem.

It was a worthwhile reminder if one person appreciated being pulled back from narrower focus.