What do you think of this video

What do you think of this video. And this is not directed to those who think every mobile phone video is trash, thanks. Please listen to the end for the brass and the woodwinds

 

Naturally if it is on the recording then this will be more complex to solve as not all recordings are the same. But if it is on most recordings it could be something in your setup. Hiss as in noise or as in harsh?
You could try making a recording in the same room where you play music and compare. If it sounds the same then you are good...
I have done this in my room and have now a "reference recording" here (a friend of mine played the vibraphone here and if i play it back then "he's back in the room" so to speak...)

 

You could try making a recording in the same room where you play music and compare. If it sounds the same then you are good...

Yes that is optimal off course .
No its not bothering me much as its not on most recordings .
But also on other speakers i used / made in the past with the ceramic thiel accutons / diamond tw .( a lot $$$) my conclusion was the same .
I found the clapping noise to be not entirely natural sounding , and thats with both ( tape / digital ) .
This clapping is in the 2200-2800 freq range , so its the tweeter thats reproducing it.
I use top of the line mundorf / duelund caps ( and ive tried many kinds )so its not likely a tweeter artifact in my view

 

In my experience the harsh sounds are created by amplifiers using large amount of feedback. This can be heard best with violin concertos or complex harmonics from flutes and clarinets..
To test this i play this CD:
Ode Aan Amsterdam, Nieuw Amsterdams Klarinet Kwartet - Bruno Klassiek

 

In my experience the harsh sounds are created by amplifiers using large amount of feedback. This can be heard best with violin concertos or complex harmonics from flutes and clarinets..
To test this i play this CD:
Ode Aan Amsterdam, Nieuw Amsterdams Klarinet Kwartet - Bruno Klassiek

Okay i will do the experiment , i have a DIY Hawk A 18 power amp without global feedback
Its John vd Sluis design , you being from NL , you must know it .
2 times 10 watts class A ( i use it in class A mode )

Hawk A18 class A solid state power amplifier kit [English]

class A DIY transistor / solid state power amplifier review - TNT - Internet HiFi magazine - audio - hifi - high-end - loudspeaker - music

www.tnt-audio.com

Technique-A​

The A18 is an amplifier of a remarkable concept in that it combines class A operation with a minimalist signal path and a complete lack of loop feedback in the pass band. Hawk's philosophy is that properly designed simple and few gain stages yield transparency, and that these stages do not need feedback to get distortion below 0.1% or so (but they do need class A, or enriched class AB for that). A similar, if somewhat more extreme, style can be found with Nelson Pass' Zen designs of single-ended MOSFET amps, and Jean Hiraga's Le Class A and Le Monstre. However, the Zens lack voltage gain and are hugely inefficient, making them somewhat confined to a niche even smaller than that of the SET. The Hiraga designs are extremely simple too, but they use loop feedback, and rely on very very large power supplies, sometimes battery-based. The Hawk A18, on the contrary, is a real-world amplifier for real-world systems. And real-world purses.​

 

Yes, it is a famous amp in the Netherlands and the people using it are very happy with it.
I remember listening to a set of A18's in combination with Oracle Helicon loudspeakers some time ago.

 

Same track with the Hawk amp ( its been in storage 2 years ,now only 30 min on the juice )
I ll post a vid tomorrow of an organ with 10 watts per channel ( with a full night on the juice )

Ps same problem though to my ears, i think its in the recording

 

Not gone but now it sounds less "agressive" to me, not sure if this is better but it is different. Maybe the amp needs more time to settle. What preamp are you now using?

 

Its the same CAT pre amp ( special legend version of the ultimate mk 2 )
Yes it sounds less aggressive , the CAT is an exceptional powerhouse .
With the CAT you always hear force behind the music , i love it .
There was a Lamm ml2 for sale in NL , but i skipped , i think for my kind of music/ movies i like the CAT more

 

I have a feeling a dartzeel power amp for example will be very nice on this kind of music .
The one time i heard it , it had a very clean top end

 

I did not yet hear any of these amps. Here a couple of reasons:
1- i do not have the means so i am not even looking seriously.
2- my system is balanced so i need a balanced amp that also can deliver.
3- every time i hear any expensive equipment (at audio stores here in the Netherlands) it does not sound convincing at all ( i worked for RAF Hifi in Amsterdam and Hilversum for many years and never heard anything interesting). Later for Invor (Luxman and Cabasse distributor), they had some nice stuff at the time but also out of my reach (even when working there ha ha). So i "have to" build my own stuff if i want the "sound" i like. The only "preamp" that came close was my mixing console (Siemens , ex "De Doelen" 1968).
A picture taken in 2010 (don't mind the mess LOL).....

 

Nice, but your power amp designs look very nice by the way , i might have seen you around as i have visited RAF quite a few times
Understandable , I used to have no money ,but even now i have , the skepticism for the audio world remains.
Pretty much the only dutch store with a good room " mijn hifi " went out of business just after 2008 .
I should have contacted HVT or another MAG already for a speaker review , i ll probably do later this year .
I ll think they ll be in for a blast , they already liked my older MDF speakers and these big boys are something special

 

Will you do your own distribution?
The audio world is "funny". If you have no name then it will be difficult to "enter" even if you have the "best" product available. And many "customers" do not even trust their own ears and scared of purchasing something that has no value etc.. Only if a famous brand is printed on the front it can be any good LOL... Luckily there are still some real audiophiles out there haha...

 

Will you do your own distribution?
The audio world is "funny". If you have no name then it will be difficult to "enter" even if you have the "best" product available. And many "customers" do not even trust their own ears and scared of purchasing something that has no value etc.. Only if a famous brand is printed on the front it can be any good LOL... Luckily there are still some real audiophiles out there haha...

Reviews help to convince people too, so does buzz on forums. Until the next time, anyway. There are often strong opinions without hearing. Higher price the better. Videos on threads like these cut to the chase and can tell us much. People post them at great risk.

 

Will you do your own distribution?
The audio world is "funny". If you have no name then it will be difficult to "enter" even if you have the "best" product available. And many "customers" do not even trust their own ears and scared of purchasing something that has no value etc.. Only if a famous brand is printed on the front it can be any good LOL... Luckily there are still some real audiophiles out there haha...

Tell me about it .
.
My plan is to go back to holland in 1 -2 years , and work as a freelancer again .
besides that buy a nice commercial place , and open up shop for 2 days a week .
Become a dealer for a couple of brands and design 1 or 2 smaller models.
Plus have 3-4 tapemachines in stock and a lot of interesting tapes

 

Reviews really can help here, you only need to know what "agenda" the reviewer has. Would You dare to say to "the world" that something is better (if this would be the case) then something that is highly regarded and high priced if reviewing is your means of income? Let me guess....

 

No , i have a very good experience with most reviewers .
Most of them have the same interest /are enthusiasts
HVT magazine are extremely nice people , Ron from this forum ( mono and stereo ) as well .
They might have a slightly different opinion , but hey ... thats the world .

 

Here is SRV , tin pan alley on 10 watts with closed speakers , bass reflex pipes removed

 

Not bad at all ! If i have the chance i would like to listen to these speakers first hand. Very "neutral" if this word is still allowed here...

 

Not bad at all !

Thanks ,you worked years in a shop so you should know .
I live in brussels at the moment not in NL , but if you wanna hear them just let me know .
I am quit busy travelling/ working and such but we can sure make an appointment .

brg HJ

 

Thanks ,you worked years in a shop so you should know

Yes, i should LOL.... i am spoiled though with my "monster ESL's" and plasma tweeters... nothing compares.... but i am always interested in hearing other speakers (Horns, EMT's etc.) the only thing with these is that they are rarely "finished" (missing sub or the units just do not match... tweeter with mid etc.)