What is the Ultimate system for a Deadhead? A True Time Machine to re-create a show?

[Occam]

Definitely. I chose the Meyers because they are small suckers. I've got this thing for the big Ocean Way stacks which can really play anything well but at the back of my mind, I was thinking "vacation home" system (no neighbors). Big sound small package. Heck, move them outdoors with a pair of X-800s and have a personal festival!

+10 on Allen Side's OceanWay speakers. Those, powered by bi-amped (tri???) electronics from Paul Jayson's Viola made for a great 'its got a great beat, and you can dance to it'... system, at CES a few years ago.

 

[hvbias]

Yes,

I have ordered all the abbreviated Dick's Pics on Vinyl. I have most of the complete shows on cd. The issue I have with the vinyl is that while sounding pretty good, they don't stack up to the quality of studio vinyl I have in rock, jazz and classical, therefore I don't allocate much time to listening to them. There was a time when I listened to GD 90%. It now accounts for less than 5% of my total listening time. There is just so much better sounding stuff to listen too.

I agree those 2-track recordings are no sonic marvel. I don't mind looking past those flaws for their best shows. I'm looking forward to Veneta 72 which will be from 16 track, mastered by Chris Bellman for vinyl.

 

[rockitman]

I agree those 2-track recordings are no sonic marvel. I don't mind looking past those flaws for their best shows. I'm looking forward to Veneta 72 which will be from 16 track, mastered by Chris Bellman for vinyl.

The best sound I have are uncompressed PCM sound Boards from 1984 and 1985, namely 7-15-84, 7-22-84, 11-2-84, 11-3-84, 9-7-85 and 9-15-85. The bass punch and overall dynamics are outstanding. It's a shame that they clearly must compress the stuff they release. The older stuff usually sounds better released by them. The Euro '72 cd box is as good as it gets for that time period. I need to spend some time listening the DP #3 and 4 on vinyl. The first two which were sourced from 16 bit CD are disappointing.

 

[rbbert]

They are all (the LP's) sourced from digital files, including the upcoming Veneta set. I disagree about the sound quality of Dick's Picks 4, I think it is exceptional on LP or CD, despite the 7.5 ips 1/2-track source. I would also disagree about the relative sound quality of the mid-80's PCM soundboards. The 1971 multitracks (and Buddy Miller's 2-tracks), the 1974 multitracks, the 1980 multitracks, and the 1989-90 multitracks (despite the poor mastering on the Warlocks box) are all far superior, and many of the '72-'78 Nagra 2-tracks also sound better IMO.

If you aren't using HDCD playback, you're missing 2 dB of peak extension on most of the official releases (although they've apparently stopped using the HDCD features this year; the discs are still labelled HDCD because they are mastered on the Pacific Microsonics workstation).

 

[rockitman]

They are all (the LP's) sourced from digital files, including the upcoming Veneta set. I disagree about the sound quality of Dick's Picks 4, I think it is exceptional on LP or CD, despite the 7.5 ips 1/2-track source. I would also disagree about the relative sound quality of the mid-80's PCM soundboards. The 1971 multitracks (and Buddy Miller's 2-tracks), the 1974 multitracks, the 1980 multitracks, and the 1989-90 multitracks (despite the poor mastering on the Warlocks box) are all far superior, and many of the '72-'78 Nagra 2-tracks also sound better IMO.

If you aren't using HDCD playback, you're missing 2 dB of peak extension on most of the official releases (although they've apparently stopped using the HDCD features this year; the discs are still labelled HDCD because they are mastered on the Pacific Microsonics workstation).

DP 3 and 4 are sourced from the analog 7.5 ips reel masters, according to the website. If they were going to be all digital sourced, I would stop buying them and listen to the complete shows I have on cd.


http://brookvalerecords.com/

 

[Bill Hart]

Isn't an essential part of the 'Dead' experience something that is generally illegal in most states, except for medical purposes?

 

[rbbert]

DP 3 and 4 are sourced from the analog 7.5 ips reel masters, according to the website. If they were going to be all digital sourced, I would stop buying them and listen to the complete shows I have on cd.


http://brookvalerecords.com/

The LP's for DP3, DP4 and the Veneta set were "mixed" and mastered in 24/96 PCM on the Pacific Microsonics workstation. If you want confirmation, Jeff Norman (studio1@dead.net) will provide that for you. The difference between DP 1&2 and DP 3&4 is that they made new transfers from the analog tape for the latter two; the first two were sourced from the CD masters.

 

[rockitman]

Isn't an essential part of the 'Dead' experience something that is generally illegal in most states, except for medical purposes?

It can certainly add to the experience. For electrified concerts, nothing ever sounded better than a Dead show...

 

[rbbert]

Isn't an essential part of the 'Dead' experience something that is generally illegal in most states, except for medical purposes?

A sad stereotype with no more than a grain of truth...

 

[rockitman]

DP3, DP4 and the Veneta set were "mixed" and mastered in 24/96 PCM on the Pacific Microsonics workstation. If you want confirmation, Jeff Norman (studio1@dead.net) will provide that for you.

You are correct. Such a shame. That said, 24/96 to vinyl will sound better than 16/44.1 to CD. I can't believe I missed that.

 

[rbbert]

You are correct. Such a shame. That said, 24/96 to vinyl will sound better than 16/44.1 to CD. I can't believe I missed that.

They do indeed sound slightly better, but it's very discouraging the Dead aren't releasing in 24/96, especially since that has been their mastering format for all releases since 1999.

 

[rockitman]

They do indeed sound slightly better, but it's very discouraging the Dead aren't releasing in 24/96, especially since that has been their mastering format for all releases since 1999.

Yep, that's my next rant.

 

[hvbias]

You are correct. Such a shame. That said, 24/96 to vinyl will sound better than 16/44.1 to CD. I can't believe I missed that.

It would be great if they were all analog, but my guess is they don't want to do multiple plays required for analog lacquer cutting. IMO the vinyl even if sourced from high res digital is certainly better than the CD releases. At least for DP3 and 4, the only two I've heard. A much more "live" or bigger sound with the vinyl. The mastering engineer Jeffrey Norman seems to think the vinyl is a big upgrade from the CDs he also worked on.

Since it was brought up I got into the Dead firstly by listening to longer free jazz improvisations and wanted to hear that sort of thing with rock. There is a certain emotional experience listening to the Dead at their best, even completely sober, that I have never heard from any other jam band. Someone another forum said that early Dead was more akin to live Cream than a jam band. I agree with that. I'm not sure if I consider myself a Deadhead. My interest in the band drops off sharply after '72. The raw energy, even if the playing is a bit less refined, in those earlier years keeps me interested.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

My dealer just knocked on the door and said "Jerry is dead!".
I said "Who's Jerry?"
He said" The guy from The Dead!"
I said: "I know he's dead, you just told me!".

It got confusing after that.......

 

[rockitman]

It would be great if they were all analog, but my guess is they don't want to do multiple plays required for analog lacquer cutting. IMO the vinyl even if sourced from high res digital is certainly better than the CD releases. At least for DP3 and 4, the only two I've heard. A much more "live" or bigger sound with the vinyl. The mastering engineer Jeffrey Norman seems to think the vinyl is a big upgrade from the CDs he also worked on.

Since it was brought up I got into the Dead firstly by listening to longer free jazz improvisations and wanted to hear that sort of thing with rock. There is a certain emotional experience listening to the Dead at their best, even completely sober, that I have never heard from any other jam band. Someone another forum said that early Dead was more akin to live Cream than a jam band. I agree with that. I'm not sure if I consider myself a Deadhead. My interest in the band drops off sharply after '72. The raw energy, even if the playing is a bit less refined, in those earlier years keeps me interested.

Garcia was a big Coltran fan. You can hear it in the way he noodles his jams. Kind of a guitar saxophone approach. I saw my first show not until 1985. From there on I saw them over 200 times until Garcia bit it in 1995. I have a lot of great memories. GD was a culture and lifestyle for many of the faithful.

 

[rbbert]

...The mastering engineer Jeffrey Norman seems to think the vinyl is a big upgrade from the CDs he also worked on.

Let's be a little more precise here; he likes the new transfers done at 24/96 better than the almost 20 year old ones done at 16/44.1. I'm pretty sure vinyl has nothing to do with it.

 

[kdbrink]

I think for "authenticity" you'll need a pair of JBL 4310 speakers

 

[mauidan]

 

[DonH50]

Based on my recollection of that era, Cerwin-Vega with the 15" woofer driven by any cheap receiver. The JBL's would be up-scale, ditto anything Klipsch...

p.s. Extensive empirical testing at the time proved planer speakers (Maggies, 'stats) and Deadhead parties are a sub-optimal combination. Initial euphoria at the superior sound was quickly dashed by the speaker's inability to cope with prying fingers and splashes of various beverages. Blowing smoke into a 'stat to see the flickers was also popular but led to long-term degradation of the membranes...

 

[Bill Hart]

View attachment 11580

That's seriously retro. Elvis would be jealous!