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On Apr 26, 5:12*pm, Steven Sullivan wrote:
wrote:

[ unattributed secondary quote removed -- dsr ]

Perhaps as (I indicated) it's because I don't look for recordings or
broadasts, etc. to reproduce "musical ambience" or an experience from
a hall seat. I prefer not to hear air, ambience or anything else which
would result in diluting the sound as it occurs close to points where
it leaves its source.

Is that how you listen to live music, really? How close do you get to the back row of
an orchestra?

Do ya think I would be willing to drive, park, eat out, etc. to a hall
in order to sit beneath an overhang?, tsk-tsk.
Back of the orchestra? One of my life's ambitions is to sit as close
as possible to an orchestra, along-side the conductor's podium would
suit me fine. I've had 'stage' seats to sold out chamber music
performances and just 'eat-up' that type of sound.

Do your live music experineces take place in nonreflective spaces?

I strive for seats where the ratio of direct to reflected sound is as
great as possible, purposefully to avoid hearing reflections which by
their nature muddy the sound.

*:-( * * With knowledgable and sensitive engineering

(multi-miking, compression, spotlighting, and all those other nasties)
I can acquire a better appreciation of the details of an artist's
performance than I ever possibly could by adding empty air or even
from a great hall seating location. I listen to dipoles in a room
which contribtes its own and sufficient ambience. Often times I find
myself going almost near field to minimize even that ambience.

You may do even better with a good set of headphoens, then.

I'm sure you know it's not better or worse; simply a different
experience, one not being a substitute for the other, unless a
listener needs to avoid disturbing or distracting other family
members. In fact should I want fine details, e.g., tape edits and the
like, I would take a headphone route. Like most other hobbyists, I do
enjoy headphones and have Creek OBH-11SE and Stax headphone amps, 2
different Stax 'Ear Speakers' and 3 Sennheisers. (In fact I have a
rather large collection of headphones; including Sony, AKG, Signet,
and even going back to an original Koss Pro 4AA.)

Btw, with nearfield you are still hearing some of teh 'air' and reflections
in the recording (assuming it wasn't all direct to board or close miked)

This is hardly news to me (nor would I guess, any of us).

-S