Records again
On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:38:03 -0700, KH wrote
(in article ):
On 9/17/2010 7:31 PM, Audio Empire wrote:
snip
I don't have any agenda. I merely noted that I find that I can turn
listening
to one record into a whole night of vinyl listening sessions and that CDs
never pull me in like that.
Since I started this thread, I have had more respondents coming down on my
side of the fence than have come down on yours. That doesn't really mean
much, but what it does show is that my experience is not an isolated case.
Given the number of people who respond on this NG, I'd say that the
phenomenon is more common than not.
Well, you can count me on the other side of your fence on this one.
Relative to fatigue, have you ever considered the relatively simple
explanation that the care and feeding required by LP listening (cleaning
and turning, or merely turning sides) provides an intermezzo in the
performance? You simply cannot listen to LP's in the same duration
intervals that you do with CD's (unless you purposely alter your CD
listening patterns), and possibly those enforced breaks and additional
non-music related activities are what breaks up the sessions and reduces
the fatigue you seem to experience with CD?
You certainly have a point there. I had not considered that. Can't argue with
the logic of that hypothesis.
For me, those enforced breaks simply add to the other LP characteristics
that annoy me. Interestingly enough, an audiophile friend of mine just
purchased a Pro-ject turntable and has been re-exploring vinyl for the
last couple of weeks (after listening solely to CD for 20 years). He
has been surprised that vinyl can sound as good as it does - at times.
Well, yes. like everything else, most vinyl is not very good. There are a
myriad of reasons for this ranging from poor master recording, to indifferent
LP mastering, to poor production materials (regrind vinyl vs virgin) to
sloppy production methods.
I recall that in the 1970's when EMI owned Capitol Records and their
classical label, Angel, they used to press Angel records in Capitol's
pressing plants. I have never been able to find out where in the process this
occurred, but Angels always sounded LOUSY. Luckily, the British pressings of
these Angel records (especially of British music - Elagr, Walton, Vaughan
Williams, etc.) were available (for a slight premium) at big record stores
like Tower. Usually they had gold "Odeon" stickers pasted over the EMI HMV
label ('Nipper' looking into the phonograph horn - the same logo that RCA
Victor used here in the states). The British pressings always sounded better.
They were quieter, they had more dynamic range and they simply had better
sound. Often the difference was spectacular - now this is on IDENTICAL titles
made from the same master tapes! I got so that I wouldn't buy an Angel unless
it was absolutely necessary. I even resorted to buying the titles from
England.
He also bought a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona M's a couple of months ago,
having caught upgrade-itis after listening to my recently purchased
Wilson Sophia 2's. I also listened to quite a bit of vinyl to compare
with CD on the Sophia's vs the B&W M802's they replaced. The Sophia's
are much better in the mid's and upper octaves than the B&W's, and
actually LP's sound worse on them than on the B&W's, relative to the CD
version. I have yet to get fatigued listening to the Sophia, even with
some overly-bright recordings that were a problem on the B&W's. YMMV,
obviously.
I've never been impressed with B&Ws. In fact I went to a digital audio
symposium recently that had the latest "Statement" B&Ws (don't remember the
models) and some smaller B&Ws on stands. different demos used either the big
pair or the smaller. Even though the smaller B&Ws didn't have the bass of the
larger ones, everybody agreed that the smaller 2-way speaker sounded much
better and more musical than did the large three-way floor standers.
Myself, I have Martin-Logan Vistas with a pair of self-powered Paradigm
subwoofers. To me they are the most transparent speakers I've ever owned. I
simply love 'em! I used to own a pair of Magnepan Tympani IIICs (all EIGHT
panels) and a Pair of MG3.6s. I recently heard the new Maggie 1.7s and I
think that they are the best speakers Winey & Co. has ever produced, bar
none!
|