Random thoughts thread

[Nutbread]

Yep, I remember. Chesky records, Wilson Audio, Mobile Fidelity Labs used to make direct to disc vinyl records using 1st generation master tapes or live straight to the cutting machine. They`ve always cost more than a normal record, but I guess a normal record is not even a choice anymore. All the vinyl seems to be special pressings now.

Sheffield Labs is another direct to disc label. Then there was Telarc which I believe recorded and mastered digitally and had a "sound effects" style of sound on some of their records. Their recording of Tchaikovsky`s 1812
Overture used real cannons. I have it on CD. I can`t imagine trying to put together a turntable, arm, and cartridge that could track that.

 

[Nutbread]

Everyone on this forum is so damn cynical. It is because there are not very many record cutting manufacturing plants around anymore. They ones that still exist tend to make the high quality pressings on thicker than normal records made from a better material. Not the same records you got from the Columbia record club back in the day. The people purchasing records today are doing it for the audiophile quality.

Not cynical, just having fun.

If someone could learn me how to multi quote I wouldn`t have to make so many individual posts.
And by the way. Once again we are having a discussion on the random thoughts thread.

 

[DBAILEY]

I still purchase CD`s. I need something tangible. Not for data file stored who knows where that could disappear without a trace. I miss the album art and like that many new CD`s are all cardboard now that unfold into many panels full of photos, art, lyrics and other band information. That was always part of the experience with music for me growing up and it still is today.

Can`t stand compressed music formats. Totally going backwards just so you can put 5000 songs on your phone. BFD!

The trend should have been and always should be towards greater resolution. Look at the gaming industry and now TV with the 4K UHD TV`s. I don`t understand why resolution has lost all importance with music? I wish that SACD or DVD format music would have taken hold.

An record is the actual analog sound wave etched into the material. Anything digital is the equivalent of taking a filet mignon, putting it through a meat grinder and then trying to make it into a filet mignon again.

 

[Ronkh]

Maybe I`m nuts, but digital sources like sds/dvds to me just can`t reproduce some of the feel of the music. That records can

I`m not talking how it makes you feel, I`m talking like the vibration of the sax, or the guitarist dragging his fingers up the strings etc.

 

[Accumulator]

Lol records... records are about the stupidest thing ever today..CDs aren’t far behind.. Just silly. What’s next 8 Tracks?

But without a smartphone and/or significant alterations/additions to the sound systems in our vehicles, how would my wife and I listen to that stuff from Apple Music/etc.?

I guess I could interface the iPads somehow, but the sound quality when I play mine through the stereo in the weight room is simply awful, like entire portions of the sound are simply absent. It *is* convenient, and kinda good enough for background distraction when I`m lifting, but I dunno about it replacing a (decent quality) CD in the vehicles that have decent sound systems (doubt I`d notice any diff in the Crown Vic!).

Heh heh, there *are* people who don`t have/need/want things like smartphones, even these days

8 Tracks *did* always sound pretty decent to me! Just hated how they divided albums up.

And speaking of old CD players, I have a beloved old Sony ES-series that I`d love to get fixed and back in operation. Like it so much I kept it after it died but can`t find a local shop to fix it.

 

[Swanicyouth]

I stream Apple Music via Bluetooth in the car. Works pretty perfect - and they have almost anything out there. I’m not listening Lady Gaga or something - most of what I’m listening to is pretty obscure.

I dunno. I guess a record sounds “different” is it better? It’s kinda like saying my wax looks better than your wax... I just couldn’t see going through the hassle to listen to a record...

Forget the 33 RPM LP - bring back the 78 RPM & the Victrola!

^record dude.

 

[Desertnate]

Sheffield Labs is another direct to disc label. Then there was Telarc which I believe recorded and mastered digitally and had a "sound effects" style of sound on some of their records. Their recording of Tchaikovsky`s 1812
Overture used real cannons. I have it on CD. I can`t imagine trying to put together a turntable, arm, and cartridge that could track that.

I have the same CD along with several others Telarc produced. The sound quality was mind blowing to me when I first heard it as a teenager since I`d had nothing but casset tapes, records and 8-tracks to compare.

I undestand the attraction to LP`s. Some forms of music sound great on an LP with a warm, full, tone quality that can`t be reproduced. However, as a child of the early digital age, I still prefer a fully digitally mastered CD over anything else. Something about the sharpness and huge dynamic range appeals to me. That said, I rarely listen to CD`s any more. When I do listen to music it`s usually Spotify over Bluetooth in my car which actually sounds pretty good when you select the higher data rates.

 

[glfnaz]

Most of my music library is live performances. All in FLAC (lossless) format and backed up onto archived drives. For my walk around listening, I have converted much of it to 256 mp3, but I guess I`m a FLAC snob. The experts claim you can`t hear the differences, but I truly can.

 

[Accumulator]

Most of my music library is live performances....

[Uh-oh, Accumulator`s veering off-topic again ]

That caught my attention as a pal of mine, who takes his music kinda-serious (well, more so than me) simply *hates* live performances and can`t understand why some of us like/prefer them.

OK, more on-topic (a bit..) somewhere we *do* have an old iPod...I suppose I could download stuff to that, if I figured it out better; previous attempts to load it from CDs were, uhm...less than truly successful, despite both of us putting some time/effort into it. Kept thinking "gee, some 2nd grader could probably do this in a heartbeat.."

 

[Stokdgs]

Maybe I`m nuts, but digital sources like sds/dvds to me just can`t reproduce some of the feel of the music. That records can

I`m not talking how it makes you feel, I`m talking like the vibration of the sax, or the guitarist dragging his fingers up the strings etc.

Ronkh ------
YES !!!!!
Anyone who was in their early 20`s, etc., in the late 60`s - early 70`s, will absolutely know how good music sounded through a great amplifier, turntable, cartridge, etc., playing through even better European speakers sourced from Overseas through the good old military BX, PX, etc...

All the artists who were really good to begin with had super talented sound engineers in the studio who knew how and where to place microphones and set up a proper recording studio, and lastly, stayed off the drugs until the session was over, put out some incredible, beautiful, sound, that you indeed "heard" all the separate parts pretty darn clearly..


Yes, it IS difficult to describe this except to say that you much more enjoyed listening to music that way because for me anyway, I heard all the different things going on very clearly, and that is precisely how I am wired to enjoy music - all music in that manner..

It can be a beautifully sung hymn in church by a great, tight, choir, where you hear as you participate, all 4 main parts very clear, and how they harmonize so well together...

The classical masters in the 14th-15th century for example wrote some of the most beautiful harmonies of instruments and voices together in such a way, and they had nothing, no music computer, no auto tune, no way to even record it to critique it later, just what was in their very souls and minds, and turned out music that just sounds incredible on a well recorded Sacd if you can find them.. Even regular cd`s done very well sound amazing today..

These guys, oh yeah, they even wrote all the music, all the harmonies for voice and an entire orchestra accompaniments full of different instruments, even went as far as writing music in 8 parts or more, and I don`t even know how anyone can do that except for Angels in heaven...
Dan F

 

[Stokdgs]

[Uh-oh, Accumulator`s veering off-topic again ]

That caught my attention as a pal of mine, who takes his music kinda-serious (well, more so than me) simply *hates* live performances and can`t understand why some of us like/prefer them.

OK, more on-topic (a bit..) somewhere we *do* have an old iPod...I suppose I could download stuff to that, if I figured it out better; previous attempts to load it from CDs were, uhm...less than truly successful, despite both of us putting some time/effort into it. Kept thinking "gee, some 2nd grader could probably do this in a heartbeat.."

Mi Hermano,
Yes, you can load a zillion songs on your Ipod, then take that cord that connects the Ipod to your computer, and plug that USB end into the USB jack in your car, and whamo ! Music forever !

I don`t use it enough to know if Apple might have some proprietary software that prevents one from loading their own music on it along with what they load on it for money, though..

I use it on those yearly long trips to Texas and switch back and forth with Sirius XM radio (which sounds absolutely horrible) and I am occupied just fine..
Dan F

 

[Ronkh]

Ronkh ------
YES !!!!!
Anyone who was in their early 20`s, etc., in the late 60`s - early 70`s, will absolutely know how good music sounded through a great amplifier, turntable, cartridge, etc., playing through even better European speakers sourced from Overseas through the good old military BX, PX, etc...

All the artists who were really good to begin with had super talented sound engineers in the studio who knew how and where to place microphones and set up a proper recording studio, and lastly, stayed off the drugs until the session was over, put out some incredible, beautiful, sound, that you indeed "heard" all the separate parts pretty darn clearly..


Yes, it IS difficult to describe this except to say that you much more enjoyed listening to music that way because for me anyway, I heard all the different things going on very clearly, and that is precisely how I am wired to enjoy music - all music in that manner..

It can be a beautifully sung hymn in church by a great, tight, choir, where you hear as you participate, all 4 main parts very clear, and how they harmonize so well together...

The classical masters in the 14th-15th century for example wrote some of the most beautiful harmonies of instruments and voices together in such a way, and they had nothing, no music computer, no auto tune, no way to even record it to critique it later, just what was in their very souls and minds, and turned out music that just sounds incredible on a well recorded Sacd if you can find them.. Even regular cd`s done very well sound amazing today..

These guys, oh yeah, they even wrote all the music, all the harmonies for voice and an entire orchestra accompaniments full of different instruments, even went as far as writing music in 8 parts or more, and I don`t even know how anyone can do that except for Angels in heaven...
Dan F

Remember early on, Mc or Marantz tube amps Now that was SOUND !

Or going to concerts and seeing leslie speakers for the first few times.

 

[Stokdgs]

Maybe I`m nuts, but digital sources like sds/dvds to me just can`t reproduce some of the feel of the music. That records can

I`m not talking how it makes you feel, I`m talking like the vibration of the sax, or the guitarist dragging his fingers up the strings etc.

Ronkh -- No, you are NOT nuts...

If you can ever find the SACD of Blood, Sweat, and Tears, ( a rock infused jazz band) that has the track - Blues Part II on it, in that song, which features all the main instruments each doing their thing separately for a bit, as jazz bands all do, there is a part in it when the alto sax player is breathing the tune for Sunshine of Your Love (by Cream on their Disraeli Gears album) through his horn that sounds so amazingly clear..
Then he plays the same part through his horn with all the other horns - unbelievable !!

David Clayton Thomas, who was the lead singer for almost all of their run, also has a most perfect voice for filling out the just incredible, tight, sound these guys made, all back there in the early 70`s even..
Dan F

 

[trashmanssd]

My uncle has a 6 figure all analog 2 channel sound system for playing records and it is unlike anything I have ever heard. There is so much more depth and texture and character to that sound that its scary. But doing it well is not easy or cheap and its a pain playing every record fully through so you dont damage the record by lifting thee needle during the song and creating a new pop sound mid record. I opt for the newer high bit rate high sampling rate digital audio, its not as good as vinyl but the ease of use and the ginormous ease of storage is worth the trade of to me.

Edit: my uncle is also a record collecting nut and has a small fortune in records, he has over 10,000 records in his collection, He calls it his retirment plan, i hoe he starts selling soon as I think its at its peak, I dont see the next generations dealing with vinyls ergonomic down sides to get its audio upsides.

 

[glfnaz]

I have virtually *nothing* that came from a studio. I really like guys / bands that play to people, improvise, never play a song the same way twice, challenge the music. I remember going to Grateful Dead concerts and thinking...." I wonder what Jerry is going to do tonight".

[Uh-oh, Accumulator`s veering off-topic again ]

That caught my attention as a pal of mine, who takes his music kinda-serious (well, more so than me) simply *hates* live performances and can`t understand why some of us like/prefer them.

OK, more on-topic (a bit..) somewhere we *do* have an old iPod...I suppose I could download stuff to that, if I figured it out better; previous attempts to load it from CDs were, uhm...less than truly successful, despite both of us putting some time/effort into it. Kept thinking "gee, some 2nd grader could probably do this in a heartbeat.."

 

[Stokdgs]

I have virtually *nothing* that came from a studio. I really like guys / bands that play to people, improvise, never play a song the same way twice, challenge the music. I remember going to Grateful Dead concerts and thinking...." I wonder what Jerry is going to do tonight".

Glfnaz --------
Oh Yeah !!!!!!!! Loved live concerts !! Why did they keep passing these funny looking cigarettes down the aisle all the time ??? Oh, was I supposed to keep passing it ???
The Grateful Dead with their huge Wall of Sound Speaker System in the Fillmore West !!!! Have never seen that many speakers stacked that high..
No one can ever sound like them again...
Dan F

 

[Stokdgs]

Ronkh --
McIntosh and Marantz tube amplifiers - really, really, great, clear, no distortion, sound !!! Marantz is out of the Bay Area up here about 130 miles away or so...
All the great artists of the era I grew up listening to used McIntosh purposely and I am forever grateful for that..
Maybe someday, when I grow up, I will be able to afford that line..Guess I could sell my house and maybe I could start to afford their incredible equipment..
Dan F

 

[jrock645]

See ! I`m not just the only one that hears the difference !
Wow - would love to hear the story behind the "Putting a monstrous 3 amp with DSP sound system in my car has ruined me" someday..

My 2007 Acura Type-S has a "Surround Sound System in it from the Factory; it`s not too bad but doesn`t have enough horsepower to play the great track by Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Blues Part II with enough volume.. Yeah, needs those 3 amps..
Dan F

Ever heard the expression “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth over doing?” That’s the basis of the whole thing.

I got my accord, my first new car, and after about a year decided I wanted to have some decent sound, as I’d never had a car with an upgraded sound system. First thought was just to buy some JBL speakers and call it done.

Went over to the forums at diyma.com and was quickly told that wouldn’t likely do too much, and might even make it sound worse. The rabbit hole was opened. I learned about amps, line out converters, dsp’s and so forth. Then there was sound deadening.

So I replaced the speakers, bought wire, sound deadening materials, built an amp rack, asked lots of questions, found wiring diagrams and proceeded to rip my car apart to do all this. The process terrified me, but I couldn’t afford to pay a shop to do the install, that was over $500 just for the labor. Took me two full days. Lots of frustration, sweat and cursing, but I got it done. Then I added a pre boxed powered sub because the bass just wasn’t there.

Then I saw somebody with an Accord added additional 5” speakers into the side panels in the rear seat. Sounded cool, so I did it. But doing that meant I needed another amp to power these additional speakers. Doing that meant I could remove the crossovers for the front component speakers, so I had to rewire all that.

Then I wanted my trunk space back. So, I cut a hole in my rear deck to mount a 10” sub and mounted one there. But that meant I needed another amp, so that and the one in the last paragraph we’re mounted under the trunk false bottom.

3 amps, 8 speakers and a sub. And the trunk completely freed up. Oh, and it sounds glorious. But it’s not a process I ever want to have to do again, even though I’m sure I could do it much faster the next time.

 

[GearHead_1]

Mcintosh Amps and WAMM (Wilson Audio Modular Monitors) speakers. Heard it one time in a sound room at the Wilson Audio factory in Provo, Utah. Never heard anything quite like that since. Speakers weighed in at over 1000 lbs. and retailed for more than $500 K. It was truly an experience.

The ones I listened to weren’t the Chrono’s but a former model of the WAMM’s. I also listened to the WATT Puppies. I remember listening to Peter Garbriel’s Lay Your Hands on Me. It was amazing.

https://youtu.be/XRyhNnl4AKE

 

[glfnaz]

Yep, I saw 2 Wall Of Sound shows. 1973 at UCLA (it was an early rendition of it), and Hollywood Bowl in `74. Sunshine Daydream!

Glfnaz --------
Oh Yeah !!!!!!!! Loved live concerts !! Why did they keep passing these funny looking cigarettes down the aisle all the time ??? Oh, was I supposed to keep passing it ???
The Grateful Dead with their huge Wall of Sound Speaker System in the Fillmore West !!!! Have never seen that many speakers stacked that high..
No one can ever sound like them again...
Dan F