Playground for practical listening exercises

[beck]

I hear 1,A/2,A/3,B as being the same rip method and 1,B/2,B/3,A as being the same rip method (I could be wrong).

The first group is detail oriented and the last unity oriented (to me).

I prefer the last group of clips (and yes I do drink a lot of coffee).

[David Neel]

I think I would go with B (based on the third track), there you're upfront at the stage. On A you're further back and it's not so intimate.

I feel the same, but I'm not 100% convinced that everything's better with B. There's something a little rushed and detail-oriented about it.

A on the other hand needs a cup of coffee.

Yes :) Detail oriented is the problem I had with 2B, and it's the same with 3B ... A little too 'front row' for me, but I know what you mean about 3A.

I'd be interested in hearing this 'live', in room, because it's not clear cut, for me, via the clips as I feel we're missing something with the oversimplification of 'simple' songs.

As it is, A or B would depend on how I feel on the listening session as to whether I wanted intimate physically, up close with B, or intimate emotionally, relaxed with A.

How do our comments match up with in room? Is the result clearer there?

I can relate to almost all the comments made. No, it's not completely straightforward in the room, either, but it is a bit different from the clips. And I do have a clear preference.

A and B are the two rip methods - so 1A, 2A, 3A are all one ripper, and 1B, 2B, 3B are the other ripper. So the number of preferences which are mixed suggests that it's close and that both have merits.

Track 1 in the room: this is a complete bastard of a piano to reproduce (one reason I use it). B perhaps captures the piano a little better, at the expense of highlighting it so that the other instruments are more difficult to follow, but the sax is better on A. My preference is (just) A.

Track 2 in the room: A captures the phrasing and interplay better. B is also good, just not AS good.

Track 3 in the room: An easy win for A, as the phrasing and inflection are significantly better. If B is front row with the words aimed at everybody, A is more intimate as a conversation. I understand Fredrik's comment about needing a cup of coffee after hearing the clip, but I don't feel it in the room.

A is iTunes, B is JRiver.

Thank you everybody!

[tokenbrit]

If A is iTunes then I have no need to (re-)re-rip - good, and thanks for posting :)

[beck]

I am just glad that I use records! Once again these digital clips of digitally stored music makes me question what I hear.... :-)

Fun to try non the less!

[ThomasOK]

On Track 1, B is better. On track 2, A is better.

I feel the same, although I for some reason found track 2 (where I had a clear preference for A) much easier to compare than track 1 (where I went back and forth repeatedly).

I also felt B was better on track 1 and A on track 2. But for me it was track 2 I had to listen to a couple of times whereas track 1 was simple.

Interesting that these were the same order. I guess I'll have to listen to track 3.

[lejonklou]

This was quite fascinating, thank you for sharing David!

[Charlie1]

I prefer A.

[Spannko]

I hear 1,A/2,A/3,B as being the same rip method and 1,B/2,B/3,A as being the same rip method (I could be wrong).

The first group is detail oriented and the last unity oriented (to me).

I prefer the last group of clips (and yes I do drink a lot of coffee).

This is how I heard it too, but with a preference for 1A, 2A & 3B which I felt was more unity oriented than the other group which sounded more detail oriented!

This does make me wonder if when the differences are very small or non-existent, and we’re actively looking for differences, we’re easily mistaken. The real differences only begin to emerge over time when we stop ‘listening’ and start ‘responding’?

[Tendaberry]

Now I'm intrigued. Does anybody have clips of dB Poweramp vs. iTunes or JRiver?
Although I would hate to re-rip everything...

[teatime]

I ended up with B, A, B. But I wonder if there isn't something too wrong with recording 3A. It sounds very muffled in comparison, and the whole perspective shifts mid-clip (something that doesn't happen in 3B, so it must be the recording).

[Spannko]

I ended up with B, A, B. But I wonder if there isn't something too wrong with recording 3A. It sounds very muffled in comparison, and the whole perspective shifts mid-clip (something that doesn't happen in 3B, so it must be the recording).

I wondered that too - like a finger partly covering the microphone.

[Charlie1]

Couldn't resist some cheap Royd Minstrels since they are supposed to be a good match for the Nait.

First surprise is their size - dinky little things - can't offer much more cabinet space than a pair of Katans.

Not as tuneful or refined as Keilidhs but with only 2 drive units they sound a bit more 'as one'.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a7qpb78v6px2d ... 5.MOV?dl=0

[beck]

Couldn't resist some cheap Royd Minstrels since they are supposed to be a good match for the Nait.

First surprise is their size - dinky little things - can't offer much more cabinet space than a pair of Katans.

Not as tuneful or refined as Keilidhs but with only 2 drive units they sound a bit more 'as one'.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a7qpb78v6px2d ... 5.MOV?dl=0

They annoy my ears! You can do better with all the different speakers you own! :-)

[teatime]

Couldn't resist some cheap Royd Minstrels since they are supposed to be a good match for the Nait.

First surprise is their size - dinky little things - can't offer much more cabinet space than a pair of Katans.

Not as tuneful or refined as Keilidhs but with only 2 drive units they sound a bit more 'as one'.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a7qpb78v6px2d ... 5.MOV?dl=0

One interesting listening exercise could be to remove all that crap from the turntable table! :)

Many years ago my Linn dealer demonstrated what placing a sorbothane dampening foot on the table next to the preamp (a Linn LK1). It clearly messed up the tune! (Ok, sorbothane seeemed to have nearly magical tune-killing propreties, but I doubt a dozen small pieces of plastic rattling around does anything good either...)

[Charlie1]

They annoy my ears! You can do better with all the different speakers you own! :-)

I quite like them although I take your point. They remind me of the shouty pair of Kan 1s (the Teak ones) in that they are very uncouth and ragged but much of the essense of the music is left well intact.

However, I'm sure reconnecting the Keilidhs at some point will come as a relief :)

One interesting listening exercise could be to remove all that crap from the turntable table! :)

Yes, I suppose I should. It just kind of builds up.

[ThomasOK]

I ended up with B, A, B. But I wonder if there isn't something too wrong with recording 3A. It sounds very muffled in comparison, and the whole perspective shifts mid-clip (something that doesn't happen in 3B, so it must be the recording).

I felt the same way. I found B of clip 3 more engaging and A somewhat muffled. Although I did feel that B was a bit too much in some ways and felt that somewhere in between the two, with the engagement of B but without the tendency to shoutiness, would be ideal. So B, A, B here as well.

[ThomasOK]

Th Royds aren't doing anything for me. It's been a while so I'm obviously going by memory but I don't really equate them with the Kan1s which I remember as being enjoyable in that system.

[lejonklou]

Couldn't resist some cheap Royd Minstrels since they are supposed to be a good match for the Nait.

First surprise is their size - dinky little things - can't offer much more cabinet space than a pair of Katans.

Not as tuneful or refined as Keilidhs but with only 2 drive units they sound a bit more 'as one'.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a7qpb78v6px2d ... 5.MOV?dl=0

Sorry, no hugs from me either. Couldn't listen to the end.

Sell the Minstrels!

[beck]

Sell the Minstrels!

Back to Mount Doom from where they came! 👁

[Charlie1]

Sell the Minstrels!

I'm not sure it's worth the hassle.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[beck]

Sell the Minstrels!

I'm not sure it's worth the hassle.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

And thank you for all your clips Charlie1. It is such a plessure to get to listen to all the different speakers that comes your way!

[tokenbrit]

Please tell me that is Rod Stewart and not the speakers making another singer(?) sound like him... Between his voice, the Nait, and the speakers, that makes for a harsh listen, with a nasty aggressiveness to the speakers as if they have Royd rage ;)

So much for wandering about the Minstrels :)

[Charlie1]

wow - they really have gone down like a lead balloon.

Ps you're always welcome beck.

[Spannko]

Sorry Charlie1, I’ve always thought the minstrels were a bit crap, and you’ve just reminded me why.

[David Neel]

I've discovered something that was not quite equal in the last comparison. Can anybody hear a difference?

Track 1 (again!):
A: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xfe2i7m8bka6p ... 5.mp4?dl=0
B: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6oim6dloytr0b ... 6.mp4?dl=0