Playground for practical listening exercises

[lejonklou]

I never listen to in-room clips through speakers, as I find the room-upon-room sound (there’s room resonances in the recording and then there’s room resonances that my speakers are interacting with) too messy. I always listen with headphones. For convenience often iPhone to Airpods Pro 2.

[matthias]

I never listen to in-room clips through speakers, as I find the room-upon-room sound (there’s room resonances in the recording and then there’s room resonances that my speakers are interacting with) too messy. I always listen with headphones.

+1

[Spannko]

I never listen to in-room clips through speakers, as I find the room-upon-room sound (there’s room resonances in the recording and then there’s room resonances that my speakers are interacting with) too messy. I always listen with headphones. For convenience often iPhone to Airpods Pro 2.

Interesting. I know what you mean by the room-upon-room sound, but I’m usually ok with that for some reason.

[lejonklou]

I never listen to in-room clips through speakers, as I find the room-upon-room sound (there’s room resonances in the recording and then there’s room resonances that my speakers are interacting with) too messy. I always listen with headphones. For convenience often iPhone to Airpods Pro 2.

Interesting. I know what you mean by the room-upon-room sound, but I’m usually ok with that for some reason.

I could probably get used to it if I try it some more.

I will try it on the next pair of clips and check whether it’s easier or yields a different result than headphones!

[Arjen]

Would you mind doing this comparison again Pete please. I usually try and listen to clips without reading the opinions of others, but I failed on this occasion so I can’t rule out expectation bias. Also, the GJ track is heavily dynamic range compressed (DR7) and no doubt manipulated in all manner of other ways to make it sound acceptable in loud environments and on suboptimal playback systems. Have you got a cd which isn’t so compressed and also hasn’t been remastered at a later date, which usually means that it has had a higher level of compression applied, and will be the version streamed by Spotify. I know it’s not an easy ask, but hopefully you’ll have a suitable cd in your collection.

Thanks for the suggestions. It'll be a week or so before I can do more clips.

Managed to find time to do the clips today:

A: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SYQxzoQcoK6szoM78
B: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AatZvYdkyaSXekoG7

Just listened now. A to me, a more pretty listen.

[Hermann]

The optimization of the small system is making progress. Original Netgear GS 108T power supply replaced with Friwo FW7405M/12. Because of the different connection, I swapped the Friwo plug for one from the Netgear NT.

Springfield Spooky

A - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYHcU5 ... sp=sharing

B - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AYj7PD ... sp=sharing

Micatone Handbrake

A - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vt4ivq ... sp=sharing

B - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WvD3yn ... sp=sharing

20250420_090537.jpg

20250420_090543.jpg

20250420_090501.jpg

Picture 3 shows my power patch panel with original and modified power blocks

[Spannko]

A for me

[Whatsmynaim]

I prefer A on both.
B is too laid-back so when the short "dramatic pause" at 0:33 happens in Springfield Spooky it has less impact.

[Charlie1]

A on Springfield
B on Micatone

I would defo use A for my main system but might go for B as an office system playing background music

[lejonklou]

I prefer A on both.

[tokenbrit]

B sounded wrong in different ways between the two songs... A (twice) for me too.

[markiteight]

I'll take A on both, please.

[springwood64]

A has more groove on both

[beck]

I like the way Spooky sounds like a 1970 tape recording when listening to B.

I prefer to listen to the B versions.

[lejonklou]

I like the way Spooky sounds like a 1970 tape recording when listening to B.

I was feeling something similar on my first listen, Spooky had a charming quality on B.

Then Micatone fell flat on B and I lost the sense of charm.

[Tendaberry]

At first I thought A was too laid back (listening on an iMac), but when I listened again to only 5-10 seconds of the intros, it was clear, that A is better.

[Hermann]

Thanks everyone for the assessment, and I agree A is better and the original Netgear power supply.

The recordings were taken using different sockets for the Alien/Switch and Boazu/LinnDS. And since nothing is set in stone, everything together into a single power strip.

Here are the examples:

Spooky

C https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-gdpau ... sp=sharing

D https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yhDg_s ... sp=sharing

Handbrake

C https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uBDgFe ... sp=sharing

D https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iLDCDa ... sp=sharing

[beck]

I like D in both.

[Charlie1]

These are very tuneful clips Hermann, at least the way my mind makes sense of music. In fact, Spooky with C strikes me as the most tuneful clip I recall hearing.

They seem pretty close to me and I'd be happy with either. D seems to give away a little bit of tunefulness in return for a presentation that comes together a bit more - C seems very slightly split apart and harder to follow 'the whole' but really not much in it for me..

[tpetsch]

Spooky C is more in tune.

[Whatsmynaim]

This wasn't easy, been going back and forth..
I think I prefer C on both for having a more subtle presentation.

[lejonklou]

They seem pretty close to me and I'd be happy with either. D seems to give away a little bit of tunefulness in return for a presentation that comes together a bit more - C seems very slightly split apart and harder to follow 'the whole'.

After having gone back and forth between C and D on Spooky and then reading the comments already posted, I must say that I agree with the above. C appears more in tune but looses some groove. I get the itch to find if there's a way to get both!

[markiteight]

I struggled a bit with this one too. I like the sound of D...more 'alive.' But I find it easier to follow the tune on C. To me this difference was more evident on Handbrake.

[tokenbrit]

I struggled a bit with this one too. I like the sound of D...more 'alive.' But I find it easier to follow the tune on C. To me this difference was more evident on Handbrake.

Agree about the sound on Handbrake/D but, personally, I find the tune compelling on Spooky/C... Maybe a different order of devices in the single power strip is needed for best of both worlds: tune & sound.

[Hermann]

Thanks for your opinions. Admittedly, it's difficult to tell the two apart. I personally prefer C, the Friwo power supply. I'm still testing the correct order. What I find more interesting, however, is that the impression of having all devices connected to one power strip sounds much better.