Playground for practical listening exercises

[beck]

And now for the definitive test! ;-)

Put your phone/tablet in the palm of your hand. Play clip2 and clip3 from Thomas and feel the vibration from the bass and the rest of the music while playing as loud as possible. Which vibration pattern makes most sense together with the music you hear?

Enjoy. :-)

[beck]

Just to show that small changes to the setup of the tonearm matters here is first my overall preferred normal setup (messured 1.64, bias 1.6). Second (increased to 1.75, bias still 1.6) and third normal setup again but with counterweight moved closer giving a messured trackingweight of 1.75.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4f78ox7pcuzx9 ... 7.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6barxbnajyk8b ... 9.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vz67onh1v3ywd ... 1.mov?dl=0

[Tendaberry]

I swear that Lingo is gonna fall off soon ;-) That said, I prefer No. 3

[beck]

I swear that Lingo is gonna fall off soon ;-) That said, I prefer No. 3

I felt the same on both issues! But time showed that the Lingo stayed on the shelf and that No. 3 gets fattiging and sounds unnatural in the long run. :-)

The experimenting goes on.

My preferred slightly improved:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aad1h947avrmz ... 6.mov?dl=0

[Charlie1]

Definitely prefer clip 1 to clip 2.

Clip 3 must be taken another time, perhaps with curtains open as the balance is quite different - more top end. I think I need to come back later and compare 1 to 3 as I was starting to lose it.

[Charlie1]

My preferred slightly improved:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aad1h947avrmz ... 6.mov?dl=0

I too prefer this to clip 1. I thought it was quite a lot better tbh. Didn't compare it to any others.

I should make the effort and do this at some point in time.

[beck]

My preferred slightly improved:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aad1h947avrmz ... 6.mov?dl=0

I too prefer this to clip 1. I thought it was quite a lot better tbh. Didn't compare it to any others.

I should make the effort and do this at some point in time.

I do think your setup is better calibrated but you never know. :-)

Only difference between first and last clip is a slight change of angle on the arm when floating!( with everything set to zero).

[ThomasOK]

I didn't care for clip 3 very much, a bit too bright. They certainly show the differences tracking force can make. I like the newer clip better than any of the other ones.

[beck]

I didn't care for clip 3 very much, a bit too bright. They certainly show the differences tracking force can make. I like the newer clip better than any of the other ones.

How about this one Thomas! :-)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q62wzjnjgpgek ... 2.mov?dl=0

Another find at my 2nd hand record store unplayed since 1967!


About the clips before: I do still find the flow from the first clip more natural. So I do not agree with me unless the digital recording shall sound a bit “artificiel”? :-)

Well, the search continues.......

[ThomasOK]

Yep, that one moves along quite nicely.

[beck]

Using the vibration test (hand on the back of the ipad while playing the clips) my first Daft Punk clip feels more natural to me! :-)
No, I am not sure and I go to bed undecided. Goodnight!

[Spannko]

Yep, clip 1 for me too, beck. :-)

[beck]

A “middelground” attempt with only a slight change of the “stress” of the contact between counterweight and armtube!:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sjbetf0yyry6e ... 9.mov?dl=0

Guess I am slowly moving back towards my first clip. Second got to sterile on other records for me to enjoy the music. This third is right on the edge where I start to enjoy other records as well.

[tokenbrit]

Think I prefer the first clip - yep, still [the] 1

[beck]

Getting close. Maybe this is it?............

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rif6j8bdsd08e ... 9.mov?dl=0

[Charlie1]

Not for me, still prefer #1 :)

You can do it - Don't give up!!! :)

[beck]

I am as said before slowly moving back towards the first setup in the hope that it can be bettered. Maybe not possible but worth a try.

All just to show others that small changes matter.

[beck]

Can I dance now?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j59m8cvgsg8gv ... 7.mov?dl=0

[Charlie1]

Sorry, but for me, #1 still boogies more

[beck]

Sorry, but for me, #1 still boogies more

To boogie or not to boogie, that is the question?

It is really interesting to experiment on the edge of what is possible. It is as if best sound quality has to be sacrificed if going for best boogie factor and visa versa.

[lejonklou]

The Tune Method, Beck!

Never adjust to get "better sound"!

[beck]

The Tune Method, Beck!

Never adjust to get "better sound"!

Absolutely! :-)

Always searching for “played by hand, made by humans” sound.

I have discovered another interesting thing during this proces. My Ekos spring dial is slowly changing thereby moving my preferred load downwards now found on the dial at 1.05.
I remember Thomas explaning that he had solved this problem for a customer. Maybe he can explain what is wrong.
This can also explain why it is not straight forward for me to find my preferred setup!

And I agree that my first clip is the best.


As it for outsiders could seem like I am just running round in circles nothing is further from the truth. As we see a tiny revolution on another tread regarding digital playback of music files I get closer and closer to a truly enjoyable playback of digitally recorded vinyl. It is strange to experience but that is what is happening. I think it is finally happening. The tide is turning!

So how does Daft Punk sound via clip when I can pick up digitally recorded vinyl and enjoy them:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9xy4f2h3uyvcl ... 3.mov?dl=0

Does this setup ruin the sound from the analog recordings? No, they sound tighter and with more focus and the flow has never left them. :-)

This is kind of a surprise to me. I had given up on finding a setup that could cover both analog and digital recordings in a musically satisfying way but now I have found it. I now know it is possible and dispite differences in sound both analog and digital can show the listener the same kind of insight into musicians intunation and rythmic abilities.
It now feels natural to play along to digital recordings as well as analog recordings. To be more specific the squeeze of the intervals in the music I heard before from digital recordings is gone letting me fit my tone nicely into the music when playing along.

To be continued..........

[beck]

I do not know if I should laugh or cry. I am just going with the flow on this one.

I am now in a situation where a digitally remastered copy can be just as good as the analog copy I own. Have a listen:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4c3gky5z771au ... 2.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s40wik6oyp4p7 ... 0.mov?dl=0

It is as if I have bridged the gulf between analog and digital.

Analog has lost a slightly “romantic” feel (that I sometimes miss) and digital has become more natural sounding.

My corny vinyl still sounds corny:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ll5ob1abtfgu5 ... 4.mov?dl=0

[Charlie1]

I had given up on finding a setup that could cover both analog and digital recordings in a musically satisfying way but now I have found it. I now know it is possible and dispite differences in sound both analog and digital can show the listener the same kind of insight into musicians intunation and rythmic abilities.
It now feels natural to play along to digital recordings as well as analog recordings. To be more specific the squeeze of the intervals in the music I heard before from digital recordings is gone letting me fit my tone nicely into the music when playing along.

I can see how a change would benefit one more than the other, but you'd expect both to benefit, rather than be split.

[Charlie1]

I am now in a situation where a digitally remastered copy can be just as good as the analog copy I own. Have a listen:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4c3gky5z771au ... 2.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s40wik6oyp4p7 ... 0.mov?dl=0

Are we picking a preference here? What is the difference between them?

My initial preference is with the first clip.