Playground for practical listening exercises

[beck]

In both tests I prefer your original setup (no books). The sound strikes me as being more natural (not forced) but that is just me!
Nice look at your system. I like it.

[beck]

Listening again today I am certain I would keep the things as they are. The start of the number with the bass and guitar creating one sound is what I listen for and like. The sound split up with the books being used. It is these kind of changes I have been talking about earlier in this tread.

You are better at showing it than I am! :-)

[Charlie1]

Listening again today I am certain I would keep the things as they are. The start of the number with the bass and guitar creating one sound is what I listen for and like. The sound split up with the books being used. It is these kind of changes I have been talking about earlier in this tread.

You are better at showing it than I am! :-)

Hi Beck, I agree with you that without books is better. I found it more obvious with the books on the Radikal but closer with them on the shelf. I also tried just a couple of books on the Radikal.

I think it was just coincidence that it highlights the point you were previously making. Glad it was of use. I am not really conscious of the points you're making. To be honest, cos it's (tunedem) working for me now I don't really want to analyse what I'm hearing. Just hearing 'better' or 'worse' suits me just fine.

I'm still struck by the recent improvements to your system. I'd like to see if I can improve my rack. Any suggestions? The Isoblue shelves just sit on top of one another - they have a 5mm deep grove that runs front to back (each side) that the triangular shaped wedges slots into.

[beck]

If you came to my house and listened I do not think you would be that impressed (it's just music:-)) and remember I am still on only one tweeter. :-) That said I have gained a lot just by doing the setup better. It needed to be done but I was not aware of it before.
It is however amazing that just making small changes to my shelf can change the sound so much. I can loose some of the flow and tune with the slightest change.

Most importantly I now know exactly what I am "looking" for from my system. I do not feel any longer that I am missing out on something important.

I am searching high and low for records I cannot enjoy with little succes. Aahh, I have found a wanna be heavy rock number. That should do the trick.

Link removed

[Charlie1]

Sorry, I missed this post. I really like the sound of your system Beck!

[Charlie1]

Thought I'd have a go at improving my rack:

#1
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Foam ear plugs: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8jevxd3nsc8s ... s.MOV?dl=0

#2
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Tea Towel: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ccahy80kdm73u ... D.MOV?dl=0

[beck]

Ha, ha. You gave me the first laugh of the day. Thank you! :-) When I read what you have used I could not help myself.
Your normal setup is sounding great, very musical and still best to my ears.

As I hear it your "sound" aim is true. You do not want anything to bend the sound in another direction. You could try isolating your speaker cable from the floor with small tiles normally used for bathrooms and the like. My whole system is isolated from the floor with 25*25 cm tiles with a piece of cloth underneath but as you have carpet on the floor this should not be needed.

[Charlie1]

Glad it made you chuckle :) I couldn't think of what else to try!

Yep, I prefer the normal setup as well. I thought I was onto something at one point but once I was able to sit down and listen on the PC then I could hear neither tweak worked (for me).

[Charlie1]

I give up trying to make the rack sound better. Tried all sorts, including hair clips (3 and 4-points of contact with groove), hair bands, tissue paper, and nore. Haven't bothered with clips - think I can trust my judgement on them.

I did clean my stylus at the end of one comparison though, which might be of interest. I used Lyra SPT followed by silly putty:

Before: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wfabnlk5vute0 ... n.MOV?dl=0
After: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7kme7bsyjae1l ... n.MOV?dl=0

[beck]

Great Charlie1. What a classic and beautiful piece of music and you can hear a difference. Even before I played your clips I had guessed by seeing the label of the record! :-)

[beck]

I have never been fully satisfied with the sound from the next record but with the setup of my system being so much better now I can nothing but sit back and wunder. Is this really my system playing (lp12, lingo1,ekos1,klyde,old 1.7m linn arm cable, linto, linn black interconnect, early lk100, old linn k400 speaker cable into espek).

Link removed

I can after these last few weeks of searching for bad records only conclude that within my record collection there is no such thing as a boring record. The recording method does not matter. Be it analog,digital or both the recording always deliver a musical message. Only a non optimal system and/or a non optimal setup can ruin it.
What comes as a bigger surprice to me is that I now can relate to any recording and play along with it as if I was standing together with fellow musicians in a practice situation without feeling that something is not right.

Last clip is by danish electronica wizard Trentemøller from his 2013 album Lost:

Link removed

[Charlie1]

Good stuff. I know what you mean, particularly digital recordings. Before this thread I would sometimes give up cos it was just sounding too out of tune and irritating.

The clips sound really good as usual. Even with one tweeter blown, it seems more tuneful than mine using these clips. Speaking of which, will it be fixed soon?

[beck]

Good stuff. I know what you mean, particularly digital recordings. Before this thread I would sometimes give up cos it was just sounding too out of tune and irritating.

The clips sound really good as usual. Even with one tweeter blown, it seems more tuneful than mine using these clips. Speaking of which, will it be fixed soon?

Within a week or two though I do not miss it too much!

I am in no doubt that your system is actually the better sounding one. What do you use to record the clips? I use my Ipad2.

Yes, we agree about the digital recordings. They are really unforgiving if ones setup is not right.

[Charlie1]

What do you use to record the clips? I use my Ipad2.

Original iPad mini.

[beck]

What do you use to record the clips? I use my Ipad2.

Original iPad mini.

Correction: Originally I used Ipad2, now I use Ipad air2.

[u252agz]

Thought I'd have a go at improving my rack:

#1
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Foam ear plugs: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8jevxd3nsc8s ... s.MOV?dl=0

#2
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Tea Towel: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ccahy80kdm73u ... D.MOV?dl=0

I prefer the normal 'recordings' - sounds really good.

One of these days I am really going to have to start trying to optimize my installation. Not been done since the speakers were positioned by a local dealer, and since then a few changes to source, preamp and amps.

I think I would have to do the recordings and listen to them back to back. A long delay between listening sessions makes it quite difficult for me.

[beck]

Thought I'd have a go at improving my rack:

#1
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Foam ear plugs: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8jevxd3nsc8s ... s.MOV?dl=0

#2
Normal: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai5g2crewnded ... l.MOV?dl=0
Tea Towel: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ccahy80kdm73u ... D.MOV?dl=0

I prefer the normal 'recordings' - sounds really good.

One of these days I am really going to have to start trying to optimize my installation. Not been done since the speakers were positioned by a local dealer, and since then a few changes to source, preamp and amps.

I think I would have to do the recordings and listen to them back to back. A long delay between listening sessions makes it quite difficult for me.

And do share it with us when you get started!

New tweeter in place here playing in mono:

Link removed

And now in "stereo" at max volume:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e92qqtt75c47l ... 2.mov?dl=0

All just for the fun of it in hope of more people joining with a clip of their system playing.

[matthias]

All just for the fun of it in hope of more people joining with a clip of their system playing.

Yes, it would be nice to have some more clips with 3677s!

Matt

[beck]

New improvement to my stand makes Macca sound so uncomplicated.

Link removed

[Charlie1]

Sounding good as ever Beck. Can't really appreciate the rack tweak without another clip but glad you're enjoying the improvement.

[beck]

Sounding good as ever Beck. Can't really appreciate the rack tweak without another clip but glad you're enjoying the improvement.

Yes, I know. :-) Just had an itch I had to scratch.

[lejonklou]

New improvement to my stand makes Macca sound so uncomplicated.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/40f9qe1r3scfa ... 3.mov?dl=0

Very nice!

What did you do?

[beck]

This answer will not be useful as my stand is so out of the ordinary. It all has to do with my lingo/linto shelf where my far left corner has been subjected to trial and error replacement of support from underneath.
If I had the space it would maybe be even better for me to buy a second dedicated stand but that is not possible for now and I am having too much fun as it is.
Useless answer but hopefully one day I will contribute with something useful. :-)

[maffe]

Just for the fun of it I bought a IKEA cutting board today just to try under my LP12 :P

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a3jkdve23art3 ... 1.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6m1u44glyg4yy ... 1.mp4?dl=0

[tokenbrit]

Just for the fun of it I bought a IKEA cutting board today just to try under my LP12 :P

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a3jkdve23art3 ... 1.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6m1u44glyg4yy ... 1.mp4?dl=0

The board doesn't cut it for me - seems more musically coherent & together w/out