Playground for practical listening exercises

We use the Tune Method to evaluate performance

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markiteight
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by markiteight »

Spannko wrote: 2020-10-17 23:27 Here’s the latest version of my diy power supply for the GS108T network switch compared against the supplied power supply. They can be identified by the time of the recording: 22.47 & 22.50.

Enjoy!

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B125oqs3qHvgqNB
First clip for me.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by beck »

Both sound really good to me but slightly different. I enjoy 22.47 the most.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Spannko »

Thanks chaps. The result is:

100% of those who expressed an opinion preferred the DIY power supply*

(* Sample size of 3)

So there you have it, “research” proves that the DIY is better than the Netgear power supply. If it’s good enough for shampoo manufacturers, it’s good enough for me!

Well, not really though, tbh. Whilst I have great respect for the opinions of the voters, for me the DIY is still just a fraction behind the Netgear in terms of its tune playing ability. So, it’s back to the drawing board for just a while longer!
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

Good morning,

Some light entertainment to start the week - classic A to B comparison with a single difference between the two clips.

As I consider myself very much a Tune Dem/Meth novice it’s very interesting to get input here.

For information - we’re listening to a rip of one of the very first CDs that I can recall being bought in my childhood home. Thanks mum!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8wnl6r471ozm ... YtkEa?dl=0
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by beck »

Interesting set of clips.

What I notice is that video 1 just seem to fit my ears and play along without me having to do anything to enjoy the music.
Video 2 I hear as a “clearer” but also harder to “understand” version of the same.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Charlie1 »

I prefer clip 1 too.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Spannko »

Number one for me too.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by tokenbrit »

beck wrote: 2020-10-19 09:36 .. video 1 just seem to fit my ears and play along without me having to do anything to enjoy the music.
Video 2 I hear as a “clearer” but also harder to “understand” version of the same.
^^^ this.

2 may 'sound' better, but 1 'plays' better, for me. With 1 I could enjoy the music and the view; with 2 there was something off that required more effort to listen, and that made the view (& the music) less enjoyable...
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Discodave »

Clip 1, had Clip 2 at the start but that was because I picked up some flaws in the 1st. With further inspection I realised that 2nd clip was more flawed.

Are the speakers being placed with windows behind complicating matters maybe?
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

5-0. Probably don’t need to keep it blind much longer.

discodave may indeed have a point regarding the windows - I do have a history of posting inconclusive clips, though this set actually appears to have resulted in consensus.

1 is an approx 8 year old and well used QED interconnect. Cost something like 30€ as far as I recall.

2 is a brand new Linn Black.

The source is Hakai + Hakai NAS.

It is off course possible that the stars aligned when the QED was made. Who knows?

The black being brand new may indeed hamper its performance and it can hopefully get better. I find burn-in of a cable a rather mysterious subject as I can’t really understand what might be happening in something with so relatively few and simple components.

I’ll give the black some play time and try to compare again at a later stage.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by beck »

Great comparison OscarH.

Do not underestimate “burn in”. “Burn in” may have little to do with the copper Inside and much more to do with vibrations changing along the way as the interconnects used settles in the new invironment.

I experience it all the time when changing components in my setup.

The sound will most likely change but if the result will change is another thing intirely.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Discodave »

Hi Oscar, it wasnt inconclusiveness I was referring to with the windows, rather that I thought both were flawed re musicality and was wondering if this had an impact. I obviously didnt know what the kit was or your test, but now knowing its Hakai, I would further advocate this as a point of debate surrounding not the difference between variables, but the musicality of your system. Just a thought, I am no authority. Just a curious cat, who likes his cream to rise to the top..

Burn in!!!! Just do it!! So simple with cables too. Setup repeat on your source and let play for a few days. Can even do so with volume down (I'm pretty sure). Dont listen in between. Stick them back in and record an after clip to your already existing before. Then see if it is meaningful for you.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

Discodave wrote: 2020-10-19 15:19 Hi Oscar, it wasnt inconclusiveness I was referring to with the windows, rather that I thought both were flawed re musicality and was wondering if this had an impact. I obviously didnt know what the kit was or your test, but now knowing its Hakai, I would further advocate this as a point of debate surrounding not the difference between variables, but the musicality of your system. Just a thought, I am no authority. Just a curious cat, who likes his cream to rise to the top..
Gotcha.

Certainly a glass back wall goes against most if not all recommendations regarding room acoustics. Precious little I can do about that particular parameter though.

That said, I do find a very large disparity between "in the room" (which is not all unpleasant) and essentially all my recorded clips (for example with this set I found them vastly different when testing with different headphones).

Would be very interesting to have other forum members listen to the system in real life. I'm open to any suggestions for improvement that dont't include moving homes or reclaiming the kids' bedroom.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Discodave »

Lol neither would I and if you are happy with it that's the main thing. I am currently switching hifi rooms to make room for a nursery (I must be maturing) and am having difficulty with my own parameters which I intend to seek help with from you guys soon.

A suggestion, perhaps even closing the curtains when you want a serious listen?
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

Discodave wrote: 2020-10-19 16:14 Lol neither would I and if you are happy with it that's the main thing. I am currently switching hifi rooms to make room for a nursery (I must be maturing) and am having difficulty with my own parameters which I intend to seek help with from you guys soon.

A suggestion, perhaps even closing the curtains when you want a serious listen?
FWIW placing the hifi on a central location in the home does in my experience promote music listening as an interest for the entire family.

It does warm a dad’s (and mum’s for that matter) heart to hear the daughters sing along with all kinds of songs that I doubt many of their friends have heard.

I suppose that is a “practical listening exercise”...
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Charlie1 »

An annoying question but worth checking - are both Linn blacks round the right way?

Would be interesting to retest in a few weeks or months after some running time.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: 2020-10-19 17:55 An annoying question but worth checking - are both Linn blacks round the right way?

Would be interesting to retest in a few weeks or months after some running time.
It crossed my mind that we might be listening to a directional change so could be worth checking: the signal goes with the arrow in the Linn logo which is, unusually, in the opposite direction / against the text, if I recall correctly.
Last edited by tokenbrit on 2020-10-19 18:27, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

tokenbrit wrote: 2020-10-19 18:09
Charlie1 wrote: 2020-10-19 17:55 An annoying question but worth checking - are both Linn blacks round the right way?

Would be interesting to retest in a few weeks or months after some running time.
It crossed my mind that we might be listening to a directional change so could be worth checking: the signal goes with the arrow in the logo which is, unusually, in the opposite direction / against the text, if I recall correctly.
It’s a fair question.

I have just checked and they are installed with the arrows pointing towards that amplifier.

You are right that the text is in fact going in the opposite direction.

Let’s see what impact time/use has.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Discodave »

OscarH wrote: 2020-10-19 17:18
Discodave wrote: 2020-10-19 16:14 Lol neither would I and if you are happy with it that's the main thing. I am currently switching hifi rooms to make room for a nursery (I must be maturing) and am having difficulty with my own parameters which I intend to seek help with from you guys soon.

A suggestion, perhaps even closing the curtains when you want a serious listen?
FWIW placing the hifi on a central location in the home does in my experience promote music listening as an interest for the entire family.

It does warm a dad’s (and mum’s for that matter) heart to hear the daughters sing along with all kinds of songs that I doubt many of their friends have heard.

I suppose that is a “practical listening exercise”...
Fully agree!
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Spannko »

OscarH wrote: 2020-10-19 14:52 5-0. Probably don’t need to keep it blind much longer.

discodave may indeed have a point regarding the windows - I do have a history of posting inconclusive clips, though this set actually appears to have resulted in consensus.

1 is an approx 8 year old and well used QED interconnect. Cost something like 30€ as far as I recall.

2 is a brand new Linn Black.

The source is Hakai + Hakai NAS.

It is off course possible that the stars aligned when the QED was made. Who knows?

The black being brand new may indeed hamper its performance and it can hopefully get better. I find burn-in of a cable a rather mysterious subject as I can’t really understand what might be happening in something with so relatively few and simple components.

I’ll give the black some play time and try to compare again at a later stage.
Thanks for a great comparison OscarH! If you’d have asked me which interconnect would be the better, I’d have said the Linn Blacks, so it’s just the kind of comparison I like 😁. It reminds me to keep an open mind and to stay curious at all times! I look forward to hearing how the Blacks improve (or not!) over time.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

For completeness, a picture of the QED interconnect (I assume all here know a Linn Black haha).

It actually comes across as a decent quality product.

I got the Black very cheap off eBay after some bid retraction malarkey so I haven’t got much to “loose” from this comparison.

Still, I find it very hard to get around my expectation bias with stuff that on paper should be an upgrade.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by Discodave »

I like QED interconnects. Have 2 digital leads which made a nice difference. I would expect them to be a bit more hifi than the blacks but a bit less musical. Time will tell at your end.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by springwood64 »

Here's a teaser:

Same sources (Qobuz via Hakai)

One difference in set up prompted by an old thread on this forum.

I've listened to the clips online to check that they reflect some of the differences I hear in the room and I think they do.

What do people think?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vu2hYgftgtug2s847
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by OscarH »

My first impression was in favour of 2A.

Maybe there’s a bit more happening in 2C but the music is more direct in 2A.

Then, as usual, after 3-4 listens I get confused.
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Re: Playground for practical listening exercices

Post by beck »

I can follow what OscarH is saying but I do prefer 2C as it sounds fuller to me. It reminds me of the difference I hear in my system between speaker cable connected to the treble (2A) and speaker cable connected to the bass terminals (2C) on Espeks.
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