Playground for practical listening exercises

[Charlie1]

Not sure how serious it was, but saw rumour of Naim starting to run out of some older components so decided to get the 12/bolt down 160 serviced directly with Naim. They replace various elements including balance and volume thingys. I think the original bolt down 160 is 50 years old this year!! -- although not doing well with HiFi birthdays this week having got the LP12 wrong :D

Still warming up but thought this would help things along...
https://www.dropbox.com/home?preview=20 ... 203408.mp4

[beck]

Starting to head bang right away not even listening properly to the music! :-)

[Spannko]

KinAmazin!!!!!!!

[OscarH]

But that doesn't allow for a family member, flatmate, friend, ex or anyone else listening to the music too, and able to offer a 2nd opinion... How about toodem or twodem? :)

I rather trust in kidem because you can’t kid ‘em. When they start singing along to obscure dad records they’ve never heard before you know you’re onto something.

Now this is getting all too complex. Should you limit it to two, or could there be threedem (no threesome comments, please) and fourdem. And then what about catdem, dogdem, parrotdem, hamsterdem, etc. Hairdem for hair standing up on your arms or neck? The list is endless.

One might say this conversation has gone off on a tandem...

[tokenbrit]

I rather trust in kidem because you can’t kid ‘em. When they start singing along to obscure dad records they’ve never heard before you know you’re onto something.

Now this is getting all too complex. Should you limit it to two, or could there be threedem (no threesome comments, please) and fourdem. And then what about catdem, dogdem, parrotdem, hamsterdem, etc. Hairdem for hair standing up on your arms or neck? The list is endless.

There is an obvious portmanteau for when more people, pets, or piloerections are involved in tunedem: modem ;)

[SewerSleuth]

Following on from a discussion in another discussion, here is my first side-by-side comparison.

After reading this article - https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2017/02/ ... -shootout/ I decided to buy the Spec+ Analog Disc Sheet AP-UD1

So, on test here are:

• Default Linn felt mat

• Spec+ Analog Disc Sheet AP-UD1

My setup is:

• Linn LP12 with Karousel bearing and Lingo Mk1 PSU, Linn Ittok LVII arm, Linn Adikt cartridge.

• Rega Fono Mk3 MM phono stage.

File recording info:

• Recorded into Audacity on a Mac at 44100 KHz sampling rate.

• No software edits other than track trimming.

• Exported as WAV file.

Tracks on the files:

1. Tin Pan Alley (AKA The Roughest Part of Town) by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, from the album Couldn't Stand The Weather, new vinyl, bought in 2020.
2. Bad Man's Song by Tears For Fears, from the album The Seeds of Love, old vinyl, bought in the 1990s. Track starts at about 9 minutes 18 seconds.
3. Once Upon a Time in The West by Dire Straits, from the album Communique, new vinyl, bought in 2020. Track starts at about 17 minutes 56 seconds.

Links to the files:

• Mat 1 - https://1drv.ms/u/s!At0f4R-k6W4Kkj03-6Y ... A?e=0FW0G9

• Mat 2 - https://1drv.ms/u/s!At0f4R-k6W4KkjwPaRt ... L?e=8zLzU3

[tokenbrit]

One might say this conversation has gone off on a tandem...

Wife says no tandems and, no, that's not a euphemism... :/
Sorry for the off-tandem / off-topic - time to cycle back to the playground ;)

[tokenbrit]

So, on test here are:

• Default Linn felt mat

...

Have you tried both sides of the Linn felt mat? There's usually a definite right (more musical) side up, or down..

[SewerSleuth]

@tokenbrit

Ive read about this, but something in my gut just says no, there simply cannot be any difference. Certainly not one that is tangible or identifiable. Maybe my ears are just too old to tell the difference?

But I can tell the difference between the felt mat and the Spec+ mat. The difference is quite clear on my system and I hope these recordings do it justice.

[Charlie1]

The felt mat thing was derided by foo fearing folk that think almost every form of hifi tweaking and cabling is nonsense. Finally, a magazine recorded and graphed the difference between each side and that thankfully shut them up. Trust you ears because some of these dogmatic people that think they understand all the theory and science often don't.

[tokenbrit]

@tokenbrit

Ive read about this, but something in my gut just says no, there simply cannot be any difference. Certainly not one that is tangible or identifiable. Maybe my ears are just too old to tell the difference?

Does that last sentence mean you've tried it but didn't hear a difference? When we tried it my ears told me there was a clear difference even though my gut said there wouldn't/couldn't/shouldn't be... Of course, it's easier if someone else is flipping the mat for you, and you can just listen. In our case it was obvious so, if you can hear between the 2 mats, I'd think you'd be able to hear between 2 sides of the Linn felt mat, but I don't know how much is felt mat instance, LP12 setup, system dependent.

[SewerSleuth]

@tokenbrit

It means I haven't tried it, but I will. I've just cast the idea away in the past as being poppy-cock, but in all fairness, I should and will give it a try.

[Defender]

is there a reason why you record it with audiacity? its much easier to do with a phone and we are used to it.
... at least there is a 50% chance that your felt mat is on the right side (or on the wrong side depending how you look at things)

[SewerSleuth]

@Defender

These differences are subtle and I don’t think you’ll hear them on a phone.

I’ve tried to give an equal and fair comparison using software and hardware that I already have and am familiar with.

[Defender]

are you sure you are using TuneDem to evaluate your decisions? if not I recommend you make yourself familiar with it - it will help you in the long run to make the right decisions and save a lot of money.

we are all used to short clips recorded with an IPhone or a different phone usually one song for comparison is enough (to 60-90seconds into the song)
one or two pages before this one you have examples from me - check them out ... recorded with a phone

[Whatsmynaim]

After a quick listen I prefer Mat 2.

[beck]

After a quick listen I prefer Mat 2.

+1

[Tony Tune-age]

Let the chips fall where they may, but mat2 sounds better to my ears (over my computer).

Cheers

[sittertal]

I only listende to the first track but compared the two mats about five times. I prefere mat 2.

Cheers
Paul

[lejonklou]

Tracks on the files:

1. Tin Pan Alley (AKA The Roughest Part of Town) by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, from the album Couldn't Stand The Weather, new vinyl, bought in 2020.
2. Bad Man's Song by Tears For Fears, from the album The Seeds of Love, old vinyl, bought in the 1990s. Track starts at about 9 minutes 18 seconds.
3. Once Upon a Time in The West by Dire Straits, from the album Communique, new vinyl, bought in 2020. Track starts at about 17 minutes 56 seconds.

Links to the files:

• Mat 1 - https://1drv.ms/u/s!At0f4R-k6W4Kkj03-6Y ... A?e=0FW0G9

• Mat 2 - https://1drv.ms/u/s!At0f4R-k6W4KkjwPaRt ... L?e=8zLzU3

I listened to five seconds of Tin Pan Alley on my iPhone 11 speakers and prefer Mat 2.

My impression is that I'd pay a LOT of money to upgrade from Mat 1 to Mat 2.

[Tony Tune-age]

So, which mat is which...? Does anybody know?

[lejonklou]

So, which mat is which...? Does anybody know?

SewerSleuth hopefully knows, as he's made the clips. I assume nobody else knows until he tells us.

[Tony Tune-age]

So, which mat is which...? Does anybody know?

SewerSleuth hopefully knows, as he's made the clips. I assume nobody else knows until he tells us.

Gotcha...thanks Fredrik!

[Defender]

if mat 2 is the Spec+ Analog the mat 1 has the wrong side up :)

[SewerSleuth]

if mat 2 is the Spec+ Analog the mat 1 has the wrong side up :)

Like the thought.