Playground for practical listening exercises

[tokenbrit]

Rack comparison clips next?

Just needs someone to stick their neck out, and shoulder the burden... The rest should gird our loins for new puns now that the lamb ones are on their last legs.

[ThomasOK]

They were on their last legs a while ago! ;-)

[Spannko]

It’s been far too long since I posted videos of my speaker project, so here’s a few new videos of where the project has got to. After two years I’m still working on one speaker at a time, and the base panel of this particular speaker is sealed with foam strip to allow me to insert blocks of known volume to tune the volume of the enclosure. The open ended speaker uses just gravity to seal against a board on the floor, so the bass is possibly compromised a bit.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0RGfnH8tJ6K77s

PS. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all. 🎄🎄🎄

[beck]

I like what I can hear. :-)

Merry xmas to all.

[matthias]

I like what I can hear. :-)

+1
Merry Christmas to all!

[Charlie1]

Keeps getting better and I like what I hear too.

Happy Christmas 🎄

[Spannko]

Thank you gentlemen. It’s been an interesting journey, with many turns taking me back quite a few steps. Thankfully though, the general trend has been upward!

I’ve developed a rating system of 7 categories which I think of as being likened to 1. Pig Swill, 2. Below Average Pub Grub, 3. Average Pub Grub, 4. Above Average Pub Grub, 5. Posh Nosh, 6. Good Posh Nosh, 7. Excellent Posh Nosh. Category 1 is just plain💩 with no redeeming qualities. Categories 2-5 describe varying levels of quality but with artefacts which tend to make themselves known and detract from the enjoyment of music. Categories 5-7 describe varying degrees of excellence with no audible artefacts. For me, the overwhelming majority of HiFi components fall within the Pub Grub category, with very few getting into the Posh Nosh category. I’d score my speaker at about 3/7 atm, however I’m not aware of any loudspeaker scoring above 4, ever, in the history of hifi - I’m not sure if it’s even possible!

[lejonklou]

I like your latest clip too, Spannko!

And I’m going to give that seven category rating system a try. Aiming for the Posh Nosh levels!

[ThomasOK]

I'm liking them. Things seem to be coming along nicely.

[Spannko]

Thanks guy’s! It’ll be interesting to see how the rating system works for you Fredrik, although for me, you’re already producing posh nosh!

[Whatsmynaim]

Thanks guy’s! It’ll be interesting to see how the rating system works for you Fredrik, although for me, you’re already producing posh nosh!

Other brands posh nosh is just his starting point ;) We need a special Lejonklou rating system!

[Spannko]

It’s not a price based rating system. Many manufacturers charge posh nosh prices, but sadly all they deliver is pub grub fare.

[Whatsmynaim]

No. I meant when other brands have actually made something musically good. Still. Other brands best stuff usually lands below entry level Lejonklou. Hence my joke about the need for a new rating system. :)

[springwood64]

Which do you prefer?

Brass https://photos.app.goo.gl/SbAYeVoSH3NsEFU29
Steel https://photos.app.goo.gl/aroJw3pmjokXQw567

[tokenbrit]

Which do you prefer?

Brass https://photos.app.goo.gl/SbAYeVoSH3NsEFU29
Steel https://photos.app.goo.gl/aroJw3pmjokXQw567

I prefer Brass - it just flows & sounds better to my ears.

I find Steel to be a bit at odds with itself rhythmically. Steel also makes the clarinet* sound a bit brassy, like a sax, and tends to isolate it from the rest of the band making it easier to follow individually, but less enjoyable to listen to as a whole.

(with apols to 10cc, I'm guessing it's just a Steel-y phase you're going through?)


* I thought it was a clarinet... I also thought it might've been a phase comparison. Wrong on both. Good way to start '24 🤪

[ThomasOK]

I'm definitely digging the brass more than the steel. Despite being a harder and brighter metal I find the steel to sound a bit sluggish rhythmically and a bit dull as well. The brass moves (flows) better and the instruments sound more like quality instruments well played than on the steel.

[tpetsch]

The Brass is the more tuneful or the two.

[Charlie1]

Brass here as well.

Very nice sounding system.

[Spannko]

Yep, brass for me too and for the same reason as everyone else. Steel feels less musical all round. Great system too!

[ThomasOK]

Yes, I should have mentioned that the system with brass sounded quite good. Even though I am just listening through a MacPro (although admittedly into a pair of JBL LSR305 mk1) I played the brass clip all the way to the end twice. It was just very enjoyable and I know that track quite well.

[markiteight]

I'm on Team Brass too. Lovely!

[matthias]

Brass for me as well

[springwood64]

Thanks for the kind comments. I'm delighted with how it sounds, and how engaging it is.

I'm quite visual, and I take a lot of photographs, so to me the 'brass' seemed to snap the music into crisp focus. Before it had been a little blurry, but I was only aware of this after the change.

The change I made was to the speaker stands. I replaced the steel washers between the limestone bases and the speaker cabinet with brass washers. I also added brass washers beneath the heads of the bolts that secure the bases to the speakers.

I was driven by pure curiosity and didn't really expect to hear a difference.

However in the room the improvement is pretty significant, and was immediately obvious as soon as I started playing.

Here's the brass Vs steel washers:

IMG_20240106_084720137_MFNR.jpg

The brass washers have a distinct orientation. One side is flat and the other has rounded outside and inside edge. I placed the washers so that the flat side is against the stone. I may experiment with reversing the orientation.

I also plan to experiment with bronze washers later.

[Tendaberry]

Late to the party, but I spontaneously wanted to listen longer to the brass version. Interesting finding! Linn's use of brass threads in the Ekstatik is no coincidence then.

[beck]

Late to the party, but I spontaneously wanted to listen longer to the brass version. Interesting finding! Linn's use of brass threads in the Ekstatik is no coincidence then.

+1

Great result. I have to try it too! :-)