Playground for practical listening exercises

[Kalle05]

W

[springwood64]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to analyse the clips.

Before I post I try to predict to myself what people will say, and each time I'm miles off, so your comments are very educational for me.

Listening again to the clips, I can now hear what people describe.

W: LP12 on a Mana Wallshelf, with the Lingo on the 3rd shelf of the Quadraspire rack, next to the Slipsik.

R: I added a Mana Reference Top on a spare Quadraspire shelf on top of the wallshelf. The LP12 is on the glass shelf of the Reference Top, and the Lingo is on the Quadraspire shelf underneath the Reference Top, on the wallshelf. The Slipsik luxuriates on its own shelf on the Quadraspire rack.

I plan to replace the Quadraspire shelf under the Reference Top with a glass shelf.

I should clarify, I have returned the LP12 to the wallshelf, and used the Reference Top on the Quadraspire rack instead of the wallshelf, allowing the Lingo and Slipsik their own shelves.

[ThomasOK]

I definitely prefer W. While the timing isn't great on either, I find it more off and somewhat annoying on R. I am a fan of jazz and am familiar with the tune although this is a little faster tempo rendition that what I am used to. Anyway, W I can listen to, R I need to turn off before the end.

[springwood64]

Which do you prefer?

SB: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2WS9EJWjuMJ8zxHT7
SF: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ru3oyjcH8jtUbPaPA

[Charlie1]

Preferred SF.

[lejonklou]

SF for me too.

[tokenbrit]

My phone preferred SB - better flow, less 'abrupt' - but headphones reveal a different musical story: there's still an ease to SB; a slight stiffness to SF - maybe that's the intended presentation - but the overall performance is more accessible in SF.

[tpetsch]

PRaT & flow seem relatively the same on both but sound wise I'm getting more of what I like from SF from my laptop speakers.

[beck]

I like SF. : )

[Whatsmynaim]

With SB the presentation is focused and it keeps my attention throughout. (Just for fun I'm going to guess that you're using a glass shelf.) But I still find it hard to decide.. Long term I probably prefer SF for sounding more natural.

[Spannko]

Yep. SF.

[markiteight]

SF

[springwood64]

Intrigued by the difference between S and S2, and inspired by Beck's tests, you have been listening to acrylic felt.

IMG_20250123_162342273_MFNR~2.jpg

SB: the BJC cables between Källa, Netgear and Ubiqiti lie unsupported (bare) on the shelf.

SF: the cables lie on top of 3 sheets of acrylic felt.

[springwood64]

(Just for fun I'm going to guess that you're using a glass shelf.)

Hold that thought ...

BTW, Källa is perched on top of an unsecured spare Quadraspire shelf that sits (just) on the uprights of a Mana Reference Top, on the top shelf of the Quadraspire rack. It's there temporarily. I just plonked it there while sorting out the turntable support.

I would expect this to sound pretty poor, since all my other tests seem to show a precise sensitivity to support. However it sounds really enjoyable. I'm pondering what to make of this.

IMG_20250124_075109768_MFNR~2.jpg

[Charlie1]

Nice free uplift - Beck in particular will be proud!

Look at all those switchless sockets too - I never got around to that.

[Spannko]

Very interesting Pete! I remember John Burns of Linn saying that speaker cables sound best when laid freely on a carpeted floor, which is similar to what you’ve discovered. Thanks for bringing this to our attention 👍

[lejonklou]

Thank you for your interesting experiments Pete!

A surprisingly big difference given that it was only the support for the Ethernet cables.

Regarding the temporary(?) positioning of Källa, I believe that it’s advantageous that the Mana reference top rests on spikes that are positioned slightly away from the Quadraspire columns.

[tpetsch]

Back when we sold VIVA, the founder of the company Amedeo was always on the ready to put/test felt or wool pads under pretty much everything during setup of his gear/speakers. So not surprised by the different sound as I have experienced many A/B's with and without. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't.

[ThomasOK]

Late to the party but I prefer SF as well.

[Errol]

Just one more change, A or B ? (My dogs are creating some background noise...)
JB:
A https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b6hyUT ... sp=sharing
B https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cjUHE2 ... sp=sharing

PP:
A https://drive.google.com/file/d/10GyVtH ... sp=sharing
B https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKjSgN ... sp=sharing

[beck]

I prefer A. I find B a bit too lush.

[lejonklou]

I found that difficult.

But I hear they’re different and I’m leaning towards B making a little more sense. For instance how the hi-hat rides along with the tune in clip PP.

[Whatsmynaim]

JB - It's a tie. "A" has a dreamy quality that I like and suspect the song is going for, but when the piano comes in I prefer how it sounds on "B".

PP - "B" all the way. Especially appreciate the guitar playing which is fun and playful. "A" I don't enjoy at all.

[springwood64]

Tricky, but I think in PP that 'A' drags a little compared to 'B', so if forced to make a preference I'd opt for 'B'.

[Tendaberry]

Difficult, but I'm also leaning towards B