Playground for practical listening exercises

[beck]

I love “after”. Relaxed versus more strained when listening to “before”.

With “after” I really enjoy the music.

[Spannko]

Me too. Lovely clip charlie1.

[maffe]

Thx charlie1!

[maffe]

After a number of different speaker positions I decided its time to post new clips.
Kaos did his best to steal my seat, again. My wife would just not let me listen to music, she wanted to test more = I had to do all the work :P

First same position as before, 29 cm from back wall:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-37D ... f-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Sv3 ... P-1280.mp4

Distance sideways changed and further out from the wall
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6zZ ... R-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-N2n ... z-1280.mp4

[tokenbrit]

Impressive in all aspects: cat, wife, and music :)
Sideways & out = better to me... I hope you're allowed to listen to music and enjoy the fruits of your labours now ;)

[beck]

I am still on 29 cm.

[Charlie1]

I still enjoy 29cm more. I don't know that Chris Rea track. The rhythm section seem more funky in the first clip.

[maffe]

Impressive in all aspects: cat, wife, and music :)
Sideways & out = better to me... I hope you're allowed to listen to music and enjoy the fruits of your labours now ;)

No rest for the wicked?
Wife working evening shift, so just listening to music this afternoon and evening. Soon done with Dire Straits studio albums, but also Mingus Revisited, Stan Getz and Bartók.

I am still on 29 cm.

I still enjoy 29cm more. I don't know that Chris Rea track. The rhythm section seem more funky in the first clip.

I´m not sure my self, so Spannkos take on this one will be interesting!
It´s 29,8 cm from back wall and both speakers moved 4cm further apart ( 8 cm total). In total I think we did 10 different runs and last was adjusting distance to back wall again.

[lejonklou]

Reset my iphone, turned everything off including WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. It's not had a SIM for a couple of months now so that side was disabled in both clips.

Before: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pbsmedksoxrrc ... 1.MOV?dl=0
After: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sk0n4l3d4k18p ... D.MOV?dl=0

'Before' was recorded yesterday so not ideal scenario.

I have trouble choosing between these two. 'After' is more relaxed and easier on the ear, while 'Before' almost seem to break up when the singing begins. Still I'm not sure whether 'After' is only better or whether it lost a little bit of nerve.

[lejonklou]

After a number of different speaker positions I decided its time to post new clips.
Kaos did his best to steal my seat, again. My wife would just not let me listen to music, she wanted to test more = I had to do all the work :P

First same position as before, 29 cm from back wall:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-37D ... f-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Sv3 ... P-1280.mp4

Distance sideways changed and further out from the wall
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6zZ ... R-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-N2n ... z-1280.mp4

I'm leaning towards the first two, at 29.

The problem, I think, is that you've changed both distances at the same time. The distance from the rear wall and the distance apart do not affect each other and should therefore be judged one at a time. That makes everything much easier.

4 cm is also a very large distance.

[maffe]

I'm leaning towards the first two, at 29.

The problem, I think, is that you've changed both distances at the same time. The distance from the rear wall and the distance apart do not affect each other and should therefore be judged one at a time. That makes everything much easier.

4 cm is also a very large distance.

Agree!
Not totalt clear how we ended up at that point. Started with sideways this time at 29cm from back wall at al time.
As most 10cm out and 5 cm in ( each speaker) from starting point. then working our way to the point they stand in second clips. Then we re evaluated distance from back wall and ended up at 29,8cm, this time...
So missed a few steps in between the clips, I actually moved them back to make a "before" and "after" today :P

Need more work anyhow ;)

[ThomasOK]

Reset my iphone, turned everything off including WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. It's not had a SIM for a couple of months now so that side was disabled in both clips.

Before: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pbsmedksoxrrc ... 1.MOV?dl=0
After: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sk0n4l3d4k18p ... D.MOV?dl=0

'Before' was recorded yesterday so not ideal scenario.

I'm liking after better. I just find it more enjoyable.

[ThomasOK]

After a number of different speaker positions I decided its time to post new clips.
Kaos did his best to steal my seat, again. My wife would just not let me listen to music, she wanted to test more = I had to do all the work :P

First same position as before, 29 cm from back wall:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-37D ... f-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Sv3 ... P-1280.mp4

Distance sideways changed and further out from the wall
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6zZ ... R-1280.mp4

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-N2n ... z-1280.mp4

I have determined that the clips with the chromed metal thing on the right side of the LP12 sound better than those with the metal thing on the left side.
So, yeah, 29 cm appears to be more musical.

[beck]

Which do you like best?

https://youtu.be/mrB8IthgoRQ

[Tendaberry]

I'd like one with the treble and midrange of the Steinway and the bass of the Bösendorfer, please.

[beck]

I'd like one with the treble and midrange of the Steinway and the bass of the Bösendorfer, please.

I agree! Though only picking one I would take the Steinway.

[tokenbrit]

Shouldn't that be like speakers: the other grands should rolled out of the room so they don't resonate and influence each other in room? Critically speaking, each grand should be assessed in the same position, surely ... or they should each be tune-dem'd into their individual optimum position :D

[ThomasOK]

I'd like one with the treble and midrange of the Steinway and the bass of the Bösendorfer, please.

I agree! Though only picking one I would take the Steinway.

I don't have time to listen to 42 minutes right now but based on the first piece I would agree.

Shouldn't that be like speakers: the other grands should rolled out of the room so they don't resonate and influence each other in room? Critically speaking, each grand should be assessed in the same position, surely ... or they should each be tune-dem'd into their individual optimum position :D

No need to put a smile at the end of that comment. We often like to play a video for customers here where Yo-Yo Ma is getting ready for a concert and is changing the position of the peg on his cello in 1/4" increments on the stage to get the best sound! So positioning will certainly make a difference, and each grand is likely to need a slightly different position, especially considering their different lengths. And, yes, it should be in a single-piano demo room.

But in another comparison to Hi-Fi the Bösendorfer is the only one that is properly burned in! I know this might sound ridiculous but I have had several musicians tell me that the instrument improves with the playing. The materials develop over time to give a more melodious sound. I believe the theory is that the vibrations of playing make slight changes in the structure of the wood and/or metal over time and improve the sound. So it would appear that the comparison is fatally flawed on multiple fronts. If he was a member of this forum he would know better. ;-)

[Charlie1]

I think they'd all benefit from a peice a paper under one leg.

[Spannko]

The Fozioli sounded like an electric piano. The Bösendorfer was good and the Steinway was beautiful.

[tokenbrit]

I wasn't keen on the Fazioli either, but the pianist certainly liked it... Watching & listening on the tv I thought the Steinway sounded just a little delicate; I preferred the weight of the Bösendorfer - thankfully nothing like Bose. Nice to have options, if not both Steinway & Bösendorfer for different pieces, but my preference doesn't mean anything ultimately since I don't have the money or space, and can't play the piano :p

[AlbannachFE]

1. Steinway
2. Bösendorfer
3. Fazioli (a rather distant third)

[lejonklou]

1. Steinway
2. Bösendorfer
3. Fazioli (a rather distant third)

I agree.

I sent the video to my son, who is studying classical piano at a conservatory, and quickly received a long reply. Of course he and his classmates have discussed these things many times. And he said that he'd choose the Steinway if he had to pick one, both for the tone and the fact that he loves playing it.

The Bösendorfer Imperial with its extra keys he placed second. It's on his wish list - not to own, but to try. I would love to find a place where they have one and where we could spend a couple of hours.

[Spannko]

Here’s a comparison of 6 MCBs.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b20ztmjh1zl ... Ler7a?dl=0

Enjoy.

[Tendaberry]

Not easy on an iMac. Based on that I would have cosen the MK (new type).