Post by mdt April 3, 2005 (21 of 27)
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sgb said:
As for the level of detail, this is also something I've found to be dependent on numerous factors -- some of which have nothing to do with the recording itself. My closest audiophile friend and I share a similar list of components in our systems. Yet my room provides a much higher level of detail, dynamics and transparency than his does, and we have both noted this.
Good you mention this! It is far to often neglected, that the listening room (and whow the components are set up in it)is an important, if not the most important factor in determining the final quality of the reproduction.
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Post by zeus April 3, 2005 (22 of 27)
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sgb said:
As for the level of detail, this is also something I've found to be dependent on numerous factors -- some of which have nothing to do with the recording itself. My closest audiophile friend and I share a similar list of components in our systems. We both use the Rosinanté Evolution Signature speakers, a Rogue preamp and a Marantz SA-14. Yet my room provides a much higher level of detail, dynamics and transparency than his does, and we have both noted this.
If your friend isn't getting the best from his SA-14, he may want to swap the A/C polarity to his player. I'm not certain that this was the cause of a big change in my system when I moved house, but from the description of the effects, it looks highly likely. Worth a try anyway.
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Post by sgb April 6, 2005 (23 of 27)
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zeus said:
If your friend isn't getting the best from his SA-14, he may want to swap the A/C polarity to his player. I'm not certain that this was the cause of a big change in my system when I moved house, but from the description of the effects, it looks highly likely. Worth a try anyway.
Stephen,
I hadn't thought of that, but without going out to look at the back of the player I'm not altogether sure this can be done (if the player uses a 3-prong plug). But it is, as you say, worth a try.
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Post by zeus April 7, 2005 (24 of 27)
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sgb said:
I hadn't thought of that, but without going out to look at the back of the player I'm not altogether sure this can be done (if the player uses a 3-prong plug). But it is, as you say, worth a try.
This A/C polarity thing isn't some out-there tweak. John Atkinson mentions it here in a recent Stereophile eNewsletter:
http://www.stereophile.com/images/newsletter/305stph.html
For not too much money you can buy a "safety testing" device from electrical trade suppliers which you plug into a wall socket and it will show if polarity is reversed (or if earth is unwired). I paid about $25 for mine. This is only an indication ... it won't tell you if the power cord or wiring in the player itself reverses polarity. It might be interesting to compare polarity between your own and your friend's wall sockets.
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Post by Dlo April 9, 2005 (25 of 27)
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In your opinion, what is the single best sounding recording of classical music in your collection?
I'm no expert or anything, but here are my favorites, in no particular order:
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
Bruno Walter--Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Sony stereo SACD
Dvorak: Symphonies 8 & 9
Ivan Fischer--Budapest Festival Orchestra
Philips multi-channel SACD
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5/Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4
Colin Davis--BBC Symphony Orchestra/Boston Symphony Orchestra
Pentatone multi-channel SACD
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto & Quintet
Martin Frost--basset clarinet & clarinet
Peter Oundjian--Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Vertavo String Quartet
BIS multi-channel SACD
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Post by Beagle April 13, 2005 (26 of 27)
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zeus said:
This A/C polarity thing isn't some out-there tweak.
RE Check the polarity
I have the device mentioned, and it is very useful, especially if you do a bit of wiring yourself (I put in a dedicated line for the stereo). Mine also checks 3-prong sockets.
Another Beautiful Tweak
Separate cables and power cords! I've done a number of upgrades in the last few years (preamp, amp, sacd-player, speakers); all were significant improvements. I got one more significant improvement for minimal cost. Reading over the manual which came with the new speakers (AFTER installing same), I noted their emphasis on keeping cables and wires separate. I had some 1-inch plastic cable cover (check the automotive/recreational vehicle shelves) which costs about a dollar a meter. I bundled the left and right bi-wire speaker cables separately, and then isolated all the power cords in a third bundle. The three cables then lead off in their separate directions. I was so impressed by how tidy the wire mess had become; any acoustic improvements would be frosting on the cake. But when I turned everything on again... Hey bingo! another meter of "sound stage"!
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Post by Beagle April 14, 2005 (27 of 27)
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My request for listings was to broaden my own experiences selfishly by selecting as many of the recommendations here that would fall into my own emotive milleu. I find this to be much more helpful than solely consulting the many excellent reviews on your site.
I think LISTING is an excellent idea (for selfish reasons), and would like the Listing to continue. The lists so far have leaned heavily toward the BIG SYMPHONY. Big Sound is good sound -- if one happens to be in That mood; but there are Other moods. Chamber music is a definite Other. Haydn differentiated, when he wrote "I paint my symphonies with a broad brush, but I save the fine touches ... for my chamber works".
It's nigh impossible to divide up the musical universe, but how about...
Category A Instrumental (orchestral)
Category B Instrumental (chamber, solo)
Category C Vocal+Instr. (opera, choral)
Category D Vocal (solo, duo)
Category X Other... (none of the above)
Would other Threaders be interested in naming a recording in each category, with a 3-words-or-less comment? I'm game if others are. Do we want to list just SACDs, or older recordings we really wish were SACD? Maybe the latter is an entirely Other Thread.
Stefen North of Maine
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