More 'Audiophile' bullsh*t
Discussion
bristolracer said:
There is, but I only have it in industrial quantities, I can repackage some for you- It will arrive in a tin marked B&Q magnolia
Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
Hate magnolia and with good reason. Many moons ago moved into a bedsit and it was all blue. So cobbled the spare paint from the folks, all magnolia and put it all in one big bucket to get the same shade and got to painting. After one wall was completed and it felt rather sticky going on, I checked the tins. One 5ltr can was gloss. Condensation would run down that wall in the winter, and it was shiny!Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
So no magnolia.
Got any harvest yellow with a hint of daffodils?
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
You can fix your room. 
https://www.roomeqwizard.com/
https://www.dirac.com/
Crackie said:
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
You can fix your room. https://www.roomeqwizard.com/
https://www.dirac.com/
However, I now work on the principle of "do I like it?". Unless I can get the band into my room to make the direct comparison, re produce all the kit they had to make the recording and then try to mimic the output exactly, nothing I buy will be the same unless I have some very deep pockets to get a recording studio.
Bought the amp without listening to it (living dangerously I know), definite improvement for my liking on the older Arcam and same with the speakers. The old Celestians were getting on a bit especially the removed crossover and pizzo tweeter as the old tweeter had failed and no spares available (I can hear the shudders form here). Putting the newer speakers on spikes was quite a good move, that was no snake oil and my speaker spike protection for the floor cost 8p.
But it all comes back to "do I like it". Can I reproduce the sound exactly? Nope. Can I try? Probably but it will be subjective and cost.
I am reminded of a Sunbeam I saw at a car show, nut and bolt ground up retire, it was absolutely stunning. But probably better than when it left the factory. How far do I change sound
@jmorgan
The reasoning you apply is the same reasons I've never bothered with room eq.
I'm aware that my room has shortcomings for example some bass can sound markedly deeper when I stand outside the room or even a few steps up the stairs - my problem there is that my room is an average UK lounge size 14' x 12' so is not really big enough to exploit the HiFi to it's full potential.
So I could apply shed loads of bass boost, but then the likely outcome of that is possible boominess and one definite outcome would be to annoy the neighbours and also increase the amount of bass travelling through the house.
My ideal room size would be something in the order of 25' x 15'.
An interesting exercise is to take your HiFi and speakers outdoors, as when in 'free space' you get to hear it at it's full potential (as does anyone within 100 metres lol)
So I just tend to enjoy the music, warts 'n all!
Besides, there's such a wide variety of mixes coming out of various studios that one size rarely fits all IMHO.
The reasoning you apply is the same reasons I've never bothered with room eq.
I'm aware that my room has shortcomings for example some bass can sound markedly deeper when I stand outside the room or even a few steps up the stairs - my problem there is that my room is an average UK lounge size 14' x 12' so is not really big enough to exploit the HiFi to it's full potential.
So I could apply shed loads of bass boost, but then the likely outcome of that is possible boominess and one definite outcome would be to annoy the neighbours and also increase the amount of bass travelling through the house.
My ideal room size would be something in the order of 25' x 15'.
An interesting exercise is to take your HiFi and speakers outdoors, as when in 'free space' you get to hear it at it's full potential (as does anyone within 100 metres lol)
So I just tend to enjoy the music, warts 'n all!
Besides, there's such a wide variety of mixes coming out of various studios that one size rarely fits all IMHO.
jmorgan said:
Always wanted a graphic equaliser when I were a nipper starting out with Stereo. Not sure why I did at the time but seemed to look good on a stack of kit, I knew it fluffed around with frequencies.
However, I now work on the principle of "do I like it?". Unless I can get the band into my room to make the direct comparison, re produce all the kit they had to make the recording and then try to mimic the output exactly, nothing I buy will be the same unless I have some very deep pockets to get a recording studio.
But it all comes back to "do I like it". Can I reproduce the sound exactly? Nope. Can I try? Probably but it will be subjective and cost.
The "do I like it?" is by far the best way to select audio gear. However, I now work on the principle of "do I like it?". Unless I can get the band into my room to make the direct comparison, re produce all the kit they had to make the recording and then try to mimic the output exactly, nothing I buy will be the same unless I have some very deep pockets to get a recording studio.
But it all comes back to "do I like it". Can I reproduce the sound exactly? Nope. Can I try? Probably but it will be subjective and cost.
REW software is free and can make big improvements if the room isn't great or the speakers can't be placed in the optimum position. The speakers I use now were developed in the room I listen in; to a degree, room's contribution can be designed out.The very best speaker designers had the balls to subject their designs to the ultimate scrutiny i.e live verses recorded. Brian Cheney from VMPS audio and John Dunlavy from DAL were both confident enough to conduct live v recorded tests http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=76191.0
bristolracer said:
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
There is, but I only have it in industrial quantities, I can repackage some for you- It will arrive in a tin marked B&Q magnolia Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
Zod said:
bristolracer said:
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
There is, but I only have it in industrial quantities, I can repackage some for you- It will arrive in a tin marked B&Q magnolia Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
t. 
swisstoni said:
Ah that takes me back. I remember colouring the edges of my CDs with green felt tip. I'd forgotten about all that st.
Dunno about green felt tips, it probably doesn't do that much unless you cover over any bar codes in the room: t. https://www.stereophile.com/content/morphic-housek...
love this thread
I used to work in hifi sales in the 90's and early 00's selling everything from basic £100 stuff to naim, meridian, musical fidelity etc and loved working with the kit. I always believed it was about the enjoyment of music not just the kit. but the industry really did sell some snake oil.
I remember the CD demagnetisier that people would hear the difference with I never sold any. the green pen was a joke I have one, its in my tool kit I use it to mark where I am drilling a hole HAHA.
some things made a difference I always believe in good quality speaker cable. and analogue interconnects. but not spending £1000's on them. from a personal point of view I use QED custom install speaker cable and atlas basic analogue cables. or home made cables. it probably cost in total less then £100 and that's including 25 m of speaker cable
Things like the Denon Ethernet cable make me laugh.
I had a college who would say he could hear the difference when someone turned over the felt mat on his LP12 turntable. however he was a joke anyway.
anyway keep up the snake oil stories
I used to work in hifi sales in the 90's and early 00's selling everything from basic £100 stuff to naim, meridian, musical fidelity etc and loved working with the kit. I always believed it was about the enjoyment of music not just the kit. but the industry really did sell some snake oil.
I remember the CD demagnetisier that people would hear the difference with I never sold any
. the green pen was a joke I have one, its in my tool kit I use it to mark where I am drilling a hole HAHA.some things made a difference I always believe in good quality speaker cable. and analogue interconnects. but not spending £1000's on them. from a personal point of view I use QED custom install speaker cable and atlas basic analogue cables. or home made cables. it probably cost in total less then £100 and that's including 25 m of speaker cable
Things like the Denon Ethernet cable make me laugh.
I had a college who would say he could hear the difference when someone turned over the felt mat on his LP12 turntable. however he was a joke anyway.
anyway keep up the snake oil stories
jmorgan said:
my speaker spike protection for the floor cost 8p.
A rookie mistake - you should have used at least 2p coins, as their greater acoustic mass ameliorates the depth, warmth and Sigma-Pi openness of your sound.
Top professionals in the know are now experimenting with the newly minted Haz'n'Megz 2018 edition 100% gold-plated effect Sovereigns, with astonishing results. I can reluctantly sell you my very last pack of 8 for £10,000 + VAT.
karma mechanic said:
swisstoni said:
Ah that takes me back. I remember colouring the edges of my CDs with green felt tip. I'd forgotten about all that st.
Dunno about green felt tips, it probably doesn't do that much unless you cover over any bar codes in the room: t. https://www.stereophile.com/content/morphic-housek...
PS this is a joke, just in case anyone took it seriously!
Zod said:
karma mechanic said:
swisstoni said:
Ah that takes me back. I remember colouring the edges of my CDs with green felt tip. I'd forgotten about all that st.
Dunno about green felt tips, it probably doesn't do that much unless you cover over any bar codes in the room: t. https://www.stereophile.com/content/morphic-housek...
PS this is a joke, just in case anyone took it seriously!
schmunk said:
jmorgan said:
my speaker spike protection for the floor cost 8p.
A rookie mistake - you should have used at least 2p coins, as their greater acoustic mass ameliorates the depth, warmth and Sigma-Pi openness of your sound.
Top professionals in the know are now experimenting with the newly minted Haz'n'Megz 2018 edition 100% gold-plated effect Sovereigns, with astonishing results. I can reluctantly sell you my very last pack of 8 for £10,000 + VAT.
https://www.royalmintbullion.com/Products/World-Go...
As this is the Austrian Philharmonic version of the coin it stands to reason it will be better.
schmunk said:
jmorgan said:
my speaker spike protection for the floor cost 8p.
A rookie mistake - you should have used at least 2p coins, as their greater acoustic mass ameliorates the depth, warmth and Sigma-Pi openness of your sound.
Top professionals in the know are now experimenting with the newly minted Haz'n'Megz 2018 edition 100% gold-plated effect Sovereigns, with astonishing results. I can reluctantly sell you my very last pack of 8 for £10,000 + VAT.
bristolracer said:
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
There is, but I only have it in industrial quantities, I can repackage some for you- It will arrive in a tin marked B&Q magnolia Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
Honk said:
bristolracer said:
jmorgan said:
Unfortunately there is sod all I can do about my room, must be a special paint out there somewhere.
There is, but I only have it in industrial quantities, I can repackage some for you- It will arrive in a tin marked B&Q magnolia Special price for PH members £795 per tin.
in synthetic Yaks scrotum, i've found that that really ensures tonal accuracy..
TonyRPH said:
An interesting exercise is to take your HiFi and speakers outdoors, as when in 'free space' you get to hear it at it's full potential (as does anyone within 100 metres lol)
Hi Tony, Your point about outdoors is interesting. A couple of years ago I made a pair of open baffle speakers specifically to use outdoors; open baffles can be special when there is no room to compromise the driver's rear output.
This SB Satori 6" is up there with the best drivers available right now; its almost full range
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/downloads/SBA/6i...Fit one, in the ideal position, on a big open baffle ( kitchen worktop? ) and it will sound stunning.
Tolvan Edge http://www.tolvan.com/index.php?page=/edge/edge.ph... produces extremely accurate simulations. This is an easy way to find the optimum place for the driver(s). I did a sim for the ones I made and the measured result for a cluster of 4 drivers was less than 0.5dB from the simulation.
Fancy having a go?
Crackie said:
<snip>
This SB Satori 6" is up there with the best drivers available right now; its almost full rangehttps://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/downloads/SBA/6i...
Fit one, in the ideal position, on a big open baffle ( kitchen worktop? ) and it will sound stunning.
Hi David, that driver looks interesting, but not sure I could justify spending ~£250 on a pair, just to experiment!This SB Satori 6" is up there with the best drivers available right now; its almost full range
https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/downloads/SBA/6i...Fit one, in the ideal position, on a big open baffle ( kitchen worktop? ) and it will sound stunning.
Back in the 80's I experimented with open baffles, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't get them to sound right - I suspect I just didn't have enough free space.
Perhaps I'm just too used to the colourations of a conventional box.
Crackie said:
Tolvan Edge http://www.tolvan.com/index.php?page=/edge/edge.ph... produces extremely accurate simulations. This is an easy way to find the optimum place for the driver(s). I did a sim for the ones I made and the measured result for a cluster of 4 drivers was less than 0.5dB from the simulation.
Fancy having a go?
That guy has some great software on his site - I downloaded some of it when you linked to that Edge software previously.Fancy having a go?
The last pair of (semi) decent speakers I built was back in the early 90's, and despite a lack or real test equipment (all I had was a scope and signal genny!) I managed to build a fairly decent sounding 3 way system with a 15" woofer (at least most of my friends though they sounded good).
Since then I have tweaked various designs, but I just find it all a bit of a black art these days!
My last big project was a pair of (vintage, pre built) home brew transmission lines I bought off Ebay - but after consulting with some guys on DIY Audio, it was concluded that the cabinet dimensions were just wrong, so they went to the tip (after salvaging the drivers of course).
These days I just lack the enthusiasm, despite having access to all the test equipment I need lol.
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