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New "Forever" HiFi


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25 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Great stuff Richard and thanks. I heard tape a few weeks ago on the top Rockports. He had some great tapes and also a killer TT set up. He also had my same music player. The analog tape was just so real. I wish he had the same recordings on vinyl. 

 

I feel like I have been under a rock…
Where does one even get recording on tape?
 

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My own take on this is not meant to be controversial.

Digitally reproduced sound has the potential to be superior to analog.  For a bunch of reasons, most not very satisfying, that hasn't been the case to date.  That goes from the basic recording through the mastering through the playback.  It's disappointing, but just the way things have gone so far and will probably continue to go.

A pal of mine is intimately involved in both tube electronics and digital sound reproduction.  He's explained many times that an awful lot of the guys - it's mostly men, so I'll use the term guys - who design the equipment either have a background that is entirely based on ones and zeros in gives ones and zeros out or one that is entirely based around the alchemy of analog.  Not a lot of physics or even engineering in either camp.  The people who advanced the art of recording with analog tape had a completely different mindset from most of the people making and playing back recordings made by a digital process today.

In addition, the recording business has also veered strongly into the special effects business more than ever before.  Yeah, back a half century ago studios used reverb a lot.  But, now, it's really a bunch of parlor tricks.  That's just the way the art has moved.  Said pal from above has told me that one of the professional musician groups he does a lot of work with has part of their live production team participate in studio recordings from the start.  They are entirely focused about what is done in the studio and production room versus what can be done on the concert stage.  What's that tell you?

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13 minutes ago, Holmz said:

 

I feel like I have been under a rock…
Where does one even get recording on tape?
 

You either have to pay a *lot*, have a stash from back when second or later generation tapes were actually sold to the public, or make your own recordings.

Here's just the first couple that came up in a web search:

Sepea Audio

Yarlung Records

Ultra Analog

The Tape Project

I've heard some of these tapes.  The irony was that the system they were played back through made me kind of seasick from the sound.  Hardly time and phase accurate...  So, go figure.

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As teenagers growing up learning about stereo and equipment plus actually playing/creating music with others, we would usually record our sessions. At one time playing our own tapes was my usual playback activity, as usual as playing records.

I have a prerecorded Karajan conducting Beethoven's 3rd,  the Eroica, it should be auditioned. There should be an old Teac or two laying about in the other room...

Cody

Eroice tape.jpg

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You might try listening to one of your old tapes made of the teenagers playing.  You may be really surprised at how good it sounds, even if you used less than ideal microphones in an ideal room.

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You might try listening to one of your old tapes made of the teenagers playing.  You may be really surprised at how good it sounds, even if you used less than ideal microphones in a less than ideal room.

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This guy is a plastic surgeon.  He has purchased a ton of tapes to go with his hot rodded tape machine (I dont' even remember which company made the machine, but it was completely rebuilt using the best heads he could get and updating the motor system.  I think it was that company in VA who did all of it, but I'm not 100% sure. 

I also know he has over 100 tapes that were recorded at concerts by professionals.  I bet he has a friend in the industry somethign like that.  He knows everyone (lot's of nip and tuck business 😉 ).

You could tell the best recorded ones from the worst recorded ones.  Some were unlistenable and I just asked to put on another tape.  I got to spend about 5 hours listening which was really cool.  I really wish he had the System 9 set up.  That's something I'd have loved to hear in his room as it was set up nicely after I gave him grief about not being set up correctly.  

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1 hour ago, BKDad said:

You might try listening to one of your old tapes made of the teenagers playing.  You may be really surprised at how good it sounds, even if you used less than ideal microphones in an ideal room.

Those tapes were taped over almost as soon as they were recorded. Then, when I moved to Oregon, the movers lost all my written (by me) sheet music plus all my recorded music.

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Oh, I an very familiar with how tape sounds. When I first heard the Kiseki Purple Heart cartridge it immediately impressed with it's RTR like presence. The cart reminded me of reel to reel.. Too damn bad Kisekis tend to self-destruct. Let it be said, not all Kisekis self-destruct though most have.

Cody

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Posted (edited)
On 5/14/2024 at 12:12 PM, Oregon said:

They've been breaking-in for about 50hrs, loosening up some. They sounded tight and hard right out of the box, better now, still have a ways to go. The mids are heavenly with my beloved string quartets.

Well, the new 2's have over 200hrs on 'em. "Ah! So, how are they doing?" They have stopped shrieking at me. Cellos have been "churning" with appropriate cello crunchiness. Danny Carey's drums (Tool) are  clear, rangy, huge. Highs are distinct when they should be. The initial impression of the new 2 is one of extreme clarity, they tend to insist. They have relaxed over a few hundred hours. The Sig. II's did this as well though they were never  bright. A carefully integrated sub has made them absolutely blossom. These guys absolutely sing with midrange detail. With the incorporation of the SVS sub I quietly (privately) refer to them as my Vandersteen 2Ce Signature III XTRM. Yeah? OK.....

Cody

Edited by Oregon
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  • 3 months later...

After much downtime the stereo was reassembled last week. Haven't had audio for over two months. Missed that...

Re-approaching these new Sig. IIIs. They are voiced quite differently from the Sig. IIs. Am presently experimenting with room placement. These IIIs want to sing in a large space.

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On 6/11/2024 at 1:08 AM, Oregon said:

As teenagers growing up learning about stereo and equipment plus actually playing/creating music with others, we would usually record our sessions. At one time playing our own tapes was my usual playback activity, as usual as playing records.

I have a prerecorded Karajan conducting Beethoven's 3rd,  the Eroica, it should be auditioned. There should be an old Teac or two laying about in the other room...

Cody

Eroice tape.jpg

It says Beethoven, but it looked like Wagner.

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Subwoofers not engaged. Experimenting with distance to front wall. Decreasing distance of course makes loud muddy bass, increasing distance creates echoes in my little (13'x14')listening room. It's a been a tad challenging. So close, almost there...

Thanks for looking,

Cody

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Cody, experimenting with positioning is a PITA, but the knowledge you gain will offset this. Just be methodical and, if necessary, keep a log. At worst, you might need a bass trap or something.

B

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17 hours ago, GdnrBob said:

Cody, experimenting with positioning is a PITA, but the knowledge you gain will offset this. Just be methodical and, if necessary, keep a log. At worst, you might need a bass trap or something.

B

Hi Bob,

Yep, positioning loudspeakers is a comprehensive PITA. Also, as you say, so much can be learned from engaging in the process.

Cody

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On 6/5/2024 at 1:26 PM, Oregon said:

So, my less than a year old Denafrips 12th-1 DAC failed. Removed it from the system. WOW !!! What an improvement! The DAC was spoiling the sound of my new "Forever HiFi". These new 2Ce Sig. III's sound so much better now!

Cody

It just stopped working?

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