eq_shadimar Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I will start this off and I am sure Dave can fill in the blanks. First I want to thank Dave for having the Dallas Hornheads over to listen to his most recent work as a recording engineer. We listened to several songs of his all digital recording of the Asylum Street Spankers on several of his systems. In his front room the speakers were better matched and even though there was some ground loop hum I think it sound much better than on his back room system with the K-Horns. I make this point only to emphasize the importance of proper balancing and speaker matching in surround environment. The magic only exists if the equipment is transparent. That being said the recording, even with the minor glitches that I am sure make Dave cringe, was beyond excellent. I really got a great sense of the venue and the artists. This band really was perfect for the type of recording that Dave does. BTW we finished up the eveing listening to some E Power Biggs on vinyl and the K-Horns. The perfect end to a great evening. Laters, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Thankies, Jeff. Sorry about the loop. I only set it up that morning (dumb) and didn't thoroughly shake it down. I suspect it's a common power line issue or similar, since the back channels (separate amp) were quiet. Now (turning red), I later found that the back channels were reversed. Not suprising they didn't match. Seems I had two RCA cords put together to reach the distance, and while I checked the lower one I forgot about the upper until too late. (EDIT) Wanted to add that when I put the speakers back in their normal position with the fronts on stands and the backs at 90 degrees, the illusion was much superior...though that might also be due to correcting the patch cords. So, pretty flawed demo and all my fault. What I want to do is bring it to your house where we KNOW things are right. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Lordy, quite an unfortunate post title...but Dave Mallet sent me two of his recordings in 16bit/44.1, one featuring classical works from Khachaturian, Gerainger, Tjcevic, Bartok, and Prokofiev performed by The Hubbard Chamber Music Ensemble. The other work featured Steward Wayne Foster on Grand Piano. Featured composers included Bach, Scarlatti, Dubussy, Chopin, and Mendelssohn. Unfortunately for ole Dave, the arrival coincided with my leaving of all forums so nothing was ever written. I plan on writing something on this material both in content and recording quality. Dave was ultimately interested in some feedback on the sonics of these CDs via different ears and systems. I want to publicly thank him for the excellent music and assure him that some comments are forthcoming, no matter how delayed and untimely. He has been patient to say the least. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Dave, Are the disks shown by mobile available for regular people like me? What was the E Power Biggs record (I'm looking for "Festival of French Organ Music" contains a great version of the Widor 5th symphony Tocatta)? leok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 The "Celebration" disk was supposed to be released a couple of months ago, and I've not been in touch with the producer to see what's up. I know she was balking a pretty absurd royalty on one of the pieces. Very nice and different program. All DSO members except the producer/pianist. The other one is not available commercially. One of the best "Clair de Lune" renditions I've ever heard, period. This guy won the first Dallas international Organ Competition, and he is outstanding. I have at least three copies of the "Festival of French Organ Music" disc you are referring to. Best bass on an LP this side of Dark Side. I pick them up everytime I see one in the recycled bins. I've quite a collection of the Widor, but the Biggs version is my favorite artistically and technically. Actually, I've probably 100 Biggs discs clear back to 78. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I am hoping to be able to check that out(hint, hint...)! fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Check which out? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I think you have some people interested in the two CD listed above. Perhaps some more copies are in order? kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davmar Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davmar Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I know visit Alaska and bring CDs with! By the way I researched Spankers and cant decide which to get, what do you suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ---------------- On 8/19/2003 10:08:10 PM Mallett wrote: Check which out? Dave ---------------- Your Spankers recording, of course! fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I should have guessed... Chopin or Spankers? Spankers, of course! Fini, you ever ditch those big U bolt connectors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Dave, there is no way of getting the Foster CD???? Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ---------------- On 8/20/2003 12:31:17 AM mobile homeless wrote: I should have guessed... Chopin or Spankers? Spankers, of course! Fini, you ever ditch those big U bolt connectors? ---------------- Only natural, as you point out. I am the one who introduced this forum to the Spankers, and primarily as a fan with critical ears have always wished for higher-quality recordings to capture the "live" experience. This is why I am so excited about Dave's project. Gosh, I'm so into the Spankers, I pasted one of their bumper stickers over the "Proud Parent of a D.A.R.E. Graduate" sticker (which was getting a bit ragged): I guess next time Chopin's in town, I will go check him out. Who knows: they may have cool bumper stickers... Regarding those U-bolt jumpers, they seem to be the least of my problems with this receiver, which seems to be posessed. I guess i should have brought it up on a variac (esp. on a tech's repair bench). It's doing some pretty weird stuff, like channels dropping out, cross-talk from the tuner, etc. I have to spend more time with it, reading the manual. It could be the way I've got things hooked up. The Mac 1900's connections and array of switches seem to be way more complicated than necessary for a 2-channel receiver, a condition making hook-up/settings errors more than possible. I haven't cleaned the switches yet, either, so that's definitely on the schedule (HA! Like I have a schedule!!). fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 <?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" />Gregg: You and any other Spankers audiophile friends wanting release of high-res and surround Spankers should contact JPRiedie (riedie@asylumstreetspankers.com) and tell them. A couple of stories about this recording and bit of info about the others. First, it was the third deployment of the MBS-4. First was another Spankers date in Dallas in July. Total bust. Computer simply looped through BIOS screen and continued to reboot. Loose something, apparently, as it booted right up when I got home. However, the power was really bad in that place. Second was a concert in my church. This time, XP decided I was a crook as the last thing I did before leaving was change out the removable D drive for one with plenty of space. XP said "Bill has his doubts about you. Re-Register" after I was fully set up with barely time to spare. No internet connection so I had to write down about 100 digits, go to a phone, then get another 100 digits and enter them correctly. Don't let anyone ever tell you that the Microsoft registration scheme is benign. End of Dave and XP and now praying for Linux drivers. Even then, my software refused to start with more than 2 channels and Microsoft had robbed me of any diagnostic time, so only a 50% success. Finally, Spankers in Austin. We had plenty of time, an ideal setup, and complete cooperation from the management. Even with that, the emphasis remained on the equipment rather than normal pursuits of precise sonics as I still considered the whole process experimental. There is a bit of dimmer buzz in the right rear, though not too audible and it varies. I'd have caught this if I'd not been so consumed with the equipment. The first 37:00 of the second show was a total bust, as someone turned on the exhaust fan system during the break and failed to turn it off. Finally identified it and got it shut down. About half the band heard parts of the recording in progress via headphones when they were not playing, and all highly approved. The most special was Christina Mars. She is a founding member and married to the manager. She's a tough cookie and was almost hostile at the first recording attempt, and never acknowledged our presence at this one till I offered her the headset. Tight lipped, she put it on and as she listened, began to sway and smile. I think we won her over and she commented that it was excellent. Since they've done about 14 studio recordings, I took that as high praise. Further, it appears she probably passed her thoughts to her husband given his later actions below. Listening to the material for the first time, I was pretty blown away with the reality of the experience. For those of you who've never gone to a Spankers-type performance, the audience is very much part of the show. Austin is their home, so the fans worth both enthusiastic and knew the drill. The band maintains a bit of discipline on the crowd, so they are pretty quiet during the main parts of the music, but at sing along and response time, it gets rather boisterous, and between songs it's like a hippie talk show. While it may help that I was there, this material, when properly set up, is downright immersive. It certainly proves to me the superiority of high res and 4 channels for purely acoustic music. Lowest bass is string bass, so no bass management is necessary, and the guys work all over the stages, so a center channel would be contrived at best. Further, when balanced, the soundfield is pretty much what I had in mind, which is to put you front row center. The mic pattern is four ribbon mics, mounted coincedent in about an 18 inch square. Ribbons have a natural figure 8 pattern. The front lobes of the front mics were looking down at the band, with the back lobes over the audience. The rear pair were the reverse. While this provided an excellent sense of presence, I've since decided to place a foot square of double sided Sonex between the two pair to increase the separation. In fact, if that works well, I may build a + shaped Sonex to isolate all channels. So, I emailed JP Riedie about the results and he soon began to query me about the mic pattern and characterized my mic plan as"...elegant and unobtrusive." He told me about thier (probably in progress about now) DVD-Video they were doing in Portland, OR. To make an already long story short, he badly wanted me to come up and do this. Of course 24/48 X 4 would be a cakewalk compared to 24/192 X 4, but having a lot of various experience with location work, I finally declined as badly as I really wanted to do it. With only one successful test, shipping equipment 2500 miles, being in alien territory with no resources and limited time, I just felt the risk to their money was way too great. I made some attempt to locate someplace around there where I could rent equipment capable of 24/48X4, but no luck. JP was pretty disappointed and I've not heard from him since, so any goodwill from you guys would be good. He's young, and I'm not sure he fully understood that I was trying to protect their interests. Anyway, I don't think any permanent damage was done and I hope to be able to do another recording of them with the accent on the sonics rather than the equipment. Now, the Foster. I'd love to distribute that disc. I look forward to Kelly's review and may make my decisions based on it. Piano is notoriusly difficult and sort of the "holy grail" of recording. I used a very different approach to this one. Frankly, most piano sounds better to me in mono than stretched 20 feet between stereo as it often is. So I attempted to split the difference. I placed one mic equidistant from all strings at minimum distance from the soundboard for the pickup pattern. The other, I placed 90 degrees to it and about 5 feet from the foot of the instrument. IMOH, it's one of the best piano recordings I've ever heard. Further, Foster is a superb master of the instrument and his "Claire de Lune" performance one of the best I've ever heard by anybody...and I have a few renditions. The music is all PD, so that is no problem. As of the date of that recording, he had a contract but only for organ so I don't think that is a problem. I need to contact him and see how much he would want per disc, and get his written permission. The "Celebration" recording was intended for distribution, but I've not been in contact with the producer for a few months (about that, anyway) and I don't know the status. I'll check. I've come to love that recording, though I was not familiar with any of the pieces and a bit skeptical at first. This was her first producing job, and the hall was too big. However, it grows on you and works rather well with certain pieces. Since the complement varied from 2 to 6 members, I had to move mics all the time and it stays reasonably intimate consider it was an empty 1500 seat hall with a large wood stage. The musicians are all DSO members, with the first fiddle being the DSO principal second chair Delmar Pettys. Awesome player with a fine instrument. The clarinetist, an audiophile friend of mine met in birthing class during our first pregnancy, is principle in the DSO. Also awesome. So that's the status of those recordings. I certainly appreciate the interest and do hope to be able to release some things in the not too distant future. I'll get my website together when that happens and let you know. Kelly: Need your independent input and critique. LeoK: Did you get my off line? Gregg: Contact me off line. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Jeff, Ken: Ground loop noise is gone. I lifted the ground from the computer and now I have to put my ear right in the horn (Frazier) to hear anything at all. Good riddance. Gregg: You might try the same with your Wami. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Oh what joy to work on a website involving a WB teen drama series while stealing time for the Klipsch 2 Channel forum, a habit I thought I had kicked, only to suffer a serious relapse after wandering Italy for a month. I cant explain it; it's evident I need help, however. On to something more serious and apropos, I have to second Dave's thoughts regarding Stewart Foster's interpretation of Debussy's Clair'de Lune. It is 6:15 of excellence, musically speaking. Foster exhibits an amazing combination of great control and pure emotion in his playing, a balancing act that is hard to obtain. This recording date captures this without a doubt with the perfect pauses and phrasing, not to mention deft use of dynamics with a touch that is both thoughtful and felt, in the best sense of the word (both uses actually). His interpration is excellent. Opinions on the sound of the recording will come later but thought I would share some thoughts on the music since it's playing right behind me via the EICO HF-81 and a pair of monitors. Oh, it's nice to work from home... kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Given the diverse opinions possible about such things, I find your description of Foster's playing something to which I would add nothing, nor take anything away. I'd have been privileged just to be there, much less record. I'm no expert in piano technique, but I know it when I hear it. If you read the above post, I'd like your opinion of the mic positions (if you have one on such things) when you get around to it. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Thanks for the tip, Dave!!!! fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 So did it help? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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