Cal Blacksmith Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Since I replaced the Svetlana tubes with Tung-Sol, I have been listening harder to the music as it feels like a curtain has been lifted from the music. Along with this listening I have come to realize that most rock vocals are recorded with echo or reverb! I first noticed this with my TT and thought it could have been acoustic transmission through the base and into the cartridge. Then I switched to CDs and the same echo was there! Ok, now I was on a hunt to find some rock that WASNT recorded with echo. My search ended with Queens recording of we will rock you (ok, not the right name but you know the song, RIGHT?) This cut has clean, crisp endings to the vocals and instruments so I KNOW the system is not adding it. I suppose the echo is added to enhance the sound but I sometimes find it annoying. Oh well, just an observation, your experiences may be different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strabo Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I had a similar experience except that I knew the reverb was on the recordings but I couldn't get it to play. Tried different amps (more than a person should have to in a year), changed parts in the crossovers, spiked and damped the speakers, and nothing. Then, on a recommendation from the forum I switched from SED 6550's to Valve Art Kt-88's and the diffence was a revelation. There was the reverb I had been missing. Same amp, same pre, same speakers, same everything except the output tubes. A simple change to those cheap Chinese tubes brought out the sound that I had been trying to replicate for the last two years. From now on I vow to not listen to more expensive equipment until I can afford it. One afternoon two years ago, listening outside of my means, sent me on a two year quest to get similar performance on my budget. Time to start enjoying again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy Kirk Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 You can blame all that reverb you hear on modern recordings on Sam Phillips. The "Sun" sound may have only been mono but it was drenched in reverb... I actually kind of like reverb, not just on vocals, but layering the whole mix. One disc that recently blew my mind in this regard was My Morning Jacket's "It Still Moves" from 2003. At first, I thought the stereo in my car was broke when I popped the disc in on the way home from the record store. Everything sounds like it was recorded from 500 feet away in a huge empty skating rink. An acquired taste (to say the least) but strangely effective for their particular brand of Neil Young styled rock. Other great reverb-drenched discs include most anything by The Cowboy Junkies, Chris Isaak, and Dead Can Dance. If I didn't particularly dig reverb, I wouldn't attempt to tweak it away - I'd probably just put down thicker carpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Hi, Cablacksmith! good show! I am quite suprized that you would be a "tube roller" based on your previous posts about wire being relatively unimportant... it seems to me that the two things are intimately related. Here's my thoughts, the reverb is a series of depth cues, sometimes artificially produced, but depth cues (or a series of depth-related transients) that define the depth, imaging and soundstage to an important degree. I have to say IMO that your wires (interconnects and speaker wires) HAVE to be suspect, if you are getting heretofore missing information by swapping out the output tubes... I suppose that you could say that the fact that you hear a change means that the wires are good enough. But don't stop now! More than likely you got a veil or two to go... I would guess that you're halfway home, but your most likely still missing everything that the system is capable of presenting...and its all in the wires! Trust me! DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 1, 2004 Author Share Posted September 1, 2004 ---------------- On 8/31/2004 4:04:10 PM D-MAN wrote: Hi, Cablacksmith! good show! I am quite suprized that you would be a "tube roller" based on your previous posts about wire being relatively unimportant ... it seems to me that the two things are intimately related. Here's my thoughts, the reverb is a series of depth cues, sometimes artificially produced, but depth cues (or a series of depth-related transients) that define the depth, imaging and soundstage to an important degree. I have to say IMO that your wires (interconnects and speaker wires) HAVE to be suspect, if you are getting heretofore missing information by swapping out the output tubes... I suppose that you could say that the fact that you hear a change means that the wires are good enough. But don't stop now! More than likely you got a veil or two to go... I would guess that you're halfway home, but your most likely still missing everything that the system is capable of presenting...and its all in the wires! Trust me! DM ---------------- ROFLMAO!! DM...NEVER SAY DIE! I am STILL not a beleaver in "magic wire" but I can see how the differences in tubes and their manufacture can sound different! Must be that "magic vaccum" that the different makers use I just can't bring myself to spend $$$$$$$ for wire, sorry I truly beleave that a good quality wire, properly sized, with good connections is not AUDIBLY different from "Magic Wire" and I do have good connections, good wire and it is properly sized. I am not runing RS interconects or wire (not that there is anything wrong with that!) they are just a little too chesey for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 "D'oh!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Hi, Cablacksmith! I thought it was fun that you were swapping out tubes. Since I have SS gear, I swapped out my wires instead. I'm not suggesting that you have to spend alot (or even any), just keep an open mind about it, that's all! I've found that its a lot of fun to play with wires and doesn't necissarily require alot of money, (well, maybe a little more than tubes). It is addicting, though, so watch out! I'm glad that you're enjoying your system. Have fun! DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.