maxg Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Alternatively : Tony is basically evil when he is allowed to be. We had a meeting of ACA (Audiophile Club of Athens) last night at a members house - I will post some pics later on (I am at the office and I left the camera at home) - nice system - Lowther's with SET, Mitchel Engineering TT and a very nice CD player - all very audiophile - and a bit boring to be honest. Anyway - Tony turns up with.........a violinist - and she gives us all a quick recital - live, then and there - in this guy's living room. You should have seen their faces!! We are talking about guys that have invested ludicrous amounts into their systems and suddenly they come face to face with reality - and discover how different it is. Several things then came up: 1. And I blush to mention this but one of the guys turns round to me and says - you know what this reminds me of? Your system!! The others were not exactly pleased - although I hasten to add that whilst my system is indeed close, relatively, to the sound we heard it is far from exact - still it was nice to hear. 2. We then got onto the subject of how you would go about re-created this exact sound in your living room. It was at this point that I got evil. You want this sound? Easy: 1 Klipsch Horn in a corner, a mono amp and pre, a decent TT with a Denon 102 on it. Stereo may to great things for the ambience of a piece - for the real sense of it enveloping you in a 3d space with larger ensembles - but if you want that pin-point clarity from a single instrument mono is the ONLY way to go. Boy did they all look sick. Some attempted to debate the issue but the bottom line was that all of the club members that accuse Horns of honkiness and in-your-face sound learned a lesson. If you want reality - it has to be Horn loaded! Had we gathered several musicians together for the recital it would have been very close to Khorns in stereo - very, very close indeed. Sometimes it feels really good to be bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 A mono Klipschorn would probably interact with the room similarly to the violinist, Max. So all the psychoacoustic clues would be there. Stereo would probably not add anything to the original sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Hihi. That's mean indeed! I wished I could see their faces when you suggested the Khorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Def Leper Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Since when has audiopile-ism ever been about the music? It really isn't. It's an addiction akin to all the other consumer addictions. The point is to spend your way to superiority over other audiopiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Yup ...Mono makes a realy good setup.....Ashworth ( may he rest in peace) had a Khorn in the livingroom. And the other Khorn in the den downstairs. He was a mono phile to the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 Since when has audiopile-ism ever been about the music? It really isn't. It's an addiction akin to all the other consumer addictions. The point is to spend your way to superiority over other audiopiles. Def, That might be the reality - but it is not the claim. Tony was evil enough to put the claim to the test - in other words all audiophiles I know spend the money with the justification that it brings them closer to the music and to the reality of the performance. The beautiful thing here was that no-one was comparing the live sound to the system in front of them - but, rather to their own systems at home. Most people know their own sound well enough that when they hear the reality they can make the comparison. Remember that justification is not merely for other's benefit - it serves themselves well too. Most looked pretty sick I can tell you - especially those with that soft "musical" sound....and suddenly - they get the Klipsch sound - they understand why it is what it is, and how close to reality it can take them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Alternatively : Tony is basically evil when he is allowed to be. We had a meeting of ACA (Audiophile Club of Athens) last night at a members house - I will post some pics later on (I am at the office and I left the camera at home) - nice system - Lowther's with SET, Mitchel Engineering TT and a very nice CD player - all very audiophile - and a bit boring to be honest. Anyway - Tony turns up with.........a violinist - and she gives us all a quick recital - live, then and there - in this guy's living room. You should have seen their faces!! We are talking about guys that have invested ludicrous amounts into their systems and suddenly they come face to face with reality - and discover how different it is. Several things then came up: 1. And I blush to mention this but one of the guys turns round to me and says - you know what this reminds me of? Your system!! The others were not exactly pleased - although I hasten to add that whilst my system is indeed close, relatively, to the sound we heard it is far from exact - still it was nice to hear. 2. We then got onto the subject of how you would go about re-created this exact sound in your living room. It was at this point that I got evil. You want this sound? Easy: 1 Klipsch Horn in a corner, a mono amp and pre, a decent TT with a Denon 102 on it. Stereo may to great things for the ambience of a piece - for the real sense of it enveloping you in a 3d space with larger ensembles - but if you want that pin-point clarity from a single instrument mono is the ONLY way to go. Boy did they all look sick. Some attempted to debate the issue but the bottom line was that all of the club members that accuse Horns of honkiness and in-your-face sound learned a lesson. If you want reality - it has to be Horn loaded! Had we gathered several musicians together for the recital it would have been very close to Khorns in stereo - very, very close indeed. Sometimes it feels really good to be bad. One of the large local buisnesses provides a band daily in the middle of a small park surrounded by food courts. And simular disciussions are frequent afterwards. it would really have been intresting if the volinist pllayed off strings and the sound was really coming from the system you discribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Alternatively : Tony is basically evil when he is allowed to be. We had a meeting of ACA (Audiophile Club of Athens) last night at a members house - I will post some pics later on (I am at the office and I left the camera at home) - nice system - Lowther's with SET, Mitchel Engineering TT and a very nice CD player - all very audiophile - and a bit boring to be honest. Anyway - Tony turns up with.........a violinist - and she gives us all a quick recital - live, then and there - in this guy's living room. You should have seen their faces!! We are talking about guys that have invested ludicrous amounts into their systems and suddenly they come face to face with reality - and discover how different it is. Several things then came up: 1. And I blush to mention this but one of the guys turns round to me and says - you know what this reminds me of? Your system!! The others were not exactly pleased - although I hasten to add that whilst my system is indeed close, relatively, to the sound we heard it is far from exact - still it was nice to hear. 2. We then got onto the subject of how you would go about re-created this exact sound in your living room. It was at this point that I got evil. You want this sound? Easy: 1 Klipsch Horn in a corner, a mono amp and pre, a decent TT with a Denon 102 on it. Stereo may to great things for the ambience of a piece - for the real sense of it enveloping you in a 3d space with larger ensembles - but if you want that pin-point clarity from a single instrument mono is the ONLY way to go. Boy did they all look sick. Some attempted to debate the issue but the bottom line was that all of the club members that accuse Horns of honkiness and in-your-face sound learned a lesson. If you want reality - it has to be Horn loaded! Had we gathered several musicians together for the recital it would have been very close to Khorns in stereo - very, very close indeed. Sometimes it feels really good to be bad. One of the large local buisnesses provides a band daily in the middle of a small park surrounded by food courts. And simular disciussions are frequent afterwards. it would really have been intresting if the volinist pllayed off strings and the sound was really coming from the system you discribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Alternatively : Tony is basically evil when he is allowed to be. We had a meeting of ACA (Audiophile Club of Athens) last night at a members house - I will post some pics later on (I am at the office and I left the camera at home) - nice system - Lowther's with SET, Mitchel Engineering TT and a very nice CD player - all very audiophile - and a bit boring to be honest. Anyway - Tony turns up with.........a violinist - and she gives us all a quick recital - live, then and there - in this guy's living room. You should have seen their faces!! We are talking about guys that have invested ludicrous amounts into their systems and suddenly they come face to face with reality - and discover how different it is. Several things then came up: 1. And I blush to mention this but one of the guys turns round to me and says - you know what this reminds me of? Your system!! The others were not exactly pleased - although I hasten to add that whilst my system is indeed close, relatively, to the sound we heard it is far from exact - still it was nice to hear. 2. We then got onto the subject of how you would go about re-created this exact sound in your living room. It was at this point that I got evil. You want this sound? Easy: 1 Klipsch Horn in a corner, a mono amp and pre, a decent TT with a Denon 102 on it. Stereo may to great things for the ambience of a piece - for the real sense of it enveloping you in a 3d space with larger ensembles - but if you want that pin-point clarity from a single instrument mono is the ONLY way to go. Boy did they all look sick. Some attempted to debate the issue but the bottom line was that all of the club members that accuse Horns of honkiness and in-your-face sound learned a lesson. If you want reality - it has to be Horn loaded! Had we gathered several musicians together for the recital it would have been very close to Khorns in stereo - very, very close indeed. Sometimes it feels really good to be bad. One of the large local buisnesses provides a band daily in the middle of a small park surrounded by food courts. And simular disciussions are frequent afterwards. it would really have been intresting if the volinist pllayed off strings and the sound was really coming from the system you discribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 great story Max. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Great story Max! I love it! I'm surprised that there wasnt an argument that the violin was of an inferior brand and that a real violin would sound like their system[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I grew up in a house with a mono Klipschorn system (well, EV Georgian--close enough). I can still remember as a very tiny kid my mother dancing around the room alone on weekday mornings (this is before I went to school) with the hi-fi CRANKING at high volume while she listned to The Four Freshmen or Ella. My Dad gave away the corner horn and all of his tube gear in the 70's and bought a complete Bang and Olufson system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 ...was the violinist standing in the corner, facing in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 ...was the violinist standing in the corner, facing in? Yes, and sealed tightly with weather stripping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaspr Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Great story Max. I love it. More of us should do this... Garth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Great story Max. I love it. More of us should do this... Garth I liked this story, too. I suspect many of us here do this kind of comparison to instrument sources. Enjoying live music provides a reference, though somewhat difficult to recall exactly the next day. With an acoustic guitar, archtop jazz guitar, old Fender Strat and tube amp, an old excellent German violin, clarinet, alto sax, cornet, console piano, and bagpipe chanter all ready at hand my place might resemble the music section of a pawnshop, but nothing beats the real thing for a sonic reality check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Def Leper Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 That might be the reality - but it is not the claim. Tony was evil enough to put the claim to the test - in other words all audiophiles I know spend the money with the justification that it brings them closer to the music and to the reality of the performance. Actually I think what they are doing is rationalization, not justification. Justification implies that the actual goal is to achieve the 'reality' of the performance. As I mentioned, I believe the real goal is to have the best (sports car,wine, camera, golf clubs,stereo, boat, gun collection, wife, house) or any of the other typical alpha male pursuits to lead the pack. I'm not handicapped by this disease and I realize I can never reproduce a performance realistically, so I concentrate on getting the best performance for the dollar. That's probably why my system cost around $1,000 instead of $100,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 how many of the audiophiles wanted to replace the strings to 'upgrade' the violin, or thought the musician could use some 'tweaking'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Touche' Michael...well said! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efzauner Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 How to perfectly reproduce an instrument: Record in an anechoic room with a spherical array of microphones placed around the instrument. Using as many independant channels as there are microphones. Then reproduce with loudspeakers placed in the same posision as the microphones? Quadrophoncs and today's 5.1 SACDs try to do this but only on a 2 dimensional basis, and the recording studio acoustics are modified by the playback studio acoustics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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