Amplifier Group to Meet in San Francisco
Where: Randall Museum (http://www.randallmuseum.org/)Keeping up with audiophile happenings
Daily Audiophile (link) features a very nice set of blog and audio-website links. (The site was down for months, but is now back – better than ever.)
A similar, if less structured, site is High End Matters (link).
So these two join Stereophile, Absolute Sound, and the various blogs and forums as places to go to keep up with our crazy hobby passion obsession.
Where do you go for music and audio info? Add your sources of news to the Comments!
Cool little horns for audiophiles
You just gotta love these little babies!
So stylish Relatively inexpensive ($1700/pr) too.
I’ll try to get a pair for a future BAAS event. In the meantime, check them out here..
Brian Eno on Music and Whale Blubber
Today’s Guardian has a very interesting interview with Brian Eno.
The far-ranging discussion presents some novel views on music and its relation to our commercial and cultural worlds.
Thanks, Aaron, for pointing this one out!
Spiral Groove Turntable Impresses Digital Audiophile(s)
BAAS membership reflects the current trends of audiophiles worldwide. As such, the majority (including myself) listen to digital these days. So it was interesting to see how our first “analog event” in several years would be received.
About 30 BAAS members gathered at Jason Victor Serinus’ home yesterday to listen to the latest in analog source technology, delivered by Allen Perkins of local manufacturer Spiral Groove (SG).
The system featured the following gear from SG:
- Spiral Groove SG 2 Turntable ($15,000)
- Spiral Groove SG Tonearm ($6,000)
- Lyra Cartridge ($6,000)
- Lehmann Audio Decade phono section ($2,400)
- Spiral Groove preamplifier (projected $15,000)
An impressive array, to be sure!
I am quite familiar with Jason’s system and listening environment, at least for digital sources. Here are my impression of yesterday’s sights and sounds:
- The SG gear is beautiful to look at, and even better to listen to. Furthermore, it’s practical. For example, it can be set up by one person in 30 minutes (!). Simple elegance.
- All told, I listened to the system for five hours. I heard fewer than a dozen tics or pops. This is a new record for me <g>. Especially notable: not a single record was treated in any way during the event. No rituals – just load & play. (Sorta like a CD…) [One member told me that the sound was clean because only
vintageolder "virgin" vinyl was used.] - Allen’s description of the engineering design choices that guided him made a lot of sense to me.
- The sound in the second session was a bit tighter than the first. (This is not unusual. I think it’s caused simply by the gear being more fully warmed up.)
- Nordost Odin cables are the real deal. At one point we substituted the preamp’s power cable with a Odin. Wow.
- For the first time in a very long while, I was thinking “…maybe I do need a turntable…”
We also conducted several listening tests on digital sources. These allowed us to compare several digital exemplars to state-of-the-art analog. I’ll say here that two things were apparent:
- Analog rocks. There’s a reason why so many audiophiles are driven to turntables (see this article from today’s NYT). – they can sound great!
- PS Audio’s(PSA’s) new “Perfect Wave” stack combines outstanding ease-of-use with media flexibility and great sonics. That’s a tough combo to beat! Very nice kit, especially for audiophiles wishing to get into high-resolution without going to a computer. (Digital sources that I consider “reference quality” generally have price tags beginning at 2X the PSA tariff.)
- I preferred the sound of the Wavelength Wavelink USB audio interface to that of the the transport (many members agreed). I don’t think it yet matches the best in firewire converters, but it sounded quite detailed and transparent to me (especially on hires material).
Note that Jason’s description of the event – and activities leading up to it – can be found on the Home secrets Blog.
The Beatles Get “BlueBeaten”
The intrepid entrepreneur behind the BlueBeat web site just lost his court case.
[The web site is down at the time of writing.]
You see, he had been using what he called “psycho-acoustic simulation” to create recordings that sound identical to those of the Fab Four. The tale is told in excruciating detail by the good folks at ARS Technica.
Read about it and decide for yourself!
Bob
The Death of the Audiophile
We all know that our hobby and its supporting industry are not exactly booming. The the current recession has been particularly devastating.
A key challenge facing the industry is the lack of interest by younger adults, the new generation of listeners and buyers.
The latest CEpro/Electronics House survey of 30-something men drives this reality home. (Be sure to review the slideshow as well.) The respondents were white-collar and tech-literate – the center of audio’s traditional target market.
As the article’s subtitle suggests, the respondents prefer content (and convenience) over reproduction importance.
Key points for audiophiles:
- Only 14% of the young men considered themselves audiophiles
- As many listen to music on clock radios/boom boxes as dedicated stereos (20% in each case)
- 76% had not purchased a CD in the last year
Yikes!
If it’s any consolation, they didn’t care much about Blu-ray, HDTV, or universal remotes either.
And their likes…96% watch online video and 84% own iPods….
by Bob Walters
Digital Audio Sources Compared; Playback Designs Shines
Last Saturday, BAAS members were treated to state-of-the-art digital courtesy of local vendor Playback Designs.
Indeed, one of the distinct highlights of the event was hearing from Playback founder and chief designer, Andreas Koch, who is an icon in digital audio innovation.
The Playback MPS-5 made sweet music, regardless of digital source – and we tried several.
In fact, we auditioned:
- A $4 12′ TOSLINK cable;
- A $1000 USB-to-SPDIF converter;
- A $1400 FIREWIRE-to-SPDIF converter; and
- The built-in drive on the MPS-5 (both on CD and SACD)
in formats:
- 24/176 PCM
- 24/96 PCM
- 16/44 PCM
- SACD; and
- CD
OK, so which sounded best?
Well, I would say that HIRES PCM (176/96) and SACD topped members’ preference lists. As to sources, Firewire and SACD were generally the winners, but lowly CD did surprisingly well on some material – the latter perhaps a tribute to the abilities of the MPS-5 on that media.
BAAS would like to thank Andreas Koch and Jonathan Tinn, the co-founders of Playback Designs for making this possible. Well done!
by Bob Walters
Audiophile Heaven on a Sunday in Denver (RMAF)
Guest Article by Steve C
I spent time on Sunday listening to the 3 or 4 rooms that I had singled out from Saturday’s recon. I wanted to hear four speakers, but only got good time in the sweet spot and under good conditions for two of the four.
After reading Harry Pearson’s review praising the Reference 3A Grand Veena speakers, I spent 90 minutes – almost all of it in the sweet spot – listening to these, as I am very interested in something so highly praised AND which I might possibly actually someday afford. They did not disappoint; I loved them. They were shown with a front end and pre-amp of which I had never heard, though I do not think they are cutting edge or state of the art, and on Sunday, Arion Audio 500 watt digital monoblocks, which were part of what I though was a great sound. I was listening to Diane Krall, and other female vocalists, and jazz trios.
I could not get good quality time in either the Hansen room or the Focal room. People talking or laughing, or no seats, or bad source material.
Though I thought that I wanted the Benchmark DAC, the system was one being used in was unimpressive in the time I was listening, (and there has been almost a retraction of the very amazing initial review in TAS). I heard one, the Hegel HD-10, for less ($ 1,200) in an all Hegel system (with Dali Mentor speakers). This system sounded SO good that I figure if the DAC is the worst / weakest link, it is still way good enough. According to the rep, Hegel is just entering the American market.
But, the highlight for me, and best sound I heard at the show, and the best sound I have EVER heard…
…is the new mbl model 111. Here, demonstrated in a system fed by the mbl CD transport, mbl DAC, mbl preamp, and mbl monoblock power amps – 880 watts, “at this load” per side. The rep was using cd’s, alternating with an Apple G5 computer used as music server. Actually, there were computers used as servers in almost EVERY system at the show. Some also used cd, and fewer also spun vinyl, but everyone had computers. And some show attendees brought music they wanted to hear on portable hard drives! Some were also asking to copy one-of-a-kind demo material onto their drives.
I don’t know where everyone was Sunday – they were at the show in great numbers – but they were not where I was. It was ideal. I had more than 90 minutes in the best chair in the mbl room. Occasionally, others would come in, and if they sat, I would offer up the best seat in Denver. Most declined, and a few took it, but it was only a few minutes before I could once again have it.
I cannot wrap my head around the fact that there are TWO speakers above this one in the mbl line, especially when this one is SO good.
According to the rep, all midrange and high frequency drivers – the pulsing spheres – are identical throughout the mbl line. At the bass end of the spectrum, this new 111 speaker is flat down to 20 hz, according to the rep. I do not doubt him.
I can tell you that I was listening to a pop singer with acoustic guitar from a recording made in an LA FM radio station studio. While listening with my eyes shut, I heard someone else in the room start singing, and in one of those “sounds-too-much-like-bullshit-to-really-have-happened” moments, I opened my eyes to see who was rude enough to do this, and – say it with me – it was the backing vocalist from the recording. The reproduced voice was indistinguishable from a live person directly in front of me, which was my immediate assumption.
My hand to God, I was fooled.
The show was to end at 4 on Sunday, and at 3, the gloves came off. The rep said “the other manufacturers always complain about the mbl display, but you have to have some fun, right? Besides we are the only ones who CAN do this.” He brought the volume. The pre amp display said 65 out of 100. It was perhaps louder than I have ever heard music, but FAR more clean. The bass just never stopped coming – there didn’t seem to be any limits to anything. Yet, the high hat was just as it had been at volume 30; no detail was lost whatsoever.
Kick drums threatened to blow out windows. It was louder than I had ever heard music, WAY louder than most anyone would ever listen, yet, bad-auto-accident compelling – just as you know you should look away, you cannot; here, it was probably not good for one’s hearing to subject your ears to sounds at this level, but I could not leave.
He played more or less two minutes of many things, during this end of show binge. Led Zeppelin (from II or III, I am not that familiar with this stuff, but it was a I – I V – V that I have heard many times) was in there, and while it was certainly not among the best of recordings, it was still amazing. There is so much detail revealed with this system, you can tell when the singer last showered.
Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” was the closer. Evidently, word has gotten around and it has become notorious from the previous shows, and is the crowd pleaser (the huge volume brought people streaming in). Staggering, amazing. To my ears, this system isn’t just better than anything else I have heard, it is also different than everything else. The more I listened to this system and these speakers, the more I wanted to listen. Instead of slowly becoming accustomed to the quality, they become better and better, for as long as I was lucky enough to hear them.
They are like music, only better. God’s loudspeakers.
Results of the Great BAAS Audiophile Survey
We had 93 responses (thanks!) to our survey. Some were surprising, others not.
Here are the punchlines:
- About 10% of members go to audio conferences/shows – CES has the highest interest.
- San Francisco is the most convenient event location
- Marin the least.
- Members are most interested in speakers, amps, and digital
- Least interested in pro gear and DIY
- The majority of members are willing to pay $10 or more for a “good” BAAS evnt
- …and they think that contributions should be voluntary
Thanks again for your responses – we’ll try to plan accordingly!
Bob Walters
Will New FTC Rules Improve Audiophile Product Reviews?
As reported in today’s New York Times (here), the FTC is moving quickly to tighten disclosure laws for bloggers (or other website authors) doing product reviews.
In short, if the reviewer has any financial relationship to the vendor – including receiving free samples – it must be disclosed. One would assume that advertising deals would also fall under the ruling.
This is good news for most consumers, as abuse is rampant in some areas (see article). But what about audiophiles? Will they benefit?
I believe so. Transparency is a cornerstone of journalism, and audio buyers should be made aware of any biases of reviewers.
On the other hand, as the new rule may slow down the volume of review samples – and no publisher that I am aware of has the capital to buy samples of high-end gear in any volume.
Time will tell…
[This article represents the opinions of its author - Bob Walters - and not necessarily those of BAAS or its membership.]
THE Event for DIY Audio
See how the DIY crowd lives, meet accomplished designers (e.g., Nelson Pass, John Curl, S. Linkwitz) have fun!
Bob
PS Audio CEO comes to the Bay Area Bringing Digital
Most audiophiles are familiar with the PS Audio brand, especially given the company’s pioneering efforts in cables and power treatment.
But last Saturday Paul McGowan, leader of PS Audio, shared with us a broader vision – to bring the same performance and value to all elements of the audio chain. He further explained that another key element of the PS Audio strategy is to bring “music-server performance” (e.g., ability to play hi res material) to audio enthusiasts not wishing to connect a computer to their sound system.
And with that strategy in mind, we sat down to a very compelling listening session featuring the ‘PerfectWave’ transport and DAC wherein we learned:
- The sonic differences between 16/44 and 24/176
- The degradation that a sample-rate-converter (SRC) often brings; and
- A comparison of modern reconstruction (‘anti-aliasing’) filters, including the now-popular ’apodising’ filters
The PerfectWave pair paired perfectly with Audio High’s reference Chord/KEF stack to produce vivid and powerful sonic images – and another great event.
BAAS thanks Paul, PS Audio, Michael Silver, and Audio High. Great job!
“Good enough” is the New “Great”?
- Guest Contribution by Tristan N -
I just read a fascinating article in Wired called “The Good Enough Revolution: When Cheap and Simple Is Just Fine.”
We audiophiles might find the following paragraph more than a little alarming:
Of course, there are those who appreciate the richer sound of uncompressed files, CDs, or even vinyl records (regarded by some audiophiles as the highest-fi format available). But most of us don’t give it a second thought. In fact, there’s evidence that consumers are simply adapting to the MP3’s thin sound. Jonathan Berger, a professor of music at Stanford University, recently completed a six-year study of his students. Every year he asked new arrivals in his class to listen to the same musical excerpts played in a variety of digital formats—from standard MP3s to high-fidelity uncompressed files—and rate their preferences. Every year, he reports, more and more students preferred the sound of MP3s, particularly for rock music. They’ve grown accustomed to what Berger calls the percussive sizzle—aka distortion—found in compressed music. To them, that’s what music is supposed to sound like.
Cheers,
Tristan
Great Classical This Weekend!
Looking for something cool to do this Sunday (9/13/09)?
Click here for tickets to what promises to be a great event.
Yet Another Stunning ‘Blue Coast Session’
Check out the recordings from this great session here. More on Jenna here, and Matt here.
text by Ori
pics by Bob Bergner
What’s always puzzling in a recording session is whether it will produce decent music or truly great music. Ordinary does not count.It takes two to tango and in this case what a great dance it was. Matt and Jenna have known each other in the past, but busy schedules and geographical barriers kept them away for five years or so.
There comes the third person to this party. Cookie Marenco needs no introduction in the BAAS circles and probably by now in the greater audiophile community as well. As it turned out, Cookie knows Matt and Jenna and convinced them to collaborate on this project. Cookie is to the artists what Matt is to Lyle and Ricky Lee-Jones. She plays the subtle role of an enabler, with her musical insight and magical artistry on the mixing console. These are not “filler words” to liven up the review and we will touch on her studio wizardry later.
On Lyle Lovett and Matt Rollings…
I didn’t even imagine I’m a Lyle Lovett fan until I visited another audiophile friend and he played a few tracks from “Joshua Judges Ruth”. The one track that stood out was “North Dakota”. I was so much taken by it that Curt insisted I have the CD. I thank him for that ever since…
What grabs your attention in this track is the superb orchestration, which creates a somewhat “misty” atmosphere, in a striking contrast to the pristine clarity of this exemplary track. I loved the vocal harmony of the male-female duet and the melancholic mood throughout the piece. I never really paid much attention to the piano, but now that I think of it… I should have…
When I heard that Matt Rollings played with Lyle Lovett, I had to go back and check. After all, I was about to attend a live session featuring Matt!
Sure enough, he’s the guy on “the track.” I knew the piano plays a big role in setting the overall tempo and pace. The piano probably contributes more to the overall lasting impression of the song than any other instrument, including the fabulous vocals, yet after many years I play this song I clearly focus on the vocals and less on the piano. Which brings me to the moral of this prologue/story…
Some things are great not because they stand out in the front row and declare themselves “I’m here!!!” Some things are great because they hold back and just play the team role by letting the other instruments or vocalist do their share in complete harmony. For a musician, that’s the greatest sign of maturity as an artist.
by Ori
Tips for Better Mac CD Rips
I’m using a used 15″ Intel-based Macbook from late 2006. I know other models would give me the best sound from a Mac, but I can’t afford them.
You should get excellent sonics from the MacBook. It should not be the weakest link in the digital chain.
Do you use an external drive and software other than iTunes to rip CDs to your Mac computer(s)? Some folks use a Plextor PX-Premium CD-RW drive and AccurateRip XLD software (or something like that). They say the sound is much better.
I use the standard Mac internal drive (which is quite good). I also own a Plextor, but cannot hear a difference when using it (one exception below).Using my library (~1600 disks) for the samples, my own (informal) testing yielded the following results for Mac ripping software:
- iTunes
- By far the easiest and fastest, but 2-3% of disks have an audible error (which I find unacceptable)
- Max
- Rip takes 1.5x longer than iTunes, but error rate far less than 1% (acceptable to me)
- Fairly easy to set up
- XLD
- Rip takes ~3x longer than iTunes, but no errors encountered
- Somewhat difficult to set up, and some manual reconfiguration necessary for every disk
- I find both the rip times and difficulties unacceptable for normal use – I only use this for “problem disks”
A note about the ‘audible errors’: In my experience, these only occur in the first several seconds of “Track 1.” They are most commonly momentary dropouts. This behavior suggests to me that they are caused predominantly by “disk offset” issues. XLD explicitly allows the (power) user to compensate for the offset. It has other cool error-avoidance features as well. But it’s hard to live with….
Do you use a special USB cable? From whom?
I run Firewire, which I generally recommend for Mac users. I have never heard a USB or Firewire cable make a difference. But some in-the-know folks claim that they do. (If so, this would be another ‘audiophile mystery’ to scientists.)
Is it FLAC files that won’t play with iTunes on a Mac.
Correct. (iTunes can be made to play FLAC, but it’s not worth the effort!)
What converter do you use? I tried hunting for one, but couldn’t get it to work.
Max does a great job (as does XLD). I recommend using MP4/Apple Lossless format. I have never heard a difference between lossless compression and no compression.But a Mac using Firewire is a far more robust machine than PC/USB. To give you an indication, I often receive email, browse the web, download a file, and backup a hard drive simultaneously – while listening to flawless 24/192 (losslessly compressed). The only way that I’ve been able to adversely affect playback is to play (at 1x) the same CD that I am ripping (at 4x)!
Late Entry: Steve Hoffman Wows the Bay Area
Sorry for the delay in posting…I’ve been very busy at work and at home (building my first pair of speakers).To say that the event was a success perhaps undermines it. Quite simply, it was great – the music, the SH “war stories,” the system, and the venue all came together.Perhaps one of our members sums it up best:
Today was an absolutely breathtaking once-in-a-lifetime (well, until Steve comes back) experience. Some of the best sound and music I’ve heard in 29 years as an audiophile! John Lennon came to life in that room, as did Peggy Lee, James Taylor, etc… I actually got a little choked up by the raw emotion that superb system and recordings conveyed. I told Steve that and he said “Good, I like to make audiophiles cry!”Thank you for putting this together for us. I’ll never forget it. - Alón Sagee
What more can I say?Just one thing: for a great listening experience with great people, visit Audio High in Mountain View. You’ll enjoy it, for sure!Thanks much – Steve and Audio High.
by Bob Walters