Audiophile Porn

[stricklybojack]

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See link to article...love this hi-fi set!

Meet the Men Making the Most Beautiful Analog Audio Equipment | Gear Patrol

We meet the men behind Symbol Audio, who are best known for their vintage inspired audio products, including a $20,000 Modern Record Console.

gearpatrol.com

 

[tolivac]

Very nice---but the pricing is impractical.Most likely going to be bought by some rich person whose money is burning a hole in his pocket rather than for the Hi-Fi sound quality.He would say to his friends-"look at my cool 20 grand Hi-Fi set!"

 

[panthera]

Very pretty

And definitely not better sounding that what can be done for 1/4 the price.

 

[foraloysius]

For high quality equipment it doesn't make sense that the loudspeakers are in the same cabinet as the record player. The bass tones would come through to the needle of the record player I'm sure.

 

[joeekaitis]

Separation, separation, separation.

The whole point of stereo.

Sorry, no.

 

[panthera]

Separation and 'Raumklang'

Well, yes and no. The last thing one needs is to have cancellation, which can and does happen in real world conditions when you have cross-talk. So, yes, separation at some points in the chain is enormously important.

Certainly at the higher frequencies (2000kHz and above), separation plays a role in the effect. At lower frequencies, one needs to prevent a + and a - cancelling each other out. At all frequencies, one so does not need a reinforcement due to false summing because of poor separation.

 

 

 

[firedome]

all looks...

a beautiful design, and questionable function.

 

[kb0nes]

Note the title "Making the most beautiful...", the goal of hifi is to produce high quality sound, not look pretty. Yes you can do both but it will cost you.

The idea of a console design is silly other then for looks and convienience. Placing the speakers in the cabinet with the turntable is a no-no, just too difficult to try to get adequate isolation unless you listen at background levels. I have had isolation problems with a turntable on its own concrete block stand, but I did have a Kw sub in the room

The other rub is the inability to move the speakers about. While creating a good image is important, placement of the speakers in any given room makes a HUGE difference in their sound.

I'm not against the $20,000 price, but I'd want a LOT more for that money. A pair of theseB&W 801's would be a nice start!

 

[firedome]

here's my idea...

of audio porn:

https://oswaldsmillaudio.com/

My friend John Attwood knows and has worked with this guy. This stuff is affordable mostly only by the Hedge Fund managers that frequent this Brooklyn shop.

 

[vacerator]

harmonic distortion

signal to noise ratio, channel separation were each improved upon with dc power supplies, then dual power supplies with a separate supply for each channel.
The more you spent, the cleaner the sound was, and of course separate components allowed more flexibility between brands.
There were some very fine sounding console furniture quality stereos also.
Zenith, RCA, Admiral, Electrahome, Motorola even made ones in the 1960's that had a separate second speaker cabinet for farther separation. I've never had the pleasure of hearing a Grundig.
A well built cabinet kept echoing and resonance to a minimum.
Component systems became more popular by the 70's. Bang & Olafsun, Luxman, Macintosh, Yamaha, Harmon Kardon, Nakamichi, Marantz, Pioneer, Techniques- ( Panasonic), etc., etc.
Anyone remember the Tech Hi Fi stores?
They used to let you trade up each year to better speakers. I owned OHM C-2's, KLH CL5's, Micro Acoustics, and now Bose Acoustimas.

 

[lordkenmore]

I like the looks of that console, and the apparent craftsmanship.

 

That said...I think one's audio dollar would go much, much, much further elsewhere. At least as far as performance is concerned.

 

I could see having a console of some sort as a collectible. But I'd rather have vintage--which has considerably more affordable options, as well as a feeling of "history".

 

[kb0nes]

JBL Paragon

I had mentioned it on an earlier thread, but this is the only "console" I'd ever accept. They are pretty rare and sought after today though so they are likely not worth their cost.

I generally don't like vintage speakers but I suppose I'd make an exception here

 

[dartman]

Grew up with records and tubes, when cd's first came out the sound was so good compared to most of what I was used to it wasn't funny. It was mind blowing how dead quiet it was till the music faded in and the dynamic range was scary. Unfortunately after a few years the loudness wars started and now massive digital and analog compression destroyed the range and quality of the sound. Now everyone is convinced records sound better, they certainly didn't when things were recorded properly with a ear towards sound quality rather than mine goes to 11.
That gear is so over priced and geared to audiophiles that will spend 5 grand for a cable convinced it will sound better. I built my own speakers, have a nice 7.1 Onkyo receiver and a decent sounding but dirt cheap sub. It does everything I need, music and movies sound great and I doubt I have more then a couple grand in everything.
Once you start spending mega dollars the sound improvements are tiny and as we age our ears don't get better, especially if you listened to lots of loud music or abused your ears using power tools or loud things at work.
I don't have the money to play at that level anyways, just glad I finally could afford a house, am employed, somewhat healthy, and my car works.

 

[lordkenmore]

Now everyone is convinced records sound better, they certainly didn't when things were recorded properly with a ear towards sound quality rather than mine goes to 11. 

 

I remember the 80s, and the early days of CD. Although I didn't have experience with the earliest days of CD. For me, digital audio was a total disaster back then, and it's one reason why I moved to better than mass market equipment. I was convinced that LPs at their best were better. But to get good sound, one needed a good turntable. One also needed a good LP, which was something the mass market record industry wasn't interested in making after 1970-something. I remember one turntable maker even bluntly stating that there were times he wished the major record companies would leave the LP business. The major labels were, he thought, doing more harm than good for the future of the format.

 

In my case, a system based around a good turntable made sense to me. It unfortunately required a bigger investment. But it promised longer service life, and access to cheap used records. And systems like that were more enjoyable to listen to, and did more to encourage one to listen seriously (rather than background). New releases weren't a problem for me--older records were enough for me, and, of course, a cheap CD player could handle the occasional new release that one really wanted.

 

I have mixed feelings about the renaissance of LPs. Part of me is quite happy, since I can laugh at those who laughed at me. But if the format will be more than nostalgia fun, it still needs quality equipment, which isn't cheap new. And I still think digitally recorded LPs seem like a way of getting the worst of two worlds. If one is using digitally recorded material, it would be better  to simply use high resolution digital files (if/when possible).

 

The other thing that gets me are high end systems that work (at least part of the time) fully in the digital domain, even with analog sources. (Obviously, the analog is converted to digital, first.) One local dealer loved one brand of amp like this. It was a nice amp for those who wanted digital--and had lots of money. But I was never convinced that it was a good choice for those sticking with LPs, even if the dealer claimed that it was "good digital" and it allowed one to easily hear the differences between different cartridges. (Heck, I can hear differences between cartridges on YouTube videos! But it doesn't mean I want to do my serious listening to YouTube videos!)

 

 

 

[kb0nes]

The major reason we are seeing albums showing up in stores again is that they offer something that can't simply be downloaded.

I was in a Barnes & Noble the other day and they had several hundred LP's (and turntables and small speakers to play them on). The odd thing is that they had maybe 25 titles on CD. Clearly digital music is purchased now as a download but an LP is a tangible experience that can only be purchased in a store.

My early audio days starting in the late 70's were all about LP's, I never owned a prerecorded cassette. My reference source was vinyl. In 1985 I managed a great deal where I got a very high end $1800 CD player in exchange for a full restoration of a tube amp and a few hundred dollars. I was hooked on CD's from the get go and was pleased to be rid of the surface noise and distortion of LP's and the handling hassles etc.

I do still appreciate LP's and the ritual is a big part of the experience. They did also change the way we listened to music where you heard a side at a time, not individual tracks. The "agreeable" distortions of LP's are a big part of their charm for older more critical listeners. This is just like how the flubbery bloomy bass of a tube amp adds to their charm. All the ritual and nostalgia adds to the experience too, music appreciation is psychological and all this is part of it. Sheer accuracy is one thing but you have to like what you listen to also.

I'm not sure how much profit is there to be made from selling an LP. Seems like the production costs of each unit must be pretty high since they aren't being pressed by the millions. But still I bet the store makes more on the sale of an LP then on 10 digital downloads. It is cool to see the technology make a brief resurgence but I don't see it lasting. LP's will be around for a certain part of the audio world for the rest of my life, but they will never be mainstream again/

 

[petek]

Phil.. exactly what I was going to say only better. I never bought many LP's over the years (less than 20 probably) because for one I bought good name classical albums Deutche Gramophone, etc. usually in boxed sets... I had, still have, a very good JVC Quartz Lock TT with a pricey Stanton EE cartridge and yet invevitably after 2 or 3 plays you'd get a pop her a crackle there.. drove me near insane LOL..

Well anyways as soon as I could afford one of the new fangled CD players I got one and never looked back..there's no comparison, no snap, crackle, pops, etc.. and after that I really started buy CD's because I knew they'd never wear out.

This pining for vinyl.. poppycock.. yeah it's fun and all. but that's it.

 

[nanook]

Yes, Phil stated my feelings quite nicely. There's a great deal of "psychology" in what makes us love one thing over another, and the world of high-end audio attracts "all kinds". High prices, exclusivity and 'unique designs' can go a long way at convincing folks of a superiority that was never there in the first place.

In the world of audio, the only real way to compare different sources, is not merely an "A-B test", but an "A-B-X test", where 'X' is either 'A' or 'B', AND the levels are matched within no more than ½ db, AND the equipment is covered or the listeners are blindfolded. This sort of accurate testing is virtually unheard of [no pun intended] in the world of high-end audio, as many results would disprove the ludicrous nonsense that is foisted upon the weak-minded with or without piles of cash.

Both the analog and digital formats can (within their own limitations) reproduce quite lovely sounds. Folks should be concentrating their attentions on the music, itself, and be less concerned on the origination format, the cost of the equipment, and/or its looks - but then we wouldn't be human beings, would we-?.

 

[tolivac]

Something on that high end Hi-Fi "console" and on some speakers available today-exposed drivers are not good when kids or pets are around.Curious paws,fingers,and hands can cause damage.
For the formats-LP,CD-the limitations are not the format--BUT HOW IT IS USED.Any will deliver great performance if used PROPERLY!!Too many producers want the loud processed sound.Detrimental to the artists performance.Remember on recorded formats its a means of preserving a musicians performance-even after they are dead.Makes sense to preserve the performance in as high a quality the recordist can achieve.Today wee have HD Digital radio-My car system can receive it-don't listen-station managers and PD's have made the new formats a LOUD,OBNOXIOUS,BOOMY intrusion when you try to listen.Lighten up,guys,the loudness wars ended YEARS AGO!I mean one station herfe has even female announcers with enough tubbiness that they sound like they are talking out of a drum!Sounds like an old TUBBY THE TUBA record I listened to as a kid!

 

[lordkenmore]

Pops and ticks on LPs have never particularly bothered me. It's worth noting, however, that the system makes a difference. One thing that really surprised me on the first good system I heard was how much more listenable a worn record could be. 

 

But...for those who want dead quiet backgrounds, analog is admittedly probably not the best choice.