I'm Learning To Listen In Digital!
 

Let me begin at the beginning. For the past several years I have heard music that I thought I was very familiar with but it sounds different . At first I thought maybe it was a remix or even a newer recording of an old classic or concert. Examples include radio specials and concerts by Jethro Tull, Yes, ZZ Top and others.
Well, last weekend I finally saw the light, (or heard the music or whatever). Last Friday night I bought a new Sony Digital Sound Processor to go with my new TV. DAYUM!! It suddenly dawned on me that I was at last hearing in Digital !!!
Having realized that I had stumbled across a new technology that probably less than two billion people already were aware of made me tingle with pride. I knew I HAD to become an accomplished Digital listener.
I forced myself into a grueling crash course in 'Listening In Digital', moving from on air TV Surround Sound, Digital radio and Compact Disc recorded in AAD, ADD and whatever else. I even went back and listened to some old cassettes and heard "spaceial" enhancements I never heard before. At one point I SWEAR Ian Anderson was looking right at me!!! Yessir, switching between Concert Hall, Jazz Club, Concert, Dolby Auto Pro Logic and Ethyl Merman Theater opened my eyes (and ears) to Digital listening. My subwoofer bOOmith over!!
An old dog CAN learn new tricks. I am training myself to hear in digital (and learning real fast, if I do say so myself). I wish my vision was better cause I'll bet seeing in digital is pretty cool too!! :rolleyes2

Let me take a wild guess here. ACID, SHROOMS, or something unknown with intense halucinogenic power.

Didnt hippies do that in the 60s....get high and listen to music?

Lol, Im glad for your new experience, maybe some day that will happen to me as well.
Peter

That's funny, because I've been learning to appreciate the "warm" sound of analog all over again!

Been bringin' out the ol' LPs!!

I can't wait to get my whatyamacallit thingamajiggy so I can lsten to Lp's in digital! And here's another thought, after you get pretty good at listn'in to digital, you can use you mind as a digital processor when you listen to analoge! And it sounds a whole lot better!!! I was tuned in to PBS today and it sounded like the studio was in the CAR with ME!! Really!!

Last week I set up my old Technics DD turntable to burn some LPs to CD . . . what a flashback, having to set the cart overhang, anti-skating, cleaning the LP's, using the strobe to dial in the 33 1/3 rpm . . . setting levels . . . talk about flashbacks! :D

I'm a trailing edge technology kind of a guy, vacuum tubes and steam engines.

...now you might want to listen to something that is "truly analogue" and see what you think. But that's easier said than done. Most vinyl LP's on major labels from early 90's onward were originally mastered with digital tape in the studio. I am an analogue fan- my listening experiences are WOW when I put a really old recording on my early '60's Rek-o-Kut turntable (pride and joy second only to my 300D "Pearl", named after Janis). The spatial experience is so strong with a genuine analogue mastered LP played on a well built platter, there is no digital enhancement that could possibly do it any justice.

Dave

DEAD ON! LPs on a "purist" system (read: no tone controls or any of that garbage) simply can't be beaten. As someone who posted earlier, I too am a "trailing edge" kinda guy. My amp is a 3.5 watt per channel 300B triode tube amp. I have owned all kinds of gear, and this little gem is just incredible. By far the most musical amp I have ever owned!

LPs rock!

Cool! What kinda amp do you have?

As much as I appreciate fresh vinyl, the quality fades much to quickly for my likeing. If I could afford a new album after every 10th play I'd be using the old belt drive again. Still have my Nitty-Gritty ready in case I strike it rich.

Jorg

Wow... 10 plays? What's your tracking weight set at?

I have a Nitty Gritty too... love the sucker.

Oh Gawd... this is just where I wanna be!!! And single driver speakers too! But I just can't afford it. I keep plugging through e-Bay, and although there are plenty of tube amps there, anything that says "300B" ends up going for the price of a vintage "300D" :P

Someone mentioned record wear- 10 plays, etc. Theoretically true- and I even find that sometimes the first play on a virgin LP will create ticks and pops you hear on the second play. Still, even with something with 50 plays still pleases my ears. It's as if the worst damage happens on the first few runs, then levels out, as long as proper handling, cleaning and stylus condition are maintained. A lot of cats are taking their LP's and creating MP-3 files. I'm in the process of starting that now, but only for use in the car. My late night listening accompanied by a good Scotch and puffing on my Hookah pipe (yeah- I got one of those too!) will still be from the vinyl. BTW- my pet cat notices the difference too. When I play records, he sits attentively on my knee. But as soon as I put on a CD or Satellite Radio- he's outa there!

Dave

Can't remember. It's a high quality moving magnet not a moving coil and they tend to require higher tracking weight. I was considering a moving coil and a Dr. Thomas coil pre-pre-amp but that was the time the second generation CD players came out and I capitulated. I still love the detail of sweet fresh vinyl but I just can't justify it.

A friend just finished a complete class A amp system, 2-20w tube for top, 2-100w for mid, and a giant and I mean GIANT tube amp from an old theatre for the bottom, all fed through concrete encased speakers. Even with CD the detail and depth of the sound stage is amazing. And he never has to heat the basement.

Jorg

Hey Cap'n do you prefer auotmatic mode select or manual? :D :ban:

I was patient and scored a 300B amp for $500 and a pair of JBL 075 ring radiators in trade. It, like many SE amps, has a bit of a 60 cycle hum, but I can live with that... and will try running a dedicated AC line to the amp sometime this summer probably.

My speakers, believe it or not, are custom TQWT horns with 4.5" whizzer-cone drivers. Yes, the same speakers that spat out nasty solid state AM in the dashes of countless Buicks in years past. I just ordered some Fostex 4.5" full range drivers from Madisound to try in place of them... I am hoping for a touch more hi-end extension. Of all the speakers I have owned (Magnepans, Altec Voice of the Theaters, Klipsch, Acoustat, IMF transmission lines, Linns, Electrovoice, etc...) these are the most involving. I NEVER thought I'd arrive here, of all places... with these little dinky Radio Shack drivers and home-brew cabinets. But my ears don't lie... it's bliss!

Have you checked out any EL-84 (6BQ5) amps? Sometimes you can score those on the cheap and they often have a similary sonic signature to a 30oB or 2A3 amp. I have an old pair of Knight mono EL-84 amps that are quite pleasant!

Happy listening!

Chris