I worship at the altar of imaging

[fas42]

A lot of things in the system have to be right in order to deliver best imaging. So, listening for that, I find, is the single most revealing characteristic of a system's performance, since it integrates so many other performance characteristics.

I would rephrase this - Everything in the system has to be right in order to deliver best imaging. What kills the quality of the imaging is the one thing in the setup that hasn't been sorted out, optimised - whatever it happens to be. I find speaker positioning to be irrelevant - if the acoustic output from the drivers is clean enough then the mind has no problem "seeing" an illusion, because there are no significant audible anomalies disrupting the acoustic clues.

 

[NorthSky]

I agree Kal; this is not a natural recording. Do you have one that most of us have in our collection?
Or maybe we can use Mario's own Flamenco tracks? About that. That's a transparent/natural recording.

 

[fas42]

Something like this perhaps?
I'm sure everyone have this music album in his collection, and there are other songs too from this album that would fit well in imaging analysis.

Would you believe today was the first time I heard this song ... ? Yep, I managed to evade this audiophile fodder for that long - I can see why it was used over the years, all the sound elements are very strongly spotlighted, meaning even a moderate system should do a good job of putting up a decent picture. Yes, very unnatural, but an easy one to start with ...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I agree Kal; this is not a natural recording. Do you have one that most of us have in our collection?
Or maybe we can use Mario's own Flamenco tracks? About that. That's a transparent/natural recording.

Nothing comes to mind as I have been focusing on multichannel for several years now. I responded to your suggestion by playing those tracks and, using the BeoLabs, thought it was kind of disturbing.

 

[NorthSky]

Nothing comes to mind as I have been focusing on multichannel for several years now. I responded to your suggestion by playing those tracks and, using the BeoLabs, thought it was kind of disturbing.

I took my time before I came up with a music selection, because it has to be a common one that almost everyone have.
It's true that there are some effects used in that album; and the why I asked you a suggestion of your own.
It's not easy I admit.

About Roger Waters - Amused to Death recorded in Q-Sound or in multichannel DVD-Audio and multichannel SACD? ...Blu-ray Audio...5.1
__________

But! Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat is good enough to analyse imaging. Why? Because there is a bell in one of the tracks, and that bell is a good indicator for your speakers to be perfectly positioned for best imaging. It's a very subtle triangle actually.
I'm sure the BeoLabs 90 don't fit the category of normal speakers that normal people have @ home...due to their unique complexity and 360° directivity. Plus all that DSP pizzazz processing. In top of an already processed music recording it sounds like the perfect recipe for a total disaster, indeed.
{I highly anticipate your upcoming assessment/analysis...listening experience and all that multichannel classical jazz, with the BeoLabs 90.}

_______

Mario is a recordist who gave us some free transparent music recordings to evaluate on our own and to have our feedback. Kal, did you listen to some of his stereo recordings...piano, vocals...? Are you aware of his thread? → http://www.audiosciencereview.com/f...2-0-master-file-giveaway-for-asr-members.695/

 

[Thomas savage]

The isotek setup cd has a soundstage calibration/ diagnostic feature. I would use that as it clearly points out what you 'should' be hearing...

 

[NorthSky]

Gotta link of that CD?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

About Roger Waters - Amused to Death recorded in Q-Sound or in multichannel DVD-Audio and multichannel SACD? ...Blu-ray Audio...5.1

I have never heard that.

But! Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat is good enough to analyse imaging. Why? Because there is a bell in one of the tracks, and that bell is a good indicator for your speakers to be perfectly positioned for best imaging. It's a very subtle triangle actually.

Is that really enough? I know of several similar examples of this which, I think, doesn't correlate with general success in imaging and soundstage.

I'm sure the BeoLabs 90 don't fit the category of normal speakers that normal people have @ home...due to their unique complexity and 360° directivity.

The latter is simply wrong. Their complexity is irrelevant and they specifically and intentionally do not have 360° directionality! They can be set to do it but it is called "party mode" and sounds horrible that way.

Plus all that DSP pizzazz processing. In top of an already processed music recording it sounds like the perfect recipe for a total disaster, indeed.

Prejudice.

{I highly anticipate your upcoming assessment/analysis...listening experience and all that multichannel classical jazz, with the BeoLabs 90.}

Can't do multichannel with the BeoLabs, at this time.

Mario is a recordist who gave us some free transparent music recordings to evaluate on our own and to have our feedback. Kal, did you listen to some of his stereo recordings...piano, vocals...? Are you aware of his thread? → http://www.audiosciencereview.com/f...2-0-master-file-giveaway-for-asr-members.695/

Nope. Yes.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Nothing comes to mind as I have been focusing on multichannel for several years now. I responded to your suggestion by playing those tracks and, using the BeoLabs, thought it was kind of disturbing.

OK. I just thought of one: Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions.

 

[fas42]

OK. I just thought of one: Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions.

A Yes from me ...

 

[NorthSky]

Prejudice no, fun humor yes.

Ok, you classical music lover...Pink Floyd and Roger Waters not truly in your radar; so not everyone has that recording...we need to find another one...more common.

What is good enough in music listening Kal?

I'm here to learn, including from you...regarding the BeoLabs 90.
And I knew that stereo was the only game in town with those babies...for now. I'm glad you mentioned it.

Yes please, download Mario's free classical music (stereo @ 96/24); it's good stuff Kal, a different/transparent approach with rewarding results...IMO/
Then we can all use Mario's own music recording here @ ASR to assess Imaging. What sez you? Or do you strictly want multichannel?
Is the new frontier in audio's already beyond just plain jane flat boring retro prehistoric obsolete history of the past stereo hi-fi?

 

[NorthSky]

OK. I just thought of one: Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions.

Ok, cool, which album's version number Kal? ...LP or CD?

Most likely CD...ASR is 72% CD and 28% LP. ...My best estimated guess.

* CD: RCA Victor/BMG 8568-2-R

 

[Kal Rubinson]

What is good enough in music listening Kal?

What I meant was that the striking observation of the placement of a single sound does not make for a fully satisfying recorded soundstage.

Yes please, download Mario's free classical music (stereo @ 96/24); it's good stuff Kal, a different/transparent approach with rewarding results...IMO/
Then we can all use Mario's own music recording here @ ASR to assess Imaging. What sez you?

Pass. If I was aware of a "musical" reason to do this, I might.

Or do you strictly want multichannel? Is the new frontier in audio's already beyond just plain jane flat boring retro prehistoric obsolete history of the past stereo hi-fi?

Actually, being restricted to stereo by the BeoLabs, I am totally immersed in two channel (at least during the weekdays) and I am really enjoying it.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

* CD: RCA Victor/BMG 8568-2-R

A rip of that but upsampled to 24/192.

 

[fas42]

A favourite of mine in regard to complex mixtures is Bad, by Michael Jackson - there is so much going on in the tracks, very dense layering of sounds - when all this is unraveled in the listening, and one can just tune into what one particular element is doing within the structure of the whole, in its own space, this is very satisfying.

 

[NorthSky]

Pass. If I was aware of a "musical" reason to do this, I might.

Oh.

Actually, being restricted to stereo by the BeoLabs, I am totally immersed in two channel (at least during the weekdays) and I am really enjoying it.

Wow, that is great news Kal, coming from a guy like you...I can't wait to read your full review...then I might start saving my pennies...lots of them.

 

[NorthSky]

A favourite of mine in regard to complex mixtures is Bad, by Michael Jackson - there is so much going on in the tracks, very dense layering of sounds - when all this is unraveled in the listening, and one can just tune into what one particular element is doing within the structure of the whole, in its own space, this is very satisfying.

I got that one too Frank...on CD.

Shall we stay with Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions?

 

[fas42]

I got that one too Frank...on CD.

Shall we stay with Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions?

Definitely, the Trinity Sessions ... something like Bad just over complicates things ... .

 

[NorthSky]

So, what do we do now? Listen to it and see if it's imaging good? ...Or bad? ;-)

 

[Thomas savage]

Gotta link of that CD?

Type it into your version of Amazon etc..,

You should see this..,

That is what I use. You then know what your supposed to be hearing rather than a musical track that in reality unless you spoke to the recording mastering engineer you can only guess.