Why does the music played at AXPONA suck so bad?

[TitaniumTroy]

A lot of rooms have really, slow dull music that makes Diana Krall sound lively (not an exaggeration either, I'm familiar with her music). I mean guess if you have insomnia and want to take a nap, that is great. But that is not going to test the dynamics, bass impact or how low can a speaker play. Also can you mix up the the types of music up a little bit, course you can go to far in the other direction with some very loud electronic based music. Which I actually don't mind as long as that is not the only type of music you play or play for an extended amount time.

I wish Amir or someone with a more technical background would answer if they think sometimes the person demoing the speakers is trying to cover up some flaw in the speakers by keeping the dynamics at a minimum to avoid this. Which I would not even mind if they could just admit that, I mean limitations are just part of game to me. For example electrostatic speakers are not really suited to playing heavy metal at high volumes, but we know they have many other admiral qualities.

Myself I like a lot of movie soundtracks, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Tron Legacy etc... Dire Straights and Mark Knopfler, Genesis and Phil Collins, Melody Gardot, Enya, Manheim Steamroller, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eva Cassidy. I even like some the Audiophile music that is played at shows that shows off some aspect of a particular part of musical spectrum.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Forgot to add that some rooms are receptive to taking requests and some are not, either because all they have is certain genres of vinyl. Or the demo/DJ just wants to play what they think is appropriate.

 

[sigbergaudio]

Axpona hasn't started yet, isn't it April 10th? Are you asking in general from previous years?

Many will showcase what they find to work best with the speakers (potentially even in that specific room, which may have issues), and yes some will do it to avoid showcasing flaws. And as you say if they play vinyl, the selection would be limited anyway.

Others will let you play anything, an approach I subscribe to myself.

 

[amirm]

I wish Amir or someone with a more technical background would answer if they think sometimes the person demoing the speakers is trying to cover up some flaw in the speakers by keeping the dynamics at a minimum to avoid this.

There are people who don't like high dynamics. I literally saw a reporter walk out with disgust at a Revel booth with serious bass coming out of their subs!

The hotel/exhibitors likely have rules against disturbing the neighbor rooms.

But yes, in general, the playlists are carefully chosen to avoid speaker/room issues. I have in the past brought a thumb drive but it is difficult to get companies to use them. With Tidal today, assuming wifi works in their rooms, it may be possible to request other tracks.

 

[amirm]

Forgot to add that some rooms are receptive to taking requests and some are not, either because all they have is certain genres of vinyl.

The worst is the guys who show up with a bunch of LPs and want the entire bloody thing played for them! Unlike digital, where it is easy to skip, most vendors just start the LP and let it run.

 

[Arindal]

Others will let you play anything, an approach I subscribe to myself.

Would say this is a double-edged sword. While I see a lot of sense in exhibitors playing what people actually like to listen to, during my last visit at a hi-fi show, several people requested some bootleg-grade live recordings by Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. This is most likely to let any speaker appear in a bad light...

 

[sigbergaudio]

Would say this is a double-edged sword. While I see a lot of sense in exhibitors playing what people actually like to listen to, during my last visit at a hi-fi show, several people requested some bootleg-grade live recordings by Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. This is most likely to let any speaker appear in a bad light...

I consider it valuable to allow people who are interested in the speakers to audition it with music they are familiar with. The risk is that they select something super weird, and some random passers-by hear it and go "What is going on with these guys", but that to me is an acceptable trade off.

 

[kemmler3D]

that is not going to test the dynamics, bass impact or how low can a speaker play.

Most likely, They know this.

if they think sometimes the person demoing the speakers is trying to cover up some flaw in the speakers by keeping the dynamics at a minimum to avoid this.

In a word, yes. The slightly clever people running demos know how to pick music that isn't revealing of flaws... The less clever or knowledgeable ones may play that kind of music because it's common at those shows, or maybe they are just running the booth, get a playlist from the brand, and stick to it. The people at the room / booth are often but not always from the brand.

Flaws tend to be revealed by lots of bass, dense harmonics (electric guitar or synth lead, intense orchestral, etc) and high dynamic range. Not getting a chance to hear that kind of stuff on a given system doesn't mean the gear is bad, per Amir's point you can only make so much noise without causing a problem. But if you notice a brand is carefully and conspicuously avoiding any of those things in their song selection I would call it partial / circumstantial evidence of a flawed speaker.

 

[Mnyb]

I consider it valuable to allow people who are interested in the speakers to audition it with music they are familiar with. The risk is that they select something super weird, and some random passers-by hear it and go "What is going on with these guys", but that to me is an acceptable trade off.

I'll show up with this

Angine de Poitrine

 

[Mnyb]

On a more serious attempt some music just sounds bad and does not benefit from hifi and does not showcase hifi .

Hifi is not ( to me ) a "make everything sound good machine" many has this flawed preconception and might get disappointed if that's not the case , especially if their favorite band always sounds sh*te .

Especially bass in many pop songs is just a generic thump that sound the same everywhere on everything ? a bewildering feat of sound engineering ?

You can say that the mix translated , for example Ace Of Base "the sign" would sound horrible on all systems , from your iPhone speakers to Genelec or Revel flagship speakers .

But yes I'm all for more diversity and a more genres .
But it should serve the purpose of either showcase or challenge the speakers or both in the best of worlds

Cheers i wish i could participate , but wrong part of the world.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

the playlists are carefully chosen to avoid speaker/room issues.

Because they are selling things. And they want to sell as much as possible. It's about the sales, it's about the orders, it's about the press.

The rooms suck, the limitations suck. I would liken it to test driving a bunch of cars.... driven by the sales people in the parking lot and never going over 10mph.

 

[sigbergaudio]

I'll show up with this

Angine de Poitrine

Believe it or not, VERY far from the weirdest someone has put on at a show.

 

[mhardy6647]

I'll show up with this

Angine de Poitrine

Now there is a guitarist whose camouflage will protect them from predators!

(OK, ok... I guess the zebra 'dazzle camouflage' has been sort of debunked... work with me here, it's a joke!)

 

[thewas]

I'll show up with this

Angine de Poitrine

 

[Soniclife]

Believe it or not, VERY far from the weirdest someone has put on at a show.

Maybe it's be but I don't think the music is weird at all, it's also decently recorded.

 

[sigbergaudio]

Maybe it's be but I don't think the music is weird at all, it's also decently recorded.

I agree.

 

[Multicore]

I'll show up with this

Angine de Poitrine

love it!

reminds me to go listen to some Etron Fou Leloublan.

spectacularly skillful use of the RC600.

i wish the world and the youtube algo would please stop showing me rick beato.

 

[HalSF]

A lot of rooms have really, slow dull music that makes Diana Krall sound lively (not an exaggeration either, I'm familiar with her music). I mean guess if you have insomnia and want to take a nap, that is great. But that is not going to test the dynamics, bass impact or how low can a speaker play. Also can you mix up the the types of music up a little bit, course you can go to far in the other direction with some very loud electronic based music. Which I actually don't mind as long as that is not the only type of music you play or play for an extended amount time.

I wish Amir or someone with a more technical background would answer if they think sometimes the person demoing the speakers is trying to cover up some flaw in the speakers by keeping the dynamics at a minimum to avoid this. Which I would not even mind if they could just admit that, I mean limitations are just part of game to me. For example electrostatic speakers are not really suited to playing heavy metal at high volumes, but we know they have many other admiral qualities.

Myself I like a lot of movie soundtracks, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Tron Legacy etc... Dire Straights and Mark Knopfler, Genesis and Phil Collins, Melody Gardot, Enya, Manheim Steamroller, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eva Cassidy. I even like some the Audiophile music that is played at shows that shows off some aspect of a particular part of musical spectrum.

Some specific example of music at AXPONA that sucks so bad would be super helpful. Thanks.

 

[DanielT]

A lot of rooms have really, slow dull music that makes Diana Krall sound lively (not an exaggeration either, I'm familiar with her music). I mean guess if you have insomnia and want to take a nap, that is great. But that is not going to test the dynamics, bass impact or how low can a speaker play. Also can you mix up the the types of music up a little bit, course you can go to far in the other direction with some very loud electronic based music. Which I actually don't mind as long as that is not the only type of music you play or play for an extended amount time.

I wish Amir or someone with a more technical background would answer if they think sometimes the person demoing the speakers is trying to cover up some flaw in the speakers by keeping the dynamics at a minimum to avoid this. Which I would not even mind if they could just admit that, I mean limitations are just part of game to me. For example electrostatic speakers are not really suited to playing heavy metal at high volumes, but we know they have many other admiral qualities.

Myself I like a lot of movie soundtracks, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Tron Legacy etc... Dire Straights and Mark Knopfler, Genesis and Phil Collins, Melody Gardot, Enya, Manheim Steamroller, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eva Cassidy. I even like some the Audiophile music that is played at shows that shows off some aspect of a particular part of musical spectrum.

A tip for the exhibitors. Play something classical with a lot of dynamics.
This classical piece is probably familiar to most visitors to the hifi fair, so why not:

By the way. Start with a little warm-up to Angine de Poitrine and listen to their cover of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll:

 

[Zgrado1970]

The music played at AXPONA sucks so hard because old, rich white guys have terrible taste.