On Wed, 13 Feb 2002 13:46:08 -0500, "John S. Dyson"
>I am just thinking about the Gibbs ringing that alot of 'purists' probably
>don't like, and then looking at the really weird transient response at much
>lower frequencies from a cutter head. Some of the 'mellow' sound
>from LPs is clearly from numerous distortion, noise and transient response
>'problems' that are perceived as a certain 'sound' or 'ambience'.
I think you are right. With the recent single-ended
low-feedback low-power tube-amp craze (and the efficient
horn speakers to go with them...), audiomania does seem to
be about "euphonious distortions", rather than accuracy of
reproduction...;-)
>There are indeed processing methods that can mitigate all of the problems
>with aliasing (digital stuff), but early production probably wasn't as good
>as it could be.
I find many CDs quite satisfying, but I also do like
LPs (but I also do try not to fool myself about their
technical superiority...;-).
>I suspect that all of us would like 96K sample rates instead of 44 or 48, but
>I agree that vinyl noise, clicks, pops, the incredibly bad transient response,
>and the limited bass capabilities of normal vinyl don't seem like advatages :-).
Perhaps you have not heard vinyl played on good gear...;-)
When various resonances (in turntable/cartridge/arm -
speaker-drivers/enclosures) are minimized, the vinyl sounds
remarkably good, with quiet surfaces and a few light "ticks"
per disk side (and no "pops"), and with scary transients. A
good LP, played with good gear can make you (and pet
cats...;-) jump on drum beats or cymbal crashes, even
when they are not all that loud...;-) The lower overall available
dynamic range compared with the best CDs is evident,
though...
>(Re: bass, of course, it is possible to cut uncompressed or un-rolled-off
>bass onto vinyl, but not every turntable/tonearm/pick-up can deal with it.)
Yes - I used to design and build large subwoofers, so I have
a collection of 33s that have some amazing low bass on them.
The subs can go well below 16 cycles/sec (see picture at:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/Audio.html - that big white driver
in the back is a 24" which has been modified to permit a
3/4" clean excursion, and the port to its left for the
T-line enclosure has an area equal to the driver, allowing
the system to displace over 600 cubic inches of air *PER
CYCLE* through much of the low bass range!). It is fun to
feel busses and trucks outside cathedrals where the music
is recorded, the 22 cycle "transients" of Harry Partch, organ
64' pipes, etc. Unfortunately, though, it was (and is...)
fairly standard practice for the low bass to be rolled off
during mixing - I guess the manufacturers figure it will
cause more problems with some poor gear than it is worth,
since few people can reproduce it, so.... BTW, I use oil
and electronically damped tone arms to reduce the low end
tone-arm resonance and extend response. Also, BTW, those
speakers in front of the subwoofer are ribbons, with
tweeters so light that any slight air current in the room
moves them.
Ah, and to keep all this slightly OT, the still is a
frame-grab from a VX1000 with a fisheye WA converter
on it...;-)