NationStates Jolt Archive

I always use my Mini ipod or my computer to listen to my Music.
And the Player of choice is itunes.

CD player or computer. Music is so expensive.

Windows Media Player, rarely Winamp

Technics SU-600 amplifier.
Tannoy 10" cone Little Gold Monitors.
Rubbish Panasonic Record Player.
Thick Slabs of Black Vinyl.



The record player itself is the weak spot in the chain, I really should see about getting something half-decent, but I do want to get something that will play 78rpm discs, so that cuts down the choice somewhat.

I forgot about my computers sound system.
It's a Optimus STA 2170 wired up to 2 sony speakers. Sounds AWSOME!

With a SoundBlaster Live SoundCard.



And I HATE LP's! They sound like crap. They can't compare with a good SoundCare in a PC.

And I HATE LP's! They sound like crap.

I beg to differ, but I won't stoop to argue.

I really dont see how you can say that.
Digital Music sounds clearer. And much more deailted(SP).

I really dont see how you can say that.
Digital Music sounds clearer. And much more deailted(SP).


First point: digitallly sourced music played on cheap or poor quality equipment is going to sound as bad as analogue sourced music played on cheap or poor quality equipment and vice-versa.

I am prepared to sacrifice a small amount of clarity in the higher ranges (10kHz+) for the warmth in the lower mid ranges that you get with vinyl, and with which I grew up. Similarly I am prepared to sacrifice the slightly greater dynamic range that can be present on CDs as modern recording and mastering practice is dominated by the ideology that louder is better, and thus multiband compression is overused on nearly every release, which means there is no call for the use of the greater range of volume.

I still have not fully got used to listening to CD based music - it still sounds somewhat strange and alien to me. No recording media yet accurately reproduces the esperience of listening to live musicians playing live instruments (all electronic/digital instruments excepted somewhat) - it is not so much a choice of how much accuracy you want, but how much you want the sound to be coloured in a particular direction.

I am not going to make specious claims about how analogue sources such as vinyl reproduce the exact sound recorded, instead of one that has been filtered through multiple conversions through ADCs and DACs as just about any vinyl record produced after about 1985 (at a rough guess) is going to have undergone digital conversion at some point in its production, whether it be by recording to digital tapes or through digital mastering.

In the end it comes down to choice: do you want the particular variations from the theoretical 'true' sound that are produced by CD and other digital media, or the particular variations from the theoretical 'true' sound that are produced by a couple of ounces of black vinyl with a whole in the middle?

I know which one I prefer, and if you prefer the other, then that is entirely your own affair.




(deailted = delineated? detailed?)

Cd shelf system
Sony psyc walkman
Wmp on my pc

No ipod or anything like that yet

Launch Yahoo
My Computer
Sony CD Player

First point: digitallly sourced music played on cheap or poor quality equipment is going to sound as bad as analogue sourced music played on cheap or poor quality equipment and vice-versa.

I am prepared to sacrifice a small amount of clarity in the higher ranges (10kHz+) for the warmth in the lower mid ranges that you get with vinyl, and with which I grew up. Similarly I am prepared to sacrifice the slightly greater dynamic range that can be present on CDs as modern recording and mastering practice is dominated by the ideology that louder is better, and thus multiband compression is overused on nearly every release, which means there is no call for the use of the greater range of volume.

I still have not fully got used to listening to CD based music - it still sounds somewhat strange and alien to me. No recording media yet accurately reproduces the esperience of listening to live musicians playing live instruments (all electronic/digital instruments excepted somewhat) - it is not so much a choice of how much accuracy you want, but how much you want the sound to be coloured in a particular direction.

I am not going to make specious claims about how analogue sources such as vinyl reproduce the exact sound recorded, instead of one that has been filtered through multiple conversions through ADCs and DACs as just about any vinyl record produced after about 1985 (at a rough guess) is going to have undergone digital conversion at some point in its production, whether it be by recording to digital tapes or through digital mastering.

In the end it comes down to choice: do you want the particular variations from the theoretical 'true' sound that are produced by CD and other digital media, or the particular variations from the theoretical 'true' sound that are produced by a couple of ounces of black vinyl with a whole in the middle?

I know which one I prefer, and if you prefer the other, then that is entirely your own affair.




(deailted = delineated? detailed?)
True. But who would buy a 20 dollar boom box from wal mart? My Speakers will go for almost 200 Dollars.
small amount of clarity? I think you mean ALOT. CD's sound far crisper.

I said CD, but I also use the radio and Windows Media Player

I buy LPs, but actually listen to my iPod way more, infact I have not listened to a record in a month or two, when I get a record, I get the mp3s, I mainly just get records to DJ and for the sake of collecting them, I may buy 1 or two CDs a year for myself.

I still HEART records but mostly get them off of eBay, that reminds me I have been meaning to get the new Belle and Sebastian, anyone have an opinion on it?

True.

Goddamnit: I pour my heart out with hundreds of words of accurate claims and then all you can do is say 'true'? Curse your eyes.

But who would buy a 20 dollar boom box from wal mart?

Ach, cheap audio equipment has its place, and the very fact that you can by such equipment for such stupid prices remains amazing: it is also likely to sound about as good as a good quality and high price piece of transister based audio equipment from the 70s or early 80s.


My Speakers will go for almost 200 Dollars.

Last I checked my speakers sell secondhand for $455. :p


small amount of clarity? I think you mean ALOT. CD's sound far crisper.

I agree that they sound crisper, but I do not like the way that the hi-hats tend to dominate the mix on CDs with full kits. As I said it all comes down to preference: you might value crispness over warmth, I lean in the other direction.

Question: when you go out and watch and listen to someone DJing with vinyl do you come away thinking 'well, that would have sounded better if they were using CDs'?

Computer: WinAMP with DFX 6
Non-Computer: CD or radio (always tuned to 97.1 WDRV/96.9 WWDV)

And I HATE LP's! They sound like crap. They can't compare with a good SoundCare in a PC.
LPs are richer and fuller. CDs have to use a quantization method, which eliminates some of the waveform. Granted, there's no popping and such, but there is a loss. I've played a song from an LP and the same on a CD, and there is a noticeable loss to the CD in the richness.

peavy CS800 power amp, peavy 8 channel mixing board, peavy black widow midranges, and some altec lancing woofers. : :D with a panasonic CD/DVD player for the input

peavy CS800 power amp,

Ah: I have a CS800X I use for driving monitors for bands: pretty sturdy but a bit prone to overheating.

peavy 8 channel mixing board, peavy black widow midranges, and some altec lancing woofers. : :D with a panasonic CD/DVD player for the input

Hmmmmm black widows hmmmm.

most often, I use my ears, actually, I always use my ears. Good for listening those things.

CDs have to use a quantization method, which eliminates some of the waveform.

True, but most recordings produced within the past 20 years (give or take) will have also undergone some degree of quantization through transfer to a digital media at some point in their production (although in most cases this will be handled by professional quality equipment, and so should have less of an effect).

most often, I use my ears, actually, I always use my ears. Good for listening those things.

Yes, but for listening to bass and low frequencies you use your whole body.

stupid board

Goddamnit: I pour my heart out with hundreds of words of accurate claims and then all you can do is say 'true'? Curse your eyes.



Ach, cheap audio equipment has its place, and the very fact that you can by such equipment for such stupid prices remains amazing: it is also likely to sound about as good as a good quality and high price piece of transister based audio equipment from the 70s or early 80s.




Last I checked my speakers sell secondhand for $455. :p




I agree that they sound crisper, but I do not like the way that the hi-hats tend to dominate the mix on CDs with full kits. As I said it all comes down to preference: you might value crispness over warmth, I lean in the other direction.

Question: when you go out and watch and listen to someone DJing with vinyl do you come away thinking 'well, that would have sounded better if they were using CDs'?

Sorry but I had to run to the store so I had to make some sort of answer.
I still don't get what you mean by "warmer" I've heard LPs that don't pop or hiss. And they sound like * thinks * crap.
Of crouse cheap ass audio systems smell bad. I don't think a 250 Dollar System is bad for a kid who mows lawns to make money on the side.
Of crouse my parents are rich snobs which I hate. But I recently got there 1,000 watt Sony System which is nice :P ( they got a nice BOSE system) And strangly enough it does have an LP on it which was bought on the side. I've used it a couple times. And I still don't get what you mean by "warmer". I"ve listened to it for hours on end and get ticked off by how bad it is. Thats why I only use the CD part. I might end up wiring it up to my comp one day. But that would mean rearrenging my whole room to make it fit by the comp.
I perfer it going through the mixing process. I think it sounds better.


As far as I can tell an LP can't compete with an good computer or CD system.

The voices in my head do a mean barbershop quartet. :D

computer: winamp (either MP3s or CDs)
non pc: stereo, mini-disc player, radio, Discman

iTunes is a vastly superior program for music.

I hear you Insane Troll!
I was so happy to stop using Windows Media Player.
Though I still like to check out the BETA's WMP 10 is looking pretty cool
But itunes is awsome. And so is my mini ipod!

I still don't get what you mean by "warmer" I've heard LPs that don't pop or hiss. And they sound like * thinks * crap.

Warmer to me means somewhat more depth in the low-mids: if you are familiar with the difference between a valve amp and a transister amp you will be familiar with what I mean. The valve amp will (99% of the time) sound warmer. Modern digital amp simulators are getting a lot better at recapturing this sound, but for me they haven't quite captured it yet.


Of crouse cheap ass audio systems smell bad. I don't think a 250 Dollar System is bad for a kid who mows lawns to make money on the side.

Nah, I wasn't trying to turn it into a 'who's got the bigger dick' contest. Truth to tell my speakers came out of a skip (dumpster) from a recording studio that we were taking apart.


As far as I can tell an LP can't compete with an good computer or CD system.

As I have said before, it comes down to a matter of taste - neither captures an authentic sound, they both colour it in different directions.

Any response on my question about DJs using vinyl and your response in that environment?

Computer: Winamp all the way!
Non-Computer: CDs mostly. I love vinyl, but the left channel on my turntable broke so I had to get rid of it... :(

Actually alot of the DJ's I know have there computer hooked up to play Music.
And maybe I'm just a plain idiot. But wouldn't you rather have somthing that sounds clearer crisper. and Plain better in the end. Than a slightly "warmer" sound.
valve amp and a transister amp ? Whats the difference. I know a transistor AMP uses Transistors and I'm guessing thats newer ones like mine. But whats a valve amp?

Actually alot of the DJ's I know have there computer hooked up to play Music.

Fair enough. Technology marches on.

And maybe I'm just a plain idiot. But wouldn't you rather have somthing that sounds clearer crisper. and Plain better in the end. Than a slightly "warmer" sound.

'Better' is an aesthetic judgement, not an absolute scientific one. I would rather have music sounding the way I prefer it, you would rathe have it sounding the way you prefer it. Do you want extra 'texture' and emphasis on the high ends or the low-mids? Only you can decide which you prefer and which is better.

But whats a valve amp?

Ah, the innocence of today's youth.

Valves = vacuum tubes.

Valve amp = an amplifier that uses valves (vaccuum tubes)

A valve, earlier today:
http://www.demostenes.no/2.0/Nyevarer/6SN7EH1.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_tube

Didn't they make Transistorys to replace vaccum tubes. I've never heard of them refered to as vavles.
As They AreK
To Hot
Waste power.
To Expensive
A Transistor can do all a vaccum tube and it's much smaller and cheaper.
How big is your amp? It must be massive. Mine about 6 inchs tall/ Is your about the size of a small TV?
I did a bit of reading. Low end Tube AMPS are not nearly as powerful as there Solid State counter parts in the same price range?



Please explain what you meam by warm?
For me warm means more bass.
I still don't get it.
Try and explain what warmer means.

Winamp, occasionally Windows Media Player. Even in skin mode though, I don't much care for it (as audio goes).

It depends on the media ...

If it was originally intended to be performed live, then I will go to a live performance. If it was initially intended to be recorded onto LP, then I will listen to the LP. If it was initially analogue recorded for use on cassette tape, then I will listen to the cassette. If it was initially analogue recorded for use on CD, then I will listen to the CD. If it was initially digital recorded for use on a CD or a soundcard, then I will listen to it on digital media.

Make sense? Hope so ...

If not, then you have no understanding of how the recording process works and you will never truly have an appreciation for music.

Yeah after some reading it makes sense now.
But hey I'm not going to go out and buy all this stuff just so I can hear it the way it was meant to be heard. That would be pricey.
Plus I just perfer ultra ultra crisp sound.
You won't find any MP3's or OGG files under 200k on my hard drive.

And after doing some more reading. Vavle amps seem very under powered.

But hey I'm not going to go out and buy all this stuff just so I can hear it the way it was meant to be heard. That would be pricey.

Nod. Although the only reason I've spent so much money on equipment for playing music is because I've spent an equal amount of money on recording equipment.

I am, at heart, a musician.

When I was a kid, I made two choices when people asked me what I wanted to be growing up. My options were always the same: A musician first and a veterinarian second.

I am a musician and have made arrangements with my wife to arrange things so I can go to veterinary school over the next few years. Guess I get to fulfill both wishes. :) Lucky me!

But hey even if I did have the money.
You'd see a BOSE Pro System!
Your a musician? Cool. What kind of music do you play?
Your so lucky you get to for fill both of your dreams. Good luck man!
Don't say it's stupid but ahead anyway. My Dream is to be a game programmer.
I might be doing some programming school next year.

EDIT: I listened to "Build Me Up Butter Cup" On a walkman I found laying around. Then listened to it on my computer.
I think I know what you mean now.

But hey even if I did have the money.
You'd see a BOSE Pro System!

Sweeeeeeet!

Your a musician? Cool. What kind of music do you play?

Mostly jazz and blues, but I have done a lot of DJ work for Raves. I can post links to MP3s if anyone is all that interested.

Your so lucky you get to for fill both of your dreams. Good luck man!

It ain't luck ... I married a good woman. :D

Don't say it's stupid but ahead anyway. My Dream is to be a game programmer.

HEY! No, that's cool, man!

If you want to be a programmer, just study lots of math (higher math, not that Algebra crap). So much of computer programming comes down to math.

I have a Bachelors in math and it's what helps me to understand wave form processing and a lot of other things that go along with electronic music composition. When you get a sweet-ass game goin', don't forget me when you need music for it!!

* looks for money * god dammit.
Thats the problem. I'm pretty bad in bath. However thats why I am taking some programming classes :)
And I will probably join the army so I might put that on hold. Hey I only got till me senior you to figure it out :)

Linky?

I think I have to much shit. I found 2 WalkMan a CD player and 2 speakers that I've never seen before under my bed lol.

20 GB i-pod.

i use my computer and Windows Media Player

Pity you can only vote for one option...

I use decks for mixing tekno

I use CDs for listening to everything else..

I use minidisc for listening to recordings of my mixing...

And I'm starting to use my new laptop for mixing MP3s...

Mini Disc? * vomits * those are the worst.
1. OverPriced, you can get a Flash Based MP3 player for that much
2. higher end ones cost more than ipods. And ipods are about 10 times better!

I use anything that will play music just about.

Sony Net MD
Radio (internet radio if I want to listen to American radio or if I am working on the computer).
Computer (Windows Media Player [occasionaly], Real 10 [frequently]or Sony Open MG Jukebox [rarely, it is shit])
CD player, either a Bose in the Kitchen or a Sony Hi Fi system which is nearly as old as I am (fantastic sound though, unfortunately no sub woofers and it is not to good at bass).
Really old walkman, for the radio.
Unfortunately my stereo finally broke after the years of abuse, and the tape playing function on the walkman is buggered so I currently have a load of cassettes which don't work. :(

Please say you don't use Real 10. I thought people had more sense than that.
Anyone know what Air Suspension means. Kuz I found some speakers in the attic that I hooked up to my tv and I can't figure out what Air Suspension means!

I dont know which to choose.
I use xm radio, an mp3 player, windows media player, real one player 10, internet radio, and just regular radio

Please say you don't use Real 10.

Only because Open MG (Sony's jukebox) is crap, and the only other way I know how to transfer onto MD using the computer is using Real. Otherwise I don't use it.

Actually, I have taken to burning song onto a re-writable CD and recording from my sisters stereo because I got tired of those programs crashing my computer.

I thought people had more sense than that.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is so bad with it? I don't use it too often any more, or ever really. The only annoying thing I found about it was that it crashed frequently.

Oh yeah, I also used to use iTunes, but that was only because a lot of other people in Halls had it and it meant I could listen to their music too :D

Mini Disc? * vomits * those are the worst.
1. OverPriced, you can get a Flash Based MP3 player for that much
2. higher end ones cost more than ipods. And ipods are about 10 times better!


Well.. they have several advantages.. 1. they're cheap..
2. You can plug them into absolutely anything with a line out..

hence.. they're ideal for what i use it for, recording mixes and listening to them, and as they don't rely on memory I can keep as many mixes on as many discs as I want and see what i have in an instant.. and the discs are like 70p in this country!

Wahey!

You can plug any MP3 into somthing with an line out. Even if it only has a headphone jack.

Stereo, CD player (in car/portable), computer.

It depends on where I am at the moment.

You can plug any MP3 into somthing with an line out. Even if it only has a headphone jack.

Likewise with minidisc, plus one thing has to be remembered its probably easier to give someone an MD to listen to than it is memory - especially given that when your mixing you can create tracks that fill a whole MD in a go!

MD's are just about as rare as MP3 players so I don't see what you mean. And I don't quite understand it either.

I use WMP because I can't get winamp to work on my computer.. grr.

http://www.quinnware.com/
Try that.It's like winamp and is sligtly more powerful.

My CDs or winamp. Really depends on what I feel like listening to at the time.

My Dell Dj Is The Shiz!!!!!

http://www.quinnware.com/
Try that.It's like winamp and is sligtly more powerful.
Thanks, I hadn't heard of it before. I like it, it doesn't kill my cpu like winamp does every time I open it and it's not made by microshaft either.

My frickin' ears!!