the amp maker

[Bob Ross]

what type of music are you creating around this hinted at device?

What "type"? Uh... all types. I'm a composer, performer, sound designer.

Well, okay, not polkas. But other types.

[malcolm22]

What "type"? Uh... all types. I'm a composer, performer, sound designer.

Well, okay, not polkas. But other types.

seems like you were annoyed by his question and/or use of the word 'type', but not sure why

[Bob Ross]

seems like you were annoyed by his question and/or use of the word 'type', but not sure why

Nah, it's just very difficult for me to refer to any of the musics I make in an informative, pithy, concise phrase...he could have substituted "genre" for "type" and my response would still have been as vague and/or perplexed. Or perplex-ing.

[chasea]

The idea of a single/correct/ideal device to hear music on is perplexing. Part of the charm is hearing new things; or rather familiar things in a new way. Different devices enable that. An AM radio is just as good in my book.

[malcolm22]

Nah, it's just very difficult for me to refer to any of the musics I make in an informative, pithy, concise phrase...he could have substituted "genre" for "type" and my response would still have been as vague and/or perplexed. Or perplex-ing.

any links to your stuff? would love to check it out

[malcolm22]

The idea of a single/correct/ideal device to hear music on is perplexing. Part of the charm is hearing new things; or rather familiar things in a new way. Different devices enable that. An AM radio is just as good in my book.

got give this one the old 'yes and no'. there are limits for me - a 2" hand radio speaker that plays only at very low volumes without distorting, falls apart with complex music like orchestral pieces, and has an extremely limited frequency range - not exactly my first choice for music listening. much of what was recorded and intended to be heard would be lost. do i mind, can ii live with it for the time being? sure, but i wouldn't find it that 'charming'. moving beyond such an extreme example, however, and i would fall into your camp - i do like hearing familar music on new systems of all types - as you said, different things are revealed.

[rec head]

But that's a red herring; the quality of the recording equipment is immaterial if you're of the belief that a playback system's job is to reproduce the sound of the source...and by "source" I mean the recordings, not the original performance.

I said that I loved these recordings so I really don't care about their "quality". But if they monitored the recordings through some crappy ass speakers what they heard and what I'm hearing is different. That is all I'm saying. I'm sure that my house sounds nothing like a studio setup (pro or basement) and as long as I keep liking how stuff sounds that is all that matters.

You know what bike is the best bike in the world? The one you are having fun on.

[chasea]

I said that I loved these recordings so I really don't care about their "quality". But if they monitored the recordings through some crappy ass speakers what they heard and what I'm hearing is different. That is all I'm saying. I'm sure that my house sounds nothing like a studio setup (pro or basement) and as long as I keep liking how stuff sounds that is all that matters.

You know what bike is the best bike in the world? The one you are having fun on.

I can tell you a record is exactly like that. You're somewhat dependent on the studio monitors. Then you take bounces of tracks home with you at the end of the day, and proceed to listen to them on as many different speakers as you can. Your home system, your computer, your tv through your dvd player, your ipod, etc. The Stones used to send someone to a radio station to play the mixed songs while they listened in a car. As the song finished, the errand runner would them take the tapes back from the dj; by force if necessary.

Vinyl sounds different than CD sounds different than mp3. You can actually have a good mix, and then master for any format you'd like. All of this takes weeks, or maybe months. Months of listening to the same song over and over and over. Your ears get tired. Your mind spins. Its all just best guesses really.

Whatever you're hearing through your device is not an accurate representation of what it sounded like in the tracking room when the song was being cut. We just hope that the final product sounds good. At some point, you just have to tell yourself its good enough.

I know my preferred stage sound is not what I want an audience to hear. I want low end in my drum monitors. Bass drum, snare drum, a little bit of vocals to help be aware of where we are. Almost no guitars. Never any keys. I usually just tell the guy doing soundcheck to make me feel like I'm in the cult. I would not want that to be the overall sound presented to the audience through the PA.

[Bob Ross]

any links to your stuff? would love to check it out

I'm a luddite when it comes to having a web presence with actual samples...um, [:::does a quick Google search::: ] looks like there are some snippets from an old album here:
Rapture in the Church of Disreputable Daydreams - Debris | AllMusic

[malcolm22]

I'm a luddite when it comes to having a web presence with actual samples...um, [:::does a quick Google search::: ] looks like there are some snippets from an old album here:
Rapture in the Church of Disreputable Daydreams - Debris | AllMusic

great, will check it out. i see you were on music and arts - a label i've always loved bc of their devotion to furtwangler - big selection for him. they even have some hard to find kabasta and early celibidache, and some of my favorite instrumentalists - hoffmann, szigetti, milstein, michelangeli. fantastic label!

[Human Epic Jolt]

But that's a red herring; the quality of the recording equipment is immaterial if you're of the belief that a playback system's job is to reproduce the sound of the source...and by "source" I mean the recordings, not the original performance.

how do you know what the source sounds like without listening to it?

What "type"?

smiles.

listening. cheers. listened. interesting.

now i'm gonna listen to Loose Tubes for a bit.

[Bob Ross]

how do you know what the source sounds like without listening to it?

Long answer: Well, that's the whole "if a tree falls in the forest..." issue behind all audiophile (sic) endeavors. Everyone pretends that there is a benchmark (usually a live performance), but even if every listener knew what the benchmark was that presumes that we can quantify the sound of that benchmark and then simply compare the playback system to see how it stacks up. Usually just ends up begging more questions.

Short answer: you don't.

(Arguably, you also don't know what the source sounds like after you've listened to it!)

[Human Epic Jolt]

Long answer: Well, that's the whole "if a tree falls in the forest..." issue behind all audiophile (sic) endeavors. Everyone pretends that there is a benchmark (usually a live performance), but even if every listener knew what the benchmark was that presumes that we can quantify the sound of that benchmark and then simply compare the playback system to see how it stacks up. Usually just ends up begging more questions.

Short answer: you don't.

(Arguably, you also don't know what the source sounds like after you've listened to it!)

i think we may well be in total agreement there.