Here's a site that talks about cables and their effect on audio. As you all know, they make 'high-end' audio cables so take it for what it is.

http://www.transparentcable.com/design/destech_techtalk.html

:c:

Originally posted by Henrik Ammitsboel:
But Ethan I will not agree on your studio reproduction system! I would rather call it 2 PA amps with some rock-dead speakers(sorry).
I don't know about you, but I would not be able to hear music on such a hard system no matter how good the room was.

YMMV, obviously, but there's a very good reason why not only engineers of all types (mastering and recording) as well as quite a few hardcore audiophiles I know swear by Crown amplifiers. The reason? They're easily the cleanest, most neutral sounding solid-state amplifier on the market.

And I use JBL's (not 4430's, but...) in my mastering studio with quite a bit of success.

I still stand by my convictions on monitoring systems:

1) Pick out a pair of speakers that don't fatigue your ears.

2) Chain them to a good, clean power amp.

3) Do as much as you can to correct your room.

4) Study those speakers' responses until you're sick of listening to them. Listen to a MOUNTAIN of music - all genres, all styles, all eras - LEARN them. Understand what they sound like, where their strengths and deficiencies are.

I've mastered projects on everything from Infinity RS-2 bookshelf speakers to Event 20/20's to Sony MDR-V600 headphones (in a pinch) to Genelecs. Over and over again, I've produced consistent results by adjusting my ears to the speakers, instead of trying to do the opposite.

Don't forget - the mainstay in many shops is still the Yamaha NS10P - and it ain't because they're neutral, balanced, or anything else you expect in a good monitor.

Originally posted by Don Grossinger:
It comes down to knowing your room and chain. Not necessarily what type of material was used to manufacture the wire. You find a setup that works for you & go for it. That's how people can mix on NS-10M's which are not flat, full range speakers. If the mastering is not satisfactory to you (or your clients) then you change the system till you get something that works better.

My apologies. Looks like Don already drove this point home.

I originally began to visit this site to try to improve myself and my studio. Now I show up just to watch the train wrecks.

Congratulations on a job well done!

Oops, gotta run, Jerry Springer is on in a few...

Ed

Originally posted by Widowmaker:
I originally began to visit this site to try to improve myself and my studio. Now I show up just to watch the train wrecks.

Ed,

This must be true - you originally showed up to learn something.

I say that because it's obvious if one reads your 6 posts that you never came to offer anything of value.

I mean this most sincerely,

Rod

Amen

Originally posted by Henrik Ammitsboel:
Hi moderators!

What is your prefered reproduction system?
what are your experience with different systems?

well, I'm not a moderator, but I'll still chime in :) It's a mixture of DIY and store bought stuff...although I'm currently trying to a few things about that ;)

take care>>>>>>>

[ March 07, 2004, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: gonefishin ]

Originally posted by gonefishin:
... Heck, cup you hands on your ears while your listening to some music. Notice the difference? Now just move the backs of your ears forward. Isn' it amazing how much difference the sound is...

:) I find this refreshing, NO, I am not a mastering engineer. I love this forum dearly! The kind moderators on this forum are the best!

Knowing my own system, I can tell if something has changed the sound or not, mostly because I am inherently referenced to my system. My brain remembers the sound. If a different cable rig changes that, I make a determination if it is what I want or don't want.

An acquaintance was using some high-end special cables, but his amp was driven into clipping too easily with them, tripping the protection. These cables must have had some additional load characteristics of some kind.

He swore by them, and increased his power to deal with it. I am sure he heard something he liked about them. I have not tried them, so I don't know.

The low end gets my greatest of attention, like 500hz on down. To me this is the most difficult of the spectrum. I have 9 amps; all sound different down there. I picked the quietest, mains direct, one of the bunch. This at present is my reference point.

I have ton's yet to learn, as for now, it works for me.

--Rick

I'm very cautious in rejecting even esoteric claims while discussing the analog domain, because (theoretically) everything matters and differences heard might have other causes than expected or theoretized for.
It is usually clarifying to get someone's opinion about issues in the digital domain, where some of the old magic simply does not apply. If I find someone worrying about bass response of different brands of HDs, I consider myself justified (as a comp sci major) to take their other claims with a grain of salt:

> (2) Again, a few years back, I spoke with someone who knew of a
> major LA film editor who only bought certain hard drives because
> he could hear the difference in brands. Fact or fiction? Could
> differences in hard drive shielding or the proximity of power
> supplies to cables have any effect? Could his monitor system be
> so revealing that he could in fact hear these differences?
(from http://www.johnvestman.com/digital_myth.htm)

Chances that any HD read/write error-correction translates into a musical concept (such as tighter bass) are really small.

I personally find it refreshing that even senior listeners sometimes struggle in telling a 160kBit MP3 encoding from the real thing in double-blind tests.

Regards,
Christian

I just got my new monitors: a modified pair of Wilson Audio Sophia's. Powered by a Crown Studio Reference 1 amp & MIT (copper) spkr. cables.

A great setup to work on already & they are just getting broken in!

Anyone out there interested in a well cared for set of Dunlavy SC-V speakers?