Full Range Drivers have ruined live conerts

[ranger3]

I'm not talking about live recordings listen to on full range drivers.

I'm talking about going to a live concert. My full range drivers sound better than live. I didn't realize I would be comparing everything I hear to my speakers.

I can't believe how good they sound. Once you listen to them on a regular basis, everything else just sounds bad. Now, not all concerts are like this. Depending on the venue and the style of music, your results will vary. But you know what I mean.

I started this thread to find out if anybody else out their is suffering from this effect as I am. I'm not looking for a flame war and I'm not bragging. I just love full range drivers.

If anybody is interested I have pairs of each and love all of them:

Lowther DX3
Audio Nirvana Super Cast 10"
Pioneer B20

Allen...

[_henry_]

your statement is vague.
not sure which part have ruined the live concerts. if you are saying about tonal balance, prob got problem with mixing engineers :d

nothing will replace the real instrument sounds.

cheers
henry

[bear]

Are you talking about purely acoustic live performances or those with horrid PA/SR systems, and jacked up highs and lows, with added grain and compression at ear splitting levels? Those?

_-_-bear

[tomtt]

Originally Posted by ranger3

I didn't realize I would be comparing everything I hear to my speakers.

I've felt the same way for over 20 years.



i don't like to go to 'shows' with electronic amplified PA.

the sound is always bad.

[chris661]

I'm split on this. I have a reasonably decent system, but there's nothing quite like the buzz of a concert. The crudeness of the sound is, I suspect, part of it.
It's like when I went to see Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) in concert. The PA wasn't fantastic, but good enough for everyone in the audience to get into the music. If that's not what its about, I don't know what is.

Chris

[Kjeldsen]

Originally Posted by chris661

I'm split on this. I have a reasonably decent system, but there's nothing quite like the buzz of a concert. The crudeness of the sound is, I suspect, part of it.
It's like when I went to see Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) in concert. The PA wasn't fantastic, but good enough for everyone in the audience to get into the music. If that's not what its about, I don't know what is.

Chris

My point as well. I don't go to concerts to have a high fidelity experience, but to have a good time with one of my favorite bands.

[ranger3]

Originally Posted by _henry_

your statement is vague.
not sure which part have ruined the live concerts. if you are saying about tonal balance, prob got problem with mixing engineers :d

nothing will replace the real instrument sounds.

cheers
henry

I'm talking mainly about 3 things. The deaf sound engineer who loves loud and distorted. I always stand near the mixing board but sometimes that still sounds bad. The venue can be a problem. And last, the sound system.

I agree, nothing can replace real instrument sound. But since most concerts are playing through a sound system, your not really getting real instrument sound.

I guess the best thing to do is change my expectation and just enjoy the excitement of the show.

I talked to some sound guys at the Virginia Beach Music festival and they told me a lot of bands are very specific on how they want to be mixed. So it's not always their fault either.

[danerius]

Avoid the big arena/festival events where every musician has to be routed through a PA thats designed primarily to be hauled around in trucks and manhandled by gaffers. The smaller the gig, the purer the sound.

Best regards /Bo

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by danerius

Avoid the big arena/festival events where every musician has to be routed through a PA thats designed primarily to be hauled around in trucks and manhandled by gaffers. The smaller the gig, the purer the sound.

Best regards /Bo

Well that's great in theory, but even an intimate jazz club not much larger than some folk's home theaters is still no guarantee that any part of the PA system will be done "right". I recently attended such an event at a well established local jazz club - mostly piano trio (nice Yamaha baby grand, stand-up double bass and basic percussion kit) - with added violin and electric & lap slide guitars. I happened to be located less than 10ft from the stage, and I'd wager the furthest seat in the small club was no more than 60ft. Brick walls, 8ft suspended ceiling, stage located in the corner of L-shaped room. In a word, intimate (20yrs ago you probably couldn't see the stage in most of these places for the smoke). This club has been operating long enough you'd think they could get the house PA working flawlessly, but with feedback from the vocalist's mike, buzz on one of the soloists (violin) mics, and grossly distorted bass at volume levels well under 98dB at my seat (thanks iPhone ), well it wouldn't place an honorable mention in a DIY sound-off.

but man the little girl (actually used to be my next door neighbor in Sidney) could play the piano, and the rest of the band was right there all the way - I go to live shows for the organic interplay between the artists - it sure as hell ain't to bet on the purity of sound

OTOH, a couple of years back I attended a concert by Loreena McKennitt at a theatre that just happens to be about 2 blocks from the above jazz club. With over a dozen musicians on stage, and a fairly extensive concert tour in which gear could get manhandled*, there was abundant opportunity for the PA to be off, particularly considering that this particular performance was the final of the tour. Well, aside from louder volume than I'd normally listen to at home, this was without exception the best live sound I've ever heard.

Understanding the venue and giving a damn about the sound is what can separate the gems from the dreck.

* I suspect that Ms M has been performing and traveling long enough that the surviving road crew has learned how to properly handle the equipment

[planet10]

Originally Posted by chrisb

OTOH, a couple of years back I attended a concert by Loreena McKennitt at a theatre that just happens to be about 2 blocks from the above jazz club. With over a dozen musicians on stage, and a fairly extensive concert tour in which gear could get manhandled*, there was abundant opportunity for the PA to be off, particularly considering that this particular performance was the final of the tour.

A tour that we found out about because Scott was going to one of the 1st dates in London England. A DVD (with 2 excellent CDs) of the show can be had -- Live at the Alhambra -- the venue a Spanish Castle that is now open to the night sky.

dave