John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part III

[mmerrill99]

So long as we don't violate the rules, we are allowed to say what we want. That much is true.

And, if its okay for you to calumniate up stories that I am delusional or a crook, then its okay for me to do the same to you too, I suppose. How about if every time you do that to someone here, we all do it back to you to see how you like it. And if you don't get hassled to make it clear you are expressing an opinion not a fact, then I don't have to either, nor does anyone else. Questionable whether that's how things should be in a forum is all. Things will tend to go downhill faster than with the goop posts, although they are a problem too. Even JC says the teasing should stop.

Mexican standoff 😀

 

[Evenharmonics]

I don't make any extraordinary claims,

But you have. Those have been quoted more than once.

 

[Max Headroom]

Mark...... that’s basically how I do it, just had no idea what the actual mechanics were.

I find DAW such as Reaper is very useful for comparing recordings....A to B repeat/looping and Alt+Mute track switching enables on the fly instant comparison of tracks . Foobar can run custom keys, I have setup Before and Next keys and in conjunction with mouse pointer I can jump tracks and play from any position close to instantly. I find that by using these two methods fine differences in tracks can be learned and reliably identified.

It was amazing to me how many things are hidden in recordings......there's a xylophone hidden in ‘send me on my way’ by rusted root I use as a gauge.

Yes, as the system 'dials in' as you say new sounds can appear as if by magic. It can be quite amazing how much information is available in recordings just waiting to be reproduced correctly especially older recordings using more distant mic placement.

Many tracks I never realized had back up vocals are now distinct,

Yes, and double tracking where the two vocal takes are distinct and can be subtly different. Also choirs where voices are separated and distinct, even accents can be discernible.

the banjo can also be a very revealing instrument.

I find good nature sounds recordings can be very useful and good spoken word recordings too. Bad spoken word recordings also, counter intuitive but useful as gauge of intelligibility.

And speaking of Aja.......I never realized Donald Fagen had a speech impediment before I got the system dialed in, in fact I had to look it up because I thought it was something I did!

Haha, yes I have noticed a few vocalists with speech defect/impediment, surprising but true.

 

[mountainman bob]

Pop quiz for Bob. Without checking the liner credits can you tell how many backing vocalists there were on 'black cow' just by listening...

Yah.....how autocorrect got Fahrenheit from Fagen and then won’t give me the correct spelling for F when I want it is beyond me!

I’d say 3 but if its two I could understand.

 

[billshurv]

It's 4. But on a casual listen on headphones at work does sound like two.

 

[syn08]

Mexican standoff, as I said 😀
So you would assume my sighted bias is resulting in me hearing a difference & I would assume that in your listening (sighted or blind), your confirmation bias results in you hearing no difference - a nocebo result

That's why Jakob & I suggest that if controls were used in ABX tests & test were run with a level of professionalism, it may reveal nocebo biases at play?

But you guys resist this type of internal check/control in ABX tests & react every time it is raised - go figure

Do you use controls when you draw your conclusions, or the burden to use them is only on me?

 

[mountainman bob]

Dan, I also find ‘effects’ to be a good way to tune......it’s quite hard to get a handle on them across the board, different artists have different ideas of what effects belong where and to get it averaged where they all sound ‘acceptable’ is a challenge. But I believe I’ve got it about as close as I’m gonna get it.......I’m looking fwd to get my new halo integrated back from the shop the end of the month, I only got to use it enough to figure out it was impaired! Also curious to see if it’s the dsp of my Yamaha that’s the ticket (hint has none) And if that’s the case (for dsp)I see a RME dac in my near future to pair with the hint.

 

[syn08]

Yes and trying to relativize everything and make it as much uncertain as possible.

Aka FUD .

 

[mountainman bob]

It's 4. But on a casual listen on headphones at work does sound like two.

In my defense......the wife is home and i’m Supposed to be working on the house!

 

[syn08]

How about if every time you do that to someone here, we all do it back to you to see how you like it.

Agreed. Now, why doesn't it happen often?

 

[mountainman bob]

It’s kindly like the toll booth guy......you pay your toll and smile 😀

 

[billshurv]

I'm thinking flintstones style 'Booooooooob why can't I hear you working'

 

[mountainman bob]

Exactly!

 

[Markw4]

...why doesn't it happen often?

Because getting people organized around here is like trying to herd cats.

 

[gpauk]

IMD can be heard by sound made as voices blend together. Much like occurs in musical instruments, some nonlinearity is what gives chordal sounds their apparent textural sound aside from the separate voices that make it up. With some practice and careful listening IMD can be easily heard.

And, could easily be measured....

 

[Bonsai]

Don't know about Mark's mods but I have heard a Topping D10 & despite it's exemplary measurements it's sound is just meh (same as most digital audio) - it misses some of the finer detail in recordings - for instance the singer's voice in the track "Bombs through the town" from the album "Boots met my Face" has a sweetness on the track intro that good DACs portray & this DAc misses. I'm talking about the slight vibrato in her held notes. Later in that track near its end there is a crescendo to the music composed of many instruments playing somewhat randomly - Better DAcs allow the inner detail of what each instrument is playing to be perceived, the Topping tends towards & uninteresting mush of noise - no ability to track inner detail/instruments

I haven't tried it but I see this modification is said to greatly improve the sound - it's basically a mod to supply a cleaner power to the XMOS USB receiver's PLL_AVDD pin.

This would seem to be a good platform for analysis too, if anyone was interested in measurements Vs audibility as it has been measured extensively on ASR

With the greatest respect, I have a Topping D10 and it is immaculately built. People mod stuff and hear what just isn’t there. I mean, I just look at what this thing looks like after being modded and think about the clock noise, EMI etc and tell me it performs better - by ear or on a test set?

 

[scott wurcer]

he is very much the "performance artist" that he accuses others of being - much like Randi

Did you watch Uri Geller on the Tonight Show, quite a performance. I guess Johnny "cheated" by farkleing all the magician's props before the show.

 

[gpauk]

Bonsai - I love the clearly carefully calibrated wiggly orange wire. 😀
Or is it a string of orange goop?

 

[Bonsai]

calumniate

Fantastic word. Thanks for using it Mark4. I just improved my vocabulary by 1 today.

Bonsai - I love the clearly carefully calibrated wiggly orange wire. 😀
Or is it a string of orange goop?

“string of orange goop”

String goop theory maybe?

 

[gpauk]

Good to learn new words. But as a teacher once said to me, people who are good communicators use straightforward language, the use of needless and / or unusual words tends to indicate someone trying to impress or confound.

... string goop theory .... to go with quantum bybee theory...
Theory may be the wrong word.....