Posted on 07/21/2021 12:40:29 AM PDT by nickcarraway
I have been using 5.1 for decades. I didn't feel the need to add the extra channels, and most high-rez or multichannel music is only in 5.1 anyway. I mainly listen to classical music and there are a lott of lossless, high-rez recordings available. I can tell the difference, but I have always had good hearing.
However, I know few people who listen to their movies in surround sound. Most of them don't even bother to calibrate their TVs and leave them on "torch mode". Just because a lot of people are satisfied with a 79¢ speaker does not mean everybody else should be.
Where do you get the “tube” equipment repaired? We have a player, but it’s broken.
2 important things posted in the comments:
(1) With age we lose our upper frequency, and usually gain tinnitus.
(2) The phone, and earbud business, have killed stereo equipment business.
That said —— even with my own hearing loss & tinnitus, I can pick audio flaws out so much better than my younger wife, teenage stepson, and 5 year old daughter.
And whether they all like it or not, they are being trained to hear audio “better” since our living room setup has upper range speakers.
For the manufacturers of audio equipment, there is constant consolidation going on, because no one will pay good money for good equipment anymore. Most are happy to listen to the tinny speaker in their phone, or the bluetooth boomxboxes (or speakers, but let’s get real...).
I guess eventually it will be back to us hardcores designing and building our equipment. Because only the $50000 amplifier ranges will be available for the rich to purchase.
The current upper midrange receivers have brutal power capability, and no clipping. It’s pretty amazing what you can get for under a kilobuck currently. Previously, most linear amplifiers would clip at maximum power. The new Class D amplifiers just pour out the power even at maximum volume, and everything is clear until your speaker coils melt.
I have also been using 5.1 for a long time. There is a very marginal change going to 7.2 or 9.2 or 11.2 or 13.2 and IMHO not worth the extra wiring/speakers/loss of WAF/etc. (WAF = Wife Acceptance Factor) Makes me think of razors. Now with 23 blades for an even closer shave. (after the 3rd blade more blades are teats on a boar) Next week someone brings out a 24 blade razor and it keeps going.
Yes, my wife is one who would gladly make do with the 79¢ speaker and thinks everything should work by pushing one button. I'm sure she wishes my two surround speakers were out of sight but she tolerates them. Still, she does seem to get a kick out of movies that make extensive use of the surrounds.
When I first got an SACD player, one of the first discs I bought was the Philadelphia Orchestra recording of Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony. My wife dearly loves that piece, and no traditional redbook CD has ever replicated the sound of the organ well (IMO). When the multichannel organ came thundering in at the end she actually had tears in her eyes.
I have only had the experience once and it was all of that.
Way back when CD’s were first introduced, I could hear the difference between the analogue and the digital sound. The digital seemed “hollow”. All the notes were there, but something was missing.
I’m not sure what the difference is, but digital sound is inferior to analogue.
Flipping the record.
Yes - memories.
And the test record, can you hear the 10Khz, 15khz, 20khz?
Hearing aids now, but listening to XM in the car, some music/songs are better than others. I suspect different levels of compression.
Dynaco?
I'd guess that most middle class folks have some sort of surround system nowadays, even if small bookshelf speakers.
"For music... why? So you can sit between the drums and the vocalist? That isn’t a sound stage."
You'd be surprised playing certain music in surround can make a huge difference if you turn down or off or down the rear speakers. That still leaves the stereo of the instruments and leaves the dedicated center channel for vocals which is how the better recordings are mixed.
Regarding sound stage: I have tower Definitive Technology (DefTech) speakers in front. When placed correctly against walls, their front and rear facing tweeter and mid range drivers actually provide the depth of a sound stage by the rears bouncing off the wall and arriving at your ears mili-seconds later. BTW, DefTech dual array towers have their own powered sub-woofer in varying inches. I only use one since they are so powerful and usually at mid volume.
My rear speakers for movies are Mirage with the same front/back speaker array that tends to make them sound less directional for things like jet flyovers and such. It still provides the rear left and right, but with a subtle distinction. It's all a matter of adjustment with surround.
I've never upgraded to 7.1 because I'm happy with 5.1. Why add the side speakers on the wall if you adjust rear and front correctly? I'm sure there is some added benefit with sound coming from the rear, again a jet fly over.
Yes, I hear the difference even at my age. MP3 compresses the dynamic range and causes the upper highs to sounded less crisp - think a shh sound rather than a sss sound. I only use them for the car with my recorded thumb drives. CD's with .wav files in my Theater only. Blue-Ray is a little better if you use a Blue-Ray disc.
What is your favorite un-remastered CD you use as a standard for dynamic range? I used to use Dire Straights "Brothers in Arms" CD. It was renowned at the time for being the standard for instrument clarity and dynamic range for a studio recording. The opening track "So Far Away" starts with a sizzling high-hat and base intro. It just gets better from there. I think it is all I need and never bought the re-master. Some re-masters are worth the bucks, especially for older music.
All my stuff works with one button... ;-)
https://www.home-assistant.io/
Yammie and Dennon audio stuff is easy as there are integrations. Sony, Samsung and some other TVs the same. Kodi, Plex, etc.. also easy. Literally thousands of home automation devices supported. (Avoid anything that does “cloud”)
Other stuff takes a bit of work.
https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/
All data stays local on my implementation. Nothing crosses my firewall. No Alexa and No Google.
One button on a cell or tablet or touch screen and everything happens from turning on, setting inputs, starting software, dimming lights, closing curtains, whatever.
No voice but I could do that too. Think that is creepy.
“I’ve never upgraded to 7.1 because I’m happy with 5.1”
Like I said in another post, this stuff is like razors. 3 blades are good. 23 blades are marketing smoke and mirrors.
I disagree. CD masters are taken from the same master tapes as vinyl masters. The mass production of CD is where it outshines vinyl, with all its crackle, pop, and eventual scratches. I'm never going back to vinyl.
More’s the pity.
;)
“ The audible difference between a WAV version and a 128kbps mp3 is huge.”
Absolutely correct.
Now, not as much when going from source via Bluetooth to standard earbuds. But in any good sound system including a decent car stereo it is very noticeable. 3 of my pet peeves about music these days is over compression, too hot digital mixes and abuse of auto tune.
Hey now, I love bagpipes!
I've notice the same with re-masters. However, often times the master tapes are also RE-MIXED that adds to that difference. Unless you want re-mix on songs you think certain arrangements/instrument volumn would work better (Out of Time - Stones), be careful when buying a re-master.
“Because digital music is sent by pulse the digital music information will have gaps in it.”
Uh, no. That is not what digital means at all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.