GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Audio For Dummies ™
In the Thread: UHF capable tweeters and the moronic conclusions

Post Subject: Vs. the Original Performance?Posted by Paul S on: 9/17/2012

Most here are probably familiar with the fact that A/B "blind tests" were popular in the early days of "audio", where listeners seemingly could not distinguish between live sounds and electronic "counterparts" issuing from behind a curtain. Today we think of the tinny playback of yesteryear and laugh at this notion, just as we gladly submit to the idea of higher fidelity in our own times. Still, it is mostly the brain finding a wormhole that leads us to musical bliss via hi-fi. And if this is true, then the only quetion for any Music Lover is, how to do it.

As far as the sound from drivers past or present, from UHF on down, there is (or can be) more to choosing sound from one versus the other than comparing frequency response charts. For myself, I like drivers that let me clearly recognize and distinguish between instruments and voices in terms of pitch, timbre and expression, from individuals and groups alike. And yes, I realize that I am (myself) part of this process. As far as topology goes, only certain fairly fragile paper drivers do the "speaker part" "well enough" to use them as a starting point, up to the point where they crap out. I have long used a naked ribbon cut in at 13k, 2nd order, and while it actually does "air" very nicely, some issues remain in terms instrumental "voicing", at least to my ears. And from experience, I believe that the audible problems I hear are due to a lack of "suitable" extension from my (paper) tweeter (as opposed to my ribbon). Based on experience, I would say that the ribbon should not be expected to make any "timbre", at all. Basically, it was likewise with electrostatic "UHF" arrays that I used in the past. While it is true that it is results we are (or should be) after, it certainly seems to be a fact that some drivers "do better than others" at rendering certain "facets" of musical performances, at least as far as my own ears and "brain" are concerned. For me, all roads do NOT lead to Rome, and mixing topologies, while "theoretically possible", might make for some rough going, along the road to Rome.

For all the speculation about recording techniques and record production, most record producers are mostly concerned with levels at any given time, and the systems they use to make the recordings are mostly about giving them control over levels of pieces and parts of the "production", which they subsequently mix down into an affordable version of what happened during the session (or sessions). And the "funny" thing is, the record that is made from the session master is often quite different from the session(s). In fact, this is often by design and intent, alike. So, where does this leave us, in terms of "fooling the brain"?

Romy likes to point out that it takes special attention to fool the brain in terms of Bruckner, and I agree with this, wholeheartedly. On the other hand, my wife will not stay in the room with Bruckner, under any circumstances. I suspect that this is so because this music simply overloads her brain, sounding to her as "noise", and I am sure all of us have had this reaction to "music" of a given ilk, at one time or another. As for myself, I have sought to parlay my experience to [re]create in my home music I can enjoy live, and I at least TRY to offer up and enjoy in my home the same aural cues I enjoy during live performances. In fact, for years I may well have had a better "success rate" listening at home than I have at live concerts, partly owing to where I live, and partly because of the attention I have paid to offering to myself what it is I want to hear in the first place.

How much of a performance is one ready to hear at any given time? The answer to this might shed some light on how to approach UHF.

Paul S

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