Super Hi-Fi Listening Party?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
User avatar
logancircle
tinnitus
Posts: 1107
Joined: Fri May 09, 2003 8:45 am
Location: Brooklyn, NY

Super Hi-Fi Listening Party?

Post by logancircle » Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:01 pm

Just recorded an EP at Inner Ear Studios (Fugazi, Minor Threat, Rites Of Spring, The Dismemberment Plan, Q & Not U, Black Eyes). First time recording to tape since PT broke onto the consumer level more than a decade ago. The sounds we/they got were insanely good. Better than ultra high resolution digital? Eh, who knows. It was just damn good. But...

In addition to TapeOp I read Electronic Musician.
Nathaniel Kunkel closes each issue with a blurb wrapping up the state of things. He was talking, as a lot of people are, about the return of vinyl and, ultimately, the new age of super high-fidelity that's just around the corner. My brother is even having me outfit his study with an awesome hi-fi rig just for playing vinyl. This includes: a killer amp, phonograph, speakers, speaker stands, etc. I know it will sound awesome, and we're already lining up our first listening party, which sounds totally geeky to everyone involved. We just really want to play 180g pressings of Loveless and OK Computer and Ray Charles in super hi-fi.

Kunkel says that there's always been a healthy super hi-fi market for audiophiles, but I'm still quite happy walking around with some nice Bose headphones and iPod (mp3's always ripped or bought at 192 or 320). However, I can hear the added clarity and grit on audiophile systems, and I'm wondering, are that many people really getting caught up in this geekery? Anyone recommend particular vinyl pressings that blow you away?
Last edited by logancircle on Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Studio and Field Recorder in NYC.
I like dirt.
IG: stormydanielson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

cgarges
zen recordist
Posts: 10890
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:26 am
Location: Charlotte, NC
Contact:

Re: Super Hi-Fi Listening Party?

Post by cgarges » Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:30 pm

logancircle wrote:Just recorded an EP at Inner Ear Studios (Fugazi, Minor Threat, Rites Of Spring, The Dismemberment Plan, Q & Not U, Black Eyes). First time recording to tape since PT broke onto the consumer level more than a decade ago. The sounds we/they got were insanely good. Better than ultra high resolution digital? Eh, who knows. It was just damn good. But...
I have also been doing some work at Inner Ear over the last few months and I really like that place. Don is a terrific guy and fun to be around. He knows good chili, too! I don't know that I'm 100% sold on the mixes I did there, though mixing in an unfamiliar environment is tough anyway. The room sounds good, though, and it's a comfy place. Tracking there is a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to doing more there later this year.

logancircle wrote:Nathaniel Kunkel closes each issue with a blurb wrapping up the state of things.
Those are terrific. I love the article on use of salt.
logancircle wrote:]Anyone recommend particular vinyl pressings that blow you away?
ZZ Top's First Album and Stevie Ray Vaughn's Couldn't Stand The Weather are stand-outs for me in terms of depth, dimension, and realism.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

MoreSpaceEcho
zen recordist
Posts: 6671
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:15 am

Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:38 am

everybody likes "1000 hurts".

User avatar
centurymantra
buyin' a studio
Posts: 916
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:02 am
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Post by centurymantra » Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:48 am

I'm a bit of an audophile...pretty much have been from high school onwards, so I've been guilty of getting caught up in that geekery - and I also love vinyl. I actually have gone through a bit of a vinyl phase lately but can't seem to think of too many specific recommendations right now. I actually was recently compelled to listen to my 180g pressing of Loveless after reading the 33 1/3 series edition book that was dedicated to that record. Can't say it is "super hi-fi" :wink: , but it does sound awesome!

A lot of those classic jazz recordings are just amazing sounding. One big surprise was how truly awesome sounding a Mouse On Mars record that I pulled out was...the 'Radical Connector' record. The Low records that Albini recorded...esp. 'Things We Lost in the Fire' are quite sublime and are true 100% analog recordings. The records I bought had big 'AAA' stickers on them...recorded to tape, mixed in the analog realm and mastered right to vinyl. They make it sound like there wasn't even so much as a digital delay involved, although that may not be true. Either way, they sound quite nice.

If I think of some other recommendations, I'll pass them along.

It's kind of ironic that this thread comes up, as my last posting was on another home stereo thread where I lamented that it's so common today for folks to consider their computer speakers to be good enough.
__________________

Bryan
Shoeshine Recording Studio
"Pop music is sterile, country music is sterile. That's one of the reasons I keep going back to baseball" - Doug Sahm

cjmnash
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 642
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:25 am
Location: Nashville, TN
Contact:

Post by cjmnash » Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:44 am

i can comment on the vinyl/hi fi interest. i have an all analog studio in nashville called "welcome to 1979". each month we host vinyl listening parties where we invite people to come over & play some of our 1,200 + records in a party/hang atmosphere (usually not critical listening). over the last year the parties have gotten bigger and bigger..often with over 100 people in attendance and going until near sunrise.

it's totally cool.

regarding which vinyl to get? you gotta hear a good (original) Dark Side of the Moon.

-chris mara
www.welcometo1979.com
Owner: Welcome To 1979 Studio & Mara Machines

drumsound
zen recordist
Posts: 7474
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:30 pm
Location: Bloomington IL
Contact:

Post by drumsound » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:25 pm

It's been a long time since I heard it, but I remember the second Pearl Jam record sounding really nice on vinyl. I don't think a lot of those songs hold up (begin flame war now...) but the sonics are good.

cjmnash
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 642
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:25 am
Location: Nashville, TN
Contact:

Post by cjmnash » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:31 am

drumsound wrote:It's been a long time since I heard it, but I remember the second Pearl Jam record sounding really nice on vinyl. I don't think a lot of those songs hold up (begin flame war now...) but the sonics are good.
was reaching for my lighter until the "songs don't hold up" comment. boo. hiss.

;)

chris
Owner: Welcome To 1979 Studio & Mara Machines

MoreSpaceEcho
zen recordist
Posts: 6671
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:15 am

Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:17 am

c'mon there's a bunch of clunkers on that record. are you really gonna defend "glorified g"? "indifference" is a great tune though.

drumsound
zen recordist
Posts: 7474
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:30 pm
Location: Bloomington IL
Contact:

Post by drumsound » Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:49 pm

The record is hit or miss, but Brendan O'Brien and Nick Dida did great work on it.

cgarges
zen recordist
Posts: 10890
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:26 am
Location: Charlotte, NC
Contact:

Post by cgarges » Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:06 pm

I love just about any record that kicks your ass right out of the gate. That's definitely one of them. Never heard it on vinyl. I'll bet it's good.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

User avatar
evilaudio
buyin' gear
Posts: 542
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:00 am
Location: Denver, CO

Post by evilaudio » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:28 am

Forbidden - "Forbidden Evil"! Perfect thrash sound? Perhaps...
Blah!

User avatar
logancircle
tinnitus
Posts: 1107
Joined: Fri May 09, 2003 8:45 am
Location: Brooklyn, NY

Post by logancircle » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:20 am

With my bro's super hi-fi we put on 'Person Pitch', 'OK Computer', and a bunch of records we thought would be awesome, and most of them were. But the record that truly blew all of us away, including several engineers and musicians, were absolutely FLOORED when we put on the first Dire Straights record. I know, I know, but it's true. Even sitting in the sweet seat at Inner Ear listening back to well-recorded drums on 2-inch tape I don't think I've ever heard such insane quality, and tightness in the band. I highly recommend this record even if, like me, you've never really been into that band. Yow!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Studio and Field Recorder in NYC.
I like dirt.
IG: stormydanielson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 71 guests