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In Reply to: RE: 12' soundstage from 10.5' wide room posted by watts on January 28, 2017 at 19:51:34
Everything I love about planars is in this thread. Soundstage and imaging is my bag and for me - I had a hard time determining what I liked as ...I liked it all!! At one point I had a 5.1 system - but where is the fun there? A voice comes from the center. No s**t... there is a speaker there!! Dumped that and went to planars. Just a kick I get when things come from spaces without a speaker. and yes the amused to death album is freaky. Why wouldn't they record everything this way? I don't see the downside?
Also - the Norah jones albums - in particular Come Away With Me and Not Too Late are great recordings on any media. I love the first but I actually think Not Too Late is a better recording. Listen to Sinking Soon off of that album.
Follow Ups:
Yup I agree Timm, this is a better recording. Okay I like it more now :)
Her voice is incredible; close-miked and every breath sounds so realistic. No sibilance whatsoever.
And we have vertical soundstage: last track "Not too late" the piano starts 3-4 feet off the ground, and her voice starts definitely above that; about 5 feet high dead centre. Pretty cool! I am debating whether she gets beyond the plane of the speakers.... she is right at it I think.
Something that bugs me though, and I am sorry to point this out to those who haven't noticed, because now you will, but I find it odd that the lower registers of the piano are to the left and the high keys to the right, so it is as if we are behind her, but when she sings of course we are in front of her, so she must do the exorcist spin the head thing and then its ruined! Why do they record like that????
Yes as good as the first recording is in my opinion... the Not Too Late disk I think is a bit better. I'd say a little clearer with a bit better top end. But it doesn't lose that close feel - if that makes any sense.
So my speakers pretty much disappear. They are about 11' apart inside to inside as I had mentioned - but my seated position is only 9' from the centerline. So the piano sits in the middle of a very wide stage. I do hear the slight leanings of the lower registers on the left but it is not really noticeable since it still emanates from the center stage.
i'll give it a listen tonight.... haha.... I have to check it out...... I have ML Odysseys... and I have them spread about 11' inside to inside... so I get a huge center stage.... but - this wouldn't bother me... so I am cool with it.. :) .... but yah - you are right if I really had to think about it.... she certainly would have to be turning around.....
LOL, see if you can stand behind a player while the grand piano is open. Or just play a glissando up and down on the white keys. That's just swiping the full white scale with a finder. That ample ear-ear spread you hear between the highest and lowest notes is what some engineers try to capture, not always successfully or even properly. Yet, it is just one of several valid perspectives (the pianist's :).
The truth is that the piano is a tough cookie to record properly (and more so when in combination with other instruments in a small ensemble).
There all kinds of approaches and techniques. The pianos also vary themselves, and then there is their response when open, closed, partially opened, etc. They also react to walls that are close by vs open spaces. Experienced engineers also know their distinct personalities and attempt to capture it. So, for example, they may distinguish between different Steinways, Yamahas, Bösendorfers, etc and tweak microphone placements, and even the piano's location accordingly.
Maggies can do some wonderful presentations of pianos captured in various ways. Now, if the engineer aimed for regular and small speakers...oops! Maggies tend to present some piano recordings larger than they intended. It can be delightful but it can also be disconcerting. In most cases I like what I hear.
I bought this when it came out; listened to it several times but was hugely disappointed. At least compared to the first album. If I remember correctly her and the band wrote the tracks on the second instead of the first album which got alot of other people rich via the royalties. I have not listened to it in years; I will give it a go again!
Big grin! Very very happy for you.
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