Needledrops and demo tracks

Paul that doesn't sound like a Troika to me, at least compared to Stuarts's version on the Decca.
New cartridge?
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It's an AT33PTG I've had for a while and finally installed last autumn. Currently mounted on an Alphason Xenon, soon to return to a Mk1 Ekos. Comparisons may be posted.

Paul
 
UK Duty Paid said:
No I'm talking specifically about the graph. There is a lot of white space above & below which with a higher recording level gets filled.
I downloaded before they make me run & thought it sounded suppressed played via computer through my system & speakers
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Paul Ranson said:
Stuart's recordings are within 3-6dB of clipping.

'Some Girls' was recorded and mastered in the 70s when engineering standards were high. It has dynamics. If it sounds thin or quiet turn it up on a competent system. It's likely the 'remaster' is compressed and therefore sounds fatter and louder, but probably not better.
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Yes - I think this is actually what is being heard with these samples. I've got both the LP and CD of this album, and irrespective of which 'table/cart combo I use, the CD version sounds louder (compressed) and has perhaps also a boosted bottom end.


Paul Ranson said:
FWIW the file contains 24 bit samples but I think only 16 bits are used. I suspect Audacity, which, on Windows at least, cannot capture at more than 16 bits.
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I'm using Audacity on a Mac, optical input from external ADC at 24/96. Is there a way to confirm that Audacity isn't messing it up?

Paul Ranson said:
I think my copy of 'Some Girls' needs a wash but nevertheless here's a matching clip. If it's too quiet use Audacity to normalize. It's genuine 24 bit/96k.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ofgwtgz2zzi

Paul
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Sounds good - I may have a play with the 33PTG later
 
Stuart said:
Yes - I think this is actually what is being heard with these samples. I've got both the LP and CD of this album, and irrespective of which 'table/cart combo I use, the CD version sounds louder (compressed) and has perhaps also a boosted bottom end.



I'm using Audacity on a Mac, optical input from external ADC at 24/96. Is there a way to confirm that Audacity isn't messing it up?
Click to expand...

I have no doubt that CD is louder with better bass (& I haven't heard a track yet where an LP has a more pronounced bass than a CD) but IMO these samples posted do not sound meaty enough. I've listened through headphones & main system. Unfortunately I don't have either tracks to compare directly. I don't think it has anything to do with the 24/96 recording.
 
I'm using Audacity on a Mac, optical input from external ADC at 24/96. Is there a way to confirm that Audacity isn't messing it up?
Click to expand...
I've had a look at the raw data and I was probably wrong about the significant bits. I had just zoomed in with Audacity and looked for samples below -96dB.

Paul
 
Here are a couple of tracks I recorded recently (not unique to ZG I'm afraid).

Black Sun_D can D_ Aion.wav

Black Sun - Dead Can Dance (Aion)

Dead_Can_Dance_Aion.jpg


Thomas Dolby Dissidents my deck.wav

Dissidents - Thomas Dolby (The Flat Earth)

Thomas-Dolby-The-Flat-Earth-475539.jpg


Most of this has been recorded on either modified (some lightly, some heavily) or completely custom equipment. The TT is a custom built, fluid damped, twin suspension, suspended affair with magnetic bearing, CF composite chassis (lots of other bits) etc. Arm is a lightly modified Naim Aro, cartridge is a Troika reworked by ESCo. The phonostage is based on a pair of modified Naim 323 cards powered by a custom power supply loosely based on a Naim Snaps. The phonostage is (in this case) fed directly to a cheap external DAC and then to my ASUS Netbook (the software used was Audacity).

These recordings were done purely as a bit of fun - they roughly resemble the sound from this equipment but I would not say that they represent it to a very high level - the DAC, in particular, is nothing special - but I don't involve myself much with digital matters.

P.S. You can't buy any of the parts I designed or built - I mention them purely to satisfy any curiosity.
 
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Cool - hope you enjoy. The Thomas Dolby is a real 'hi-fi demonstration' kind of track (I still like it though :)).
 
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OK lets Rock

To further the FM debate here is a R2 recording done in a bit of a hurry

Robert Cray live

Wonderful bit of live broadcasting that must shoot a few bullets from a Smoking Gun through arguments to phase out FM.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=...c215e0e8e3e52a48786b8cb8ae8b281b16e3ec4689298

I don't think I'll be leaving this for long so download while you have a chance

64 Mb WAV so may take a while
 
I've got a phonostage on loan at the minute - I may do a comparative needledrop tomorrow - it's good....
 
Don't fret - I wasn't going to tell you :). I'll do recordings tomorrow of the Dead Can Dance and the Thomas Dolby tracks that I recorded earlier.
 

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