Three events in October: 18-Dayton 25-DC 25-Atlanta.
Looks like a lot of speakers and info. info at www .audioDIYcentral. com
It is nice to be a host. Besides my two units which turned out very nicely, I have a loaner pair of GR Criterions which may need a little more break in before the event. I got some of the Alesis amps from Apexjr to show, very nice little units. I get a DennisM Veracity on Thursday. This may need a little more break in also.
) I built a home made driver out of a HD arm and picnic bowl.
My units described at my site: www .helarc. com
Dennis's units at www .murphyblaster. com
Notes on the DIY Test Music Disk.
Thanks to all who helped put this together. This is a baseline CD only and not an “Official” disk of any kind.
The selection criteria:
No electronic instruments
Recorded well
Pieces that sound different on different speakers
The down side is that there is a large variance in recording level. So someone will have to man the volume control.
1. Bells from a test disk. Very high recording level and lots of dynamics. Move your head around to hear the ringing. Note the long the decay at the end. Good speakers will be clear and have a long decay.
2. Barbara Bonney: Soprano and lute. This quiet piece has a lot of info in it. It is very dynamic with not much compression. Good speakers will bring out the plucking of the lute and her tension (pushing air) leading into the stronger notes. Listen for word clarity. Bad speakers will almost remove the lute and do nothing for the singer. High notes will bring in the tweeter for transition evaluation.
3. James Taylor, Carolina. Good midrange test with balance between singer and instruments. Does he sound the same up and down the singing range? Are the drums overpowering the singer? Good piece for noting rises in the upper mids.
4. Too Close, Clair somebody from test disk This one is supposed to place instruments in specific locations. It has two similar guitars playing left and right with drums upper left. I used this one mostly for the guitar clarity. Should have good balance and separation between instruments.
5. Pink Panther from test disk Telarc Atlanta SO. This one is supposed to place instruments in specific locations. Mostly try to pick out instruments like the triangle (upper right) and listen to horn clarity. Lots of ambiance.
6. Festive Overture. We start this one at the five minute mark. Pick out instruments and note the highs. This is mostly for the highs as there is a lot of information that crosses most XOs.
7. Duke's Place, Ellington and Armstrong. Great striking on the piano, reedy horns and chesty voice. Should be very clear and you should hear the reed on the clarinet. On some speakers, the clarinet will roll off and the trumpet harshness could kill small animals. Listen for equality in instruments. The Duke is whistling his esses due to over-miking. This one is on the edge of bright with a touch of harshness.
8. Drum test. Turn this one up. Good speakers will really sound like drums. Does the high hat sound like a high hat or running water? Good speakers get solid hits. Wooden or plastic tips?
)
9. Monty Alexander/Ray Brown - piano piece. Pianos are one of the hardest instruments to get natural on recordings. The challenge is probably more in the recording than in playback. It is e hard to convey a crisp strike on the strings. Many piano recordings give up with a slightly mushy sound that sounds ok on most systems. This one is pretty good. Wish I had a better one.
10. Get Happy - Ray Brown, basses only. I think this is from Bass Masters live at Starbuck's Seattle. Listen for separation of similar instruments. It is very clean plucking on good speakers and total mush on bad. Will sound odd on smaller speakers because so much of the info is below 100Hz. Clicking noises are in this live track.
These next ten are just to have close at hand, may use or not.
11. Jersey Girl - Holly Cole
12. Looking for the heart of Sat night - Holly Cole
Not sure how they tuned the bass down on these, but fun.
13. BOTW - Eva C.
14. At Last - Eva C.
Eva is over miked as usual on both of these. “At Last” has lots of guitar dynamics.
15. I Love being here with you – Krall. Figure out who is moaning.
16. Money - Pink Floyd 1990s CD version. I hope someone brings the better SACD version.
17. Witch is Dead – Tierney Sutton - as in ding dong . . .
18. No Moon at All - Doreen Smith: single miked. Love the bass rifs.
19. A4 Early Music harmonics – lots of hidden info on this one. Listen for placement and separation of voices.
20. Image test with the hooting and drums. You are placed at the front of a church and a group of players come down the isle and walk clockwise around you. Used out of phase mics to get the behind you feeling. Must be I the sweet spot to get this one.
Good luck and have fun!
