The vinyl illusion ?

[Stratmangler]

Have you ever been in an anechoic chamber?
I have, years ago, for a hearing test, just before starting a course of chemotherapy.
It's quite an odd experience, hearing a sound without any reverberation.

[Marco]

It would nullify the effect of the room though, and thus simply showcase the inherent sonic characteristics of both mics, within of course the constraints of such an environment.

It would be interesting to see though, which one would come out of it best.

Marco.

[Stratmangler]

It would be an OK test if recordings are generally made in anechoic chambers, and that's where it falls down.
Usually they're made in a good sounding room ....

[Arkless Electronics]

Right then. Yes, he's back again...!

Just had a vinyl session listening to Mr Scruff's 'Friendly Bacteria' album and it sounded bloody amazing after all of the other stuff. Really deep low bass with crisp clear high frequencies and a real sense of precision all round. Yes I know, it is almost certainly digital, it is almost certainly Pro Tooled to death with frequency enhancers and aural exciters galore but it sounds bloody fantastic. So, I reckon my biggest problem was with an album that dated from 1973.

The Mr Scruff stuff is mainly composed of vinyl DJ's, drum loops and loads of samples so with that in mind, how do you explain 'The Closest Approach to the Original Sound' as stated by Quad...?

I have two particular favourite tracks on this album and those are Where Am I and Come Find Me.

Brilliant album.

The most accurate reproduction of what's on the recording. Every time this subject is raised people come up with the "but how can you know what was on the recording anyway" and "if it was an electronic instrument did it have a sound in the first place" type arguments and I reject these arguments completely personally.

[RothwellAudio]

Just had a vinyl session listening to Mr Scruff's 'Friendly Bacteria' album and it sounded bloody amazing after all of the other stuff. Really deep low bass with crisp clear high frequencies and a real sense of precision all round. Yes I know, it is almost certainly digital, it is almost certainly Pro Tooled to death with frequency enhancers and aural exciters galore but it sounds bloody fantastic. So, I reckon my biggest problem was with an album that dated from 1973.

The Mr Scruff stuff is mainly composed of vinyl DJ's, drum loops and loads of samples so with that in mind, how do you explain 'The Closest Approach to the Original Sound' as stated by Quad...?

Perhaps Quad should have said "the closest approach to the finished master tape" rather than "...the original sound". But I agree entirely, making something that sounds good is more important than making something that is accurate - at least to me.

It would nullify the effect of the room though, and thus simply showcase the inherent sonic characteristics of both mics, within of course the constraints of such an environment.

One problem with that approach is that the mics wouldn't pick up any off-axis sound. It's the off-axis response of a mic that sorts the men from the boys. A good on-axis response is fairly easy to achieve but then a mic is used in the real world a poor off-axis response can ruin things.

[RothwellAudio]

The most accurate reproduction of what's on the recording. Every time this subject is raised people come up with the "but how can you know what was on the recording anyway" and "if it was an electronic instrument did it have a sound in the first place" type arguments and I reject these arguments completely personally.

Absolutely.

[struth]

I reject your rejection

[Arkless Electronics]

Perhaps Quad should have said "the closest approach to the finished master tape" rather than "...the original sound". But I agree entirely, making something that sounds good is more important than making something that is accurate - at least to me.

One problem with that approach is that the mics wouldn't pick up any off-axis sound. It's the off-axis response of a mic that sorts the men from the boys. A good on-axis response is fairly easy to achieve but then a mic is used in the real world a poor off-axis response can ruin things.

I'm quite the opposite on that one! It must be accurate above all else. I'd pack this in immediately if I ever had thoughts of making stuff sound "nice". The "niceness" should come from the accurate reproduction of the original sound, allowing an open window into the performance. One should therefore be enjoying the performance itself and not the "version of the performance" delivered by a coloured system.

[Arkless Electronics]

I reject your rejection

Fine. I'm not willing to discuss it anyway!

[Stratmangler]

Fine. I'm not willing to discuss it anyway!

But you just have .....