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Thread: Acoustic Alchemy

  1. #1
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days

    Posts: 4,779
    I'm Shaun.

    Default Acoustic Alchemy

    Look, I know a lot of people think this band produce nothing more than garden centre music but I have just had a bit of a session listening to some of their stuff and love the album 'This Way'. Track four which is apparently called 'Slampop' is like a very gentle feeling of happiness from my youth whilst cycling in the lanes of Lincolnshire on a hot breezy summer day. Yeah I know, poetical shit but this is just what it reminds me of. This CD is way more up to date than some of their stuff and although it sounds very clean and quantised I just love the feeling this music invokes.

    Whilst listening to this today I tried out the old ultralinear/triode swapping thing again. Ultralinear has a more airy spacious feeling of lightness and involvement with a much better sense of timing but the stereo image is very definitely more 2D whereas triode mode engulfs the whole room in a huge swirl of sounds and effects. Triode mode though does sound more dry and less airy and sparkly. I guess it is good to have both options but as with options they usually succeed to confuse.

    Altogether, a really nice experience which would have been so much better had it been early spring. Such is the mood of this album.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Sep 2014

    Location: Northern Ireland

    Posts: 1,403
    I'm John.

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    I used to have an early album that came free with Hifi News, I think, and I loved it. It has got lost in the passage of the last twenty odd years though

    The CD was printed dark blue on the label side if I remember correctly.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days

    Posts: 4,779
    I'm Shaun.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnJo View Post
    I used to have an early album that came free with Hifi News, I think, and I loved it. It has got lost in the passage of the last twenty odd years though

    The CD was printed dark blue on the label side if I remember correctly.
    I guess John that your reference to blue could mean the album 'Blue Chip' sometime back in the 80's. I know back then that the band got a rough time of things because their recordings were used as hi-fi demo discs but the quality of their playing has always been of an extremely high standard. One of the band died a few years back and was replaced by Miles Gilderdale who supports the other original members but the quality of their sound is exemplary. I love the 'air' and the 'space' of their recordings with the overall feel being so chilled out and relaxing. Next to new age chillout music I love the sounds of Acoustic Alchemy a lot. Yes, it all may sound better from Spendor's but hey, I'd rather have what I have.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: North East

    Posts: 3,670
    I'm Steve.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haselsh1 View Post
    Look, I know a lot of people think this band produce nothing more than garden centre music but I have just had a bit of a session listening to some of their stuff and love the album 'This Way'. Track four which is apparently called 'Slampop' is like a very gentle feeling of happiness from my youth whilst cycling in the lanes of Lincolnshire on a hot breezy summer day. Yeah I know, poetical shit but this is just what it reminds me of. This CD is way more up to date than some of their stuff and although it sounds very clean and quantised I just love the feeling this music invokes.

    Whilst listening to this today I tried out the old ultralinear/triode swapping thing again. Ultralinear has a more airy spacious feeling of lightness and involvement with a much better sense of timing but the stereo image is very definitely more 2D whereas triode mode engulfs the whole room in a huge swirl of sounds and effects. Triode mode though does sound more dry and less airy and sparkly. I guess it is good to have both options but as with options they usually succeed to confuse.

    Altogether, a really nice experience which would have been so much better had it been early spring. Such is the mood of this album.
    I love em.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jun 2012

    Location: Liverpool, UK

    Posts: 343
    I'm fabulous.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haselsh1 View Post
    I guess John that your reference to blue could mean the album 'Blue Chip' sometime back in the 80's.
    It was the album (or at least tracks of) Blue Chip... I remember as it was my introduction to the group when they were used as hi-fi reviews.
    Whilst I have pretty much own their discography, my all time favourite still has to be Reference Point. I know their version of Take Five so well that its always a track I use for auditioning new equipment!
    https://www.discogs.com/Acoustic-Alc...elease/3494394


    I went through a stage of just buying pretty much that came out on GRP records (owned by Dave Grusin) during late 80s early 90s
    lossless > Raspberry PI-3b+ > allo Boss > Van Damme Purple interconnect >
    Myryad Z210 CD Player > Chord Chameleon Silver+ interconnect >

    into Magnum IA170 amplifier > Van Damme Blue 4mm cable > Mission 752 Freedom Floorstanders
    Headphones: Audio Technica ATH-AD700 Open-back



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