Live band vs. audio playback

[magiccarpetride]

Just returned from my break. Witnessed firemen brass band on the street corner performing in full swing. I stood about 15 feet away from the band, and went almost deaf! The blaring of the horns was scary.

Got me thinking -- there's no chance in hell that an audio system, ANY audio system, could come even close to reproducing the liveliness and the excitement of that sound.

No?

[markf]

It might not get close to reproducing the liveliness and the excitement of that sound,
but if it gets the timing right then that's all we really want ....right?

[dave2010]

I'm very inclined to agree, though some systems may actually go louder. Louder /= better though, despite what many young people seem to think.

I heard once of a very large speaker system (multi) used at an arena for a pop concert - probably Wembley (UK). A bird passed close to one of the speaker arrays, and unfortunately (for it) the drummer just tapped one of his drums. The bird disintegrated. I wasn't there, but a friend told me he'd seen this.

I doubt that your band would have killed the bird.

[dave2010]

It might not get close to reproducing the liveliness and the excitement of that sound,
but if it gets the timing right then that's all we really want ....right?

No!

We want the excitement of the sound of the real band. Maybe not want it indoors though, though another of my friends had a brass band in his dining room on one of his significant birthdays. Bit of a squeeze, and it was loud, though the audience couldn't get into the room.

[magiccarpetride]

It might not get close to reproducing the liveliness and the excitement of that sound,
but if it gets the timing right then that's all we really want ....right?

For the money... yes

[John]

We never going to get a 100% realistic live sound its about the illusion of this
Anout 60% of the time I actually perfer the sound of my own system to what I hear but when i hear really great live sound it just makes realise that this is just chasing shadows

[Clive]

Hi-Fi is about illusion. Imagine if you listened to grand piano in a 12fit x 18ft room. I don't have have to imagine, I've heard this, it's unbearable. Hi-Fi and recordings have to make music work in an environment totally unlike the real thing.

[Barry]

Hi-Fi is about illusion. Imagine if you listened to grand piano in a 12fit x 18ft room. I don't have have to imagine, I've heard this, it's unbearable. Hi-Fi and recordings have to make music work in an environment totally unlike the real thing.

If your system makes a concert grand piano, being played in a large concert hall, sound as if it's being played in your 12' x 18' room, then something is very wrong!

People who say "it's just like (insert artist's name) was playing between the speakers in my room", have got it wrong. It shouldn't sound as if they are in your room at all, it should sound as if you have been transported to their performance venue (even if that's a studio).

Regards

[UV101]

People who say "it's just like (insert artist's name) was playing between the speakers in my room", have got it wrong. It shouldn't sound as if they are in your room at all,

I've used that phrase several times! What I really meant was

it should sound as if you have been transported to their performance venue (even if that's a studio).

Never thought about it like that but cannot agree more!

[Barry]

I've used that phrase several times! What I really meant was



Never thought about it like that but cannot agree more!

To be fair, you usually have to listen with eyes closed, or in very subdued light to create the illusion.

Going back to the original post, there are very few systems that can capture the sheer dynamics and 'air' of a brass band played outdoors. Same goes for a barrel organ - you can hear one streets away and just know that it is the genuine article, and not a recording being played.

Regards