Gordon Steadman
07-06-2013, 11:55
I decided that I needed some music in the workshop. I am a woodturner now and my main occupation is making dust. This means that anything within the confines of the workshop tends to clog up pretty quickly.
When I was after some old record players to break for parts, one of them was a Fidelity horror. The speakers are typical of their time. 8"x5" paper cones in a cardboard box with a back that probably touches the sides in at least one place, sort of distributed port sort of thing.
A kind friend donated a Sony AV system some time ago which had four dinky little square thingies and a Sub. It sounded so horrible that I promptly sent it to the loft.
So, last evening, I connected the Fidelity boxes to the Sony and played a CD. And I listened..........what??? The bass was a little er... thin, so I dragged the Sony sub down from the loft and blow me down, I actually enjoyed listening to this 'rubbish' For a workshop system, more than adequate.
I wonder why it sounds so good, lets face it, it should be bloody awful. I guess its the immediacy. Very efficient paper cones seem to make for a lively, dare I say, musical, sound. Compared with all my accurate, heavily doped bextrene speakers (like KEFs), I wouldn't say its better by any means but it sure is different. Does it actually matter if its accurate if it means I enjoy the music? I wonder if this is the secret behind all those loving older speakers and horns especially. Its very in yer face.
I don't expect this system to replace my OTL/57's any day now but my time in the workshop will be fun. Must remember not to jump up and down when turning. Stuff is supposed to be round.
When I was after some old record players to break for parts, one of them was a Fidelity horror. The speakers are typical of their time. 8"x5" paper cones in a cardboard box with a back that probably touches the sides in at least one place, sort of distributed port sort of thing.
A kind friend donated a Sony AV system some time ago which had four dinky little square thingies and a Sub. It sounded so horrible that I promptly sent it to the loft.
So, last evening, I connected the Fidelity boxes to the Sony and played a CD. And I listened..........what??? The bass was a little er... thin, so I dragged the Sony sub down from the loft and blow me down, I actually enjoyed listening to this 'rubbish' For a workshop system, more than adequate.
I wonder why it sounds so good, lets face it, it should be bloody awful. I guess its the immediacy. Very efficient paper cones seem to make for a lively, dare I say, musical, sound. Compared with all my accurate, heavily doped bextrene speakers (like KEFs), I wouldn't say its better by any means but it sure is different. Does it actually matter if its accurate if it means I enjoy the music? I wonder if this is the secret behind all those loving older speakers and horns especially. Its very in yer face.
I don't expect this system to replace my OTL/57's any day now but my time in the workshop will be fun. Must remember not to jump up and down when turning. Stuff is supposed to be round.