View Full Version : Small realisation over the hols..
Over at long time friends' place for the Festivities.
He had a Very expensive (by my standards at least) Sound room "installed" a couple years back.
A largish room with a wall sized projection screen, Comfy seatings , 3 pair of the large Marin Logans, a pair of the medium sized ones, a couple of Subs and 4 discrete amps Plus some control gizmo.
No, it's neither intended nor used as a Movie theatre.. he had one of those already.
Point being that in His world.. Music needs visuals.. for best effect.
I now tend to full agreement.
Really Is better/more involving to watch ..and.. listen. Who woulda thought?
What appears on the screen?
'You've been had' :D
Marco.
Quite possibly :-) Not arguing that.
Nonetheless I really did enjoy the experience.
DVDs' as source. Prolly not Audio Weenie approved, seriously good regardless, large sized video.
Presentation plays a Large part methinks
The setup firm has Large (earned) reputation in these parts... they 'know their stuff'.
Room was measured tweaked to provide specific freq responses, successfully imo.
IF.. I had a 'discretionary' 150K$ available, I'd have one installed in a heartbeat ;)
Isnt the problem that most music doesn’t have a DVD? This would be the extreme example of a system that dictated what you "listened" to.
Isnt the problem that most music doesn’t have a DVD? This would be the extreme example of a system that dictated what you "listened" to.
Just select a random TV channel, it's amazing how the visuals seem to match the music.
PaulStewart
04-01-2016, 12:59
This for me is a totally spurious arguement, often put up by those who want to sell you A/V systems or those who don't actually understand music. The beauty of the art lies in the complex interplay of notes, rhythms, timing and textures. Visuals distract you brain from the true beauty of the sound, by using the bran's processing power, on what is our prime information gathering system.
The same is true in the world of still photography, especially photojournalism, where a black and white still image is more poweful than moving footage of the same event, simply cos the cognitive part of mind has greater time to process the information without the distraction on moving visuals.
What about the psychedelic light shows at Pink Floyd concerts? Would people have appreciated the band more if they had not bothered with them? Or did it enhance the experience?
MTV seemed to have some success in providing visuals along with the music.
Can you really listen to something like Wham's 'Last Christmas' without replaying the cheesy video in your head?
Actually the thing that would put me off most with the set-up described in the O/P would be the surround sound. I find that really distracting. 2 speakers only for music, thanks.
Haselsh1
04-01-2016, 15:24
Nah...!
Music is about sensitive emotive powers that make you smile/cry brought on by chord changes and playing ability. Even the tone or texture of an instrument has this effect as I sit here and listen to Stairway To Heaven. I seriously doubt some overpaid idiot with dubious acting skills would have the same effect on me as Entangled or similar with that stupendous Mellotron.
Each to their own of course
Of course if you are talking purely about music DVD's then as the man has stated, you're choice of material is going to be tiny
;)
Techno Commander
04-01-2016, 20:20
Would it not be cheaper/easier just to buy an amp with VU meters? :)
Listening to music DVDs is a different experience to listening to just music.
With a band etc. playing in front of you my mind is on the visuals but the sound seems good even though it is not as good as my stereo.
Listening to stereo with no visuals allows my mind to wonder wherever it chooses - details of the music sometimes but anywhere else too. It's a more dreamy experience.
Haselsh1
07-01-2016, 17:28
Listening to music DVDs is a different experience to listening to just music.
With a band etc. playing in front of you my mind is on the visuals but the sound seems good even though it is not as good as my stereo.
Listening to stereo with no visuals allows my mind to wonder wherever it chooses - details of the music sometimes but anywhere else too. It's a more dreamy experience.
I have so got to agree with Michael on this one. Get the lights switched off and the central heating on and play a really fantastic album with sublime stereo imaging and go to that place no one can describe. It is half way between sleep and hallucinogen. I absolutely love it and as far as I am aware, there is no better way to relax at the end of a difficult week.
The Black Adder
07-01-2016, 18:25
Visuals IMO can ruin the experience of music unless it's ambient music running with obscure video. Ever watched The Wizard of OZ with Pink Floyd's DSOTM playing? - it's good in places but the rest becomes detached. I think naughty shmoke solved that for some.
The best thing I've experienced is mood lighting with music. That was fookin' mental. I went to a top nosh party in London a couple of years ago and they had psychedelic oil projectors and mood lighting all controlled from a desk. Now that was something really special. Apparently the guy who did it used to do the lighting at the Saville theater back in the 60's and 70's.
Audio Advent
07-01-2016, 19:50
What about the psychedelic light shows at Pink Floyd concerts? Would people have appreciated the band more if they had not bothered with them? Or did it enhance the experience?
Enhance the experience or enhance the music? You are enhancing experience as a multisensory thing but you are detracting from the music.. i.e. the music gets less of your attention, much less because most people's brains are wired to pay more attention to visuals.
Audio Advent
07-01-2016, 19:52
there is no better way to relax at the end of a difficult week.
Some subtle use of hallucinogens?
Audio Advent
07-01-2016, 19:55
I agree with Shaun - the best musical experience is in the dark, late at night (I added that bit - less ambient noise). Once you are able to give the sound your full attention, sometimes the music really opens up spacially. I personally find it hard to allow the music to do that with visual distractions of any kind.
Awww C'mon you guys.
No one said ..you.. have to or even should do this.
But the Music 'inna darkened room' arguement seems a wee bit spurious
Reads as : 'Granpa didn't do this'
Dare we say an Elitist viewpoint:)
What's the pleasure/point of a Live performance then ?
Music does have a visual component in the real world.
walpurgis
07-01-2016, 23:45
Some subtle use of hallucinogens?
Whilst being 'entertained' by an interesting female and playing some Floyd.
Neil McCauley
08-01-2016, 11:13
Isnt the problem that most music doesn’t have a DVD? This would be the extreme example of a system that dictated what you "listened" to.
I fully agree.
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