Does Classical Music Listening Require A Large Room?

[kfr01]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Hmmmm....... thinking an MEN220 might be the alternative.

Yes, although, I think passive treatments should be made in addition to any active help.

[AndyPandy]

Hi Randy

I'd suggest getting an acoustician over to measure your listening room and Rx targeted intervention for any room nodes/anomalies. I tend to avoid broadband absorbers/diffusers in the absence of empirical evidence. Abit like gardening with a shovel: you'll get the weeds but you might get a few flowers as well.

Your system is lovely and very revealing. I cannot imagine it will be your system. Having said that: IMHE Classical is the hardest genre to get to sound good: especially large scale orchestral with mass strings.

You also have a different listening experience with classical - it is (and should be) a 10 row back experience: and no, no system I have ever heard replicates an orchestra in your room. The best you can get is the gestalt. Of course some gestalt is better than other gestalt.

For me, timbral accuracy, transient speed and texture are the important factors. If I can get some weight with it all the better.

In any event: how is it coming along?

[chessman]

Hey Andy,

I have been searching for an acoustician for a couple of years. I will probably do a MATT test with ASC in the near future. Frankly, after 6 tube traps (11's and 16's) and a number of acoustic panels, I do not think there is much to do beyond deal with the low ceiling.

I spent 5 hours zeroing in the speakers using the WASP method with a trained tech and the imagining is razor sharp and devoid of boundary effect. I have no doubt someone like Metaphacts could make it better, but it ain't bad now.

It is probably an expectations problem. I am used to a "front row" experience with most of what I listen to. But as Serge pointed out, these pieces are recorded to be more of a 10-15 rows back experience. Also, I probably do not play them loud enough. I tend to be a 70-75 dB guy, which is probably too low for a full orchestra that has been unleashed.

It makes no sense that it would be a room or hardware problem when every other genre sounds great. It is probably me. I will find something that is acclaimed as a great CD recording and try it on my system (Lord, let it be Bach or Tchaikovsky )

[AndyPandy]

Ahhhh yes Orchestral I listen to at 80 db with peaks in the mid 90's, much like live. Well 5 db down probably.

Agree it isn't your room or gear. Mind you I am a big fan of RPG diffusion panels. Good science.

Oh and you don't really get imaging with Classical.

Happy hi fi

[chessman]

Well, this is pretty embarrassing. Per Andy's suggestion, I turned the volume up beyond my usual mark and suddenly my concert hall appeared. And as Kal remarked, the perceived depth of sound stage is more a direction than the violinist is right "there."

I guess the lesson is to forget preconceived notions of volume settings and instead listen to the particular recording at hand at whatever your ears tell you is optimum. DUH.

[AndyPandy]

Ahhh excellent: great when you find a simple solution. FWIW I find Classical is mastered alot less "hot" than other genre's. I'm always adjusting the volume - mind you I'm with Peter Walker: every tune has an optimum volume that it should be listen to at.

[kfr01]

Originally Posted by chessman

Well, this is pretty embarrassing. Per Andy's suggestion, I turned the volume up beyond my usual mark and suddenly my concert hall appeared. And as Kal remarked, the perceived depth of sound stage is more a direction than the violinist is right "there."

I guess the lesson is to forget preconceived notions of volume settings and instead listen to the particular recording at hand at whatever your ears tell you is optimum. DUH.

+1!

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by chessman

Well, this is pretty embarrassing. Per Andy's suggestion, I turned the volume up beyond my usual mark and suddenly my concert hall appeared. And as Kal remarked, the perceived depth of sound stage is more a direction than the violinist is right "there."

Bingo! The violinist is right "there" is an option for the recordist but one not universally implemented. Try some of the Heifetz Living Stereo SACDs for that.

I guess the lesson is to forget preconceived notions of volume settings and instead listen to the particular recording at hand at whatever your ears tell you is optimum. DUH.

Duh.

Originally Posted by AndyPandy

Ahhh excellent: great when you find a simple solution. FWIW I find Classical is mastered alot less "hot" than other genre's.

And that's a good thing.