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Denver, 5:01 AM
Sat Nov 21
50 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/19/09
11/19/09
Money problems and a $90 price tag are keeping me away from that sort of money sink.
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Still, that's a pretty awsome LE. I just picked up Bioshock for PS3 in preparation for the sequel. I haven't played it yet, but I've already finished the 360 version. While not the best FPS out there, the one thing Bioshock has is a great art style. It's a very consistent and realized world, and this LE seems to promote that unique styling.
But I gotta say, as much as I'd like to get this, I just can't see myself spending $100 on it. That's $40 that could easily go towards the myriad of other games being released around the same time...
11/19/09
I've never bought a game on the day it came out - I'm the guy who waits a year to save twenty bucks. But I am buying this the minute it drops.
11/19/09
And good for you for listening to some oldies. There's some great stuff out there, I'm sure.
#speakup
11/19/09
Oh how I wish Fallout 3 would have had an LP of the soundtrack with their special edition...
11/19/09
....damn me and my soulless, consumer whore lusts!
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...I still want this though, but having bought a buttload of CE's over the years that are doing nothing now but collecting dust in my closet, I dunno....
11/19/09
that is, if its released in the UK
11/19/09
This is almost worth it for me just for the rare vinyl.
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11/19/09
Any other audio geeks around here?
11/19/09
I spent the summer searching garage sales for new speakers, but didn't find any I wanted. Right now I'm using a pair of Bose 4001 speakers. I had a Pioneer amp just sitting in my basement that had a phono input.
11/19/09
Hate to take it out on you but this is a chip on my shoulder.
You do realize that when CDs and records (and video game soundtracks) are recorded, mixed, and mastered that:
a: It is with average consumer-grade playback equipment in mind (in fact some of our most popular monitors, the Yamaha NS10s and the Meyer HD1s were created to translate well to bookshelf speakers).
b: your system is possibly capable of reproducing frequencies in a "hi fidelity" way that the mixing and mastering engineers' systems are not, so you are actually getting the final product different than as it was intended by the artist and engineers.
c: any color that your equipment imparts into the mix is also detrimental from the vision of the artists and engineers, (you can expect that a boombox adds low end, no audio engineer in his/her right mind cares what happens when their mixes are run through "Wolfdales".
Not to mention that the factor of reduction of sonic "impurities" and "noise" that a system like you is designed to handle is far far far below the threshold of human hearing. Any difference that you hear when you switch out preamps is either a result of psychology or obnoxious color that "high-end" gear manufacturers add to their circuits to make you think that what you're hearing is better (bose anyone).
Get yourself a pair of mid-cost active professional studio monitors and any CD player and you will hear a more accurate reproduction of the music, guaranteed. And you'll save a lot of money.
11/19/09
Start with a nice old Marantz or Pioneer receiver, ditto for turntable. The heavier, the better. Replace the beat up, worn old cartridge immediately, and learn how to calibrate the tonearm.- you can grab decent heads for not too much at a local guitar center- try a shure m44-7, good for general use, they aren't too expensive and are readily available. Replace the belt if necessary, and only play very nice, clean records. Don't look for records at the thrift store, you will usually only find some crap christmas records and scratched up big band & polka junk. Head to your towns used record store if you have one, and find some clean copies of music you like. Bam! Now tell me that does not sound leagues above some mp3s on an iPod.
11/19/09
[quote]You do realize that when CDs and records (and video game soundtracks) are recorded, mixed, and mastered that:
a: It is with average consumer-grade playback equipment in mind (in fact some of our most popular monitors, the Yamaha NS10s and the Meyer HD1s were created to translate well to bookshelf speakers).[/quote]
This is unfortunately true, but was not always the case. Things were not always so highly compressed or compromised; Do you think Rudy Van Gelder's Blue Note work was done with any other goal that the most faithful, high-fidelity reproduction possible?
[quote]b: your system is possibly capable of reproducing frequencies in a "hi fidelity" way that the mixing and mastering engineers' systems are not, so you are actually getting the final product different than as it was intended by the artist and engineers.[/quote]
This maybe true if I was listening to Creed or Kanye West or some other popular contemporary recording, which is surely mastered to sound "good" on an ipod, a car stereo, in a club, or a typical off the shelf bookshelf system. My current system is used to enjoy mostly late 50s jazz and early 70s prog rock.
[quote]c: any color that your equipment imparts into the mix is also detrimental from the vision of the artists and engineers, (you can expect that a boombox adds low end, no audio engineer in his/her right mind cares what happens when their mixes are run through "Wolfdales".[/quote]
Your first statement is true, and my goal has always been to minimize this. Hence engaging the tone circuit bypass on my preamp, for example. And careful speaker placement, as well as the use of rugs and drapes. I loathe looking at someones receiver, and seeing "bass" and "treble" turned all the way up because it "sounds better"- although with today's music, it probably does.
[quote]Not to mention that the factor of reduction of sonic "impurities" and "noise" that a system like you is designed to handle is far far far below the threshold of human hearing. Any difference that you hear when you switch out preamps is either a result of psychology or obnoxious color that "high-end" gear manufacturers add to their circuits to make you think that what you're hearing is better (bose anyone).[/quote]
How about hearing the relative lack of false "color" when switching to a "cleaner" component? I certainly do agree with the threshold/psychology bit however, the worst example of this is in the true "high end" realm, particularly with cables/speaker wire. In my case however, over time and on a tight budget, I have put together a very capable and to my ears, wonderful sounding audio system for <$600. (have an older NAD cd player in there too, for guests.)
Active studio monitors will be used with my PC when fiddling with home recordings, but not in my parlour, where I do enjoy my subjective opinion.
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11/19/09
Probably going to be the first SE I've ever bought too.
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