Topic: what would you compare nbox sound to?

[Brian Skalinder]

I am glad you were able to listen to the FL Brian.  Where are your Vegoose tapes posted so I might listen?  I am also curious what your playback is.  I am as interested in sonic details as you.

I didn't tape Vegoose, unfortunately.  My current playback gear:

[1] (primary)
PC >
WaveTerminal 2496 digi-out >
Bel Canto DAC 1.1 >
Audio Experiences Symphonies >
McCormack DNA-1 >
Von Schweikert VR-1

OR

[2] (secondary)
PC >
WaveTerminal 2496 digi-out >
Bel Canto DAC 1.1 >
AKG K-501 headphones

Though I sometimes miss...

[3] (alternate)
PC >
WaveTerminal 2496 digi-out >
Bel Canto DAC 1.1 >
McCormack DNA-1 >
Magnepan MMG + Pinnacle BabyBoomer

[gngrbrdman13]

First off how do I do that thing where you get the quote from the other person in purple?

Secondly, I apologize Mr. Skalinder for dragging my ass and my gear across the country to tape the Vegoose festival (in your absense) so people such as yourself might have an opportunity to hear what they were not present for or did not want to drag their gear out for.  I feel really bad that I returned with such an awful representation of the artists I recorded.  Secretly I am sure that my tapes will be frequently played on your system.  Funny that so many other folks who have heard my tapes from the fest like them.  I believe that you have some superhuman 'doglike' hearing which enables you to hear frequencies the rest of the human population cannot.  Maybe this is something you can turn into a comic superhero or something. 

SUPERAUDIOPHILE "able to hear spitty nbox recordings in a single playback."  You could talk like an English butler, ya know the snobby type.  Try it, say this with an english accent....'Sir that recording is quite spitty'  or 'turn that spitty tape down'  or 'I need to sit from the fatigue of those spitty recordings'
I agree that describing the nuances of sound is difficult but 'spitty' is how my YZ80 performed with the wrong gas/oil mix, it is not a term used in audio description. 

The truth really is that no rig is perfect for every recording situation.  Some are more adaptable than others however.  The other point to make is that everything is colored.  From what we record with to what we playback on.  Perhaps the 'integration b/t the HF and mids on your VR-1s isnt so hot.  I doubt it knowing the Von Schweikerts reputation (I run the VR3s myself) however I have never heard VR1s. 

It is good to know that there are people out there who are better than me like yourself.  I need role models too.

I believe that I will travel to your city so that we can make some tapes together on the same stand and get the tapes out and let the masses decide.  Whattayasay?  Lets have some fun, isnt that why we do this anyways?

Happy taping.  Drive as fast as you can.

dd

[BC]

well what's the main thing you hate about the shit room tapes?  148 > mod sbm isn't light on the low end

the tendency of the dpas to pick up every damn thing. gear behind them is only gonna do so much.

If you are eating crappy McDonald's, I don't think the best way to make it taste better is to scrape off your taste buds.  

But seriously, I think most crappy venues sound bad predominantly due to boominess. A little low cut can make a lot of recordings sound more clear and defined. Personally I have just accepted that when the show sounds like crap the tape will reflect that, but it is a very REALISTIC crappy tape!      To be honest there is something to be said for that, especially if you are listening on a decent system, the realism will really take you back to being right in the show and that particular venue.

Might want to try XY in crappy venues too, I think running coincident cleans things up a bit. That is my normal config for small/medium clubs and theaters.

BC




 

[BC]

First off how do I do that thing where you get the quote from the other person in purple?

click on the "quote" button on the message you want to quote.

Take it easy, Brian is just being honest about how he thinks that gear sounds, don't take it as a personal knock on your rig or tapes.

[gngrbrdman13]

First off how do I do that thing where you get the quote from the other person in purple?

click on the "quote" button on the message you want to quote.

Take it easy, Brian is just being honest about how he thinks that gear sounds, don't take it as a personal knock on your rig or tapes.

Thanks!! Now I know how to quote.  Did you eat Mickey Ds today.  Who wants to go to Dees diner. 

[F.O.Bean]

marc, you know you're never selling the 4022s

  yeah, probably right. I do this every time I run into a few bad sound situations in the row, then things break right and the rig pulls a stunner....happens every time.

hell I want you to sell them.  I would then kick back with a beer and watch the entertaining posts fly as you enter into the inevitable love/hate relationship you have with every new piece of gear

 

who, marc?

[gngrbrdman13]

I think its funny that you guys take away my tickets but dont have an internet penis large enough to say who you are.  For the people that are giving my tickets back.  If you support what I am saying.  Please take them away instead.

[Brian Skalinder]

Secondly, I apologize Mr. Skalinder for dragging my ass and my gear across the country to tape the Vegoose festival (in your absense) so people such as yourself might have an opportunity to hear what they were not present for or did not want to drag their gear out for.

Apparently, I've struck, a nerve - but I'm not sure exactly how.  At no point did I suggest I was ungrateful for your schlepping gear across the country to record and distribute your recordings.  On the contrary - I'm thankful for all tapers willing to do so.

I feel really bad that I returned with such an awful representation of the artists I recorded.

I never suggested your recordings provide an awful representation of the musicians you recorded. 

Secretly I am sure that my tapes will be frequently played on your system.  Funny that so many other folks who have heard my tapes from the fest like them.

Whether or not I'll frequently play your recordings, I don't know - to be honest, I haven't even really followed who played at Vegoose - but if I do play your recordings, I feel no need to do so secretly.  I have not suggested I ddo like your recordings, I simply stated the sonic characteristics I hear in the NBox - including those you made at Vegoose.  Nothing more.  The NBox is a good piece of gear, and makes excellent recordings.  But I happen to prefer different gear for my own recording.  That is all, nothing more.

I believe that you have some superhuman 'doglike' hearing which enables you to hear frequencies the rest of the human population cannot.  Maybe this is something you can turn into a comic superhero or something.

Now that's funny!  I don't have superhuman 'doglike' hearing.  My hearing is better than some, and not as good as others - nothing unusual, IMO.

SUPERAUDIOPHILE "able to hear spitty nbox recordings in a single playback."  You could talk like an English butler, ya know the snobby type.  Try it, say this with an english accent....'Sir that recording is quite spitty'  or 'turn that spitty tape down'  or 'I need to sit from the fatigue of those spitty recordings'
I agree that describing the nuances of sound is difficult but 'spitty' is how my YZ80 performed with the wrong gas/oil mix, it is not a term used in audio description.

Forgive me for not using an audio descriptor of which you approve.    I tried my best to communicate the sonic characteristics I hear in the NBox.  If you don't agree with my opinion, or care for the words I use in my attempt at translation, suit yourself.  But I see no reason why you should take it so personally.  I've considered attempting to re-phrase my thoughts on the NBox, but given your latest response I have zero confidence you'll accept, understand, or even acknowledge my further attempts, so I won't waste my time.

The truth really is that no rig is perfect for every recording situation.  Some are more adaptable than others however.  The other point to make is that everything is colored.  From what we record with to what we playback on.

 
Agreed - no piece or combination of gear is perfect for every recording situation, and every piece of gear - both recording and playback - is colored.  As hobbyist audio recordists, we all make compromises in the gear we choose.  Shoot, even professionals with vast arrays of gear have to make compromises.  Not only is no piece or combination of gear perfect for every recording situation, no piece of or combination of gear is perfect for every playback system and set of ears and brain.

Perhaps the 'integration b/t the HF and mids on your VR-1s isnt so hot.  I doubt it knowing the Von Schweikerts reputation (I run the VR3s myself) however I have never heard VR1s.

I don't believe the NBox's sonic characteristics for which I don't care are a function of the VR-1s - I hear the same HF sonic characteristics in NBox recordings whether played on my current system, all my previous speaker-based playback systems with various preamps, amps, and ADCs, several different headphone-based listening setups, and friends' playback gear, too.  Some of the playback systems emphasized certain sonic characteristics of the NBox, others minimized them, but I've heard similar NBox HF characterics with all my playback gear.

It is good to know that there are people out there who are better than me like yourself.  I need role models too.

It seems you've taken my simple statement - my opinion - about the sonic characteristics I hear in the NBox rather personally.  I don't know why, but that seems to be the case given your response.  I did not intend to present my opinion as a personal attack on your or your gear, and don't believe I did so.  But if it came across that way, I apologize.  It's not personal.

I believe that I will travel to your city so that we can make some tapes together on the same stand and get the tapes out and let the masses decide.  Whattayasay?  Lets have some fun, isnt that why we do this anyways?

Feel free to travel to Chicago and we'll run comps.  I'll even buy you a beverage of your choice!     As most here know, I'm always game for gear comparisons.  I just ran a comp last night, actually, that I'll seed shortly:  24-bit V3 v. T+ UA5.  Though we won't be able to compare my Lemosax with the NBox - I've sold it since I just don't stealth often enough to warrant keeping it.  I've done comps with both pieces of gear, and heard plenty of recordings from both, and I stand by my opinion of the NBox's sonic characteristics.  Others may disagree.  Thank goodness we have a variety of gear from which to choose!  Isn't choice grand?  Honestly, I couldn't care less what the masses think of comparisons, your recordings, or my recordings.  I record concerts and perform gear comparisons first and foremost to please myself.  If others like my recordings or find the comparisons useful, that's a bonus, but I don't especially care one way or the other.

FWIW, I've not -T'd you.  I reserve that function only for the most egregious trolls.  Your getting huffed up about my opinion doesn't qualify as irritating enough to break out the dreaded -T.

[ianstone]

First off how do I do that thing where you get the quote from the other person in purple?

Happy taping.  Drive as fast as you can.

dd

DUH you hit the 'quote' button.... u suck at the internets 

[scb]

Secondly, I apologize Mr. Skalinder for dragging my ass and my gear across the country to tape the Vegoose festival (in your absense) so people such as yourself might have an opportunity to hear what they were not present for or did not want to drag their gear out for.  I feel really bad that I returned with such an awful representation of the artists I recorded. 

we're all tapers here.  we all frequently drag gear across the country to make tapes.  we all also happen to hear different things or like/dislike different things about certain pieces of gear.  this is why we all don't run the same thing. 

no one said you suck.  he was simply stating his opinion on the nbox, just like you stated yours about a sonosax. 

i prefer dpas over schoeps.  but that doesn't mean i'll never listen to schoeps.  it just means i'd rather *own* dpas

[Craig T]

I like the NBox for its size and the ability to run actives.  It sounds very good, but in a rough comparison I put together at an Umphrey's show a few months back, I preferred the mk41>tubes>v3 over the mk41>nbox>ad2k.  Both the tubes and nbox rigs were on the same stand.  I also had a mk41>kc5>cmc6>v3 source from a different stand, and I found it to have better high and low extension than the nbox, but sounded thin compared to the nbox and tubes.  Both the nbox and tubes really warmed up the mk41's and improved the midrange.  The tubes had all the mid warmth of the nbox, but slightly better high and low extension.  Now if you compare the size and complexity of the nbox vs. tubes, the nbox wins hands down.  If I was someone who stealthed a lot (or just wanted a simple and small rig), I would definitely try the nbox.

Now its been awhile since I've listened to a Sonosax source, so I'll refrain from making any comparison with the nbox.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I really don't see why some people can't discuss this stuff like adults and have to get all bent out of shape and un-civil.

I'd like to see, on one stand and in same config: cmc6, lemosax and nbox..  I can do mk41>cmc6>722. I know another local taper who can do mk41>lemosax>722.  We just need an nbox and another pair of mk41's around SE michigan to add some more fuel to this fire with more comps.

Whenever I open this thread, I am reminded of an old friend who has all these great shop floor sayings..  He doesn't tape and his hearing is probably pretty bad, but I'm pretty sure he'd say "sounds like a couple of skeletons fucking on a tin roof..."

Now I need to read BrianS's reply..

[gngrbrdman13]

I really don't see why some people can't discuss this stuff like adults and have to get all bent out of shape and un-civil.

to add drama to the forum ya know spice it up a bit

I'd like to see, on one stand and in same config: cmc6, lemosax and nbox.. 

i dont believe the cmc6 is used with a lemosax.

just sayin

[it-goes-to-eleven]

The cmc6 wouldn't be used with the lemosax.

Three rigs:

1. mk41 > nbox > something
2. mk41 > lemosax > something
3. mk41 > cmc6 > something

[Craig T]

yes, but the "something" on the cmc6 wouldn't be the same "something" on the nbox and sax.  cmc6 would require a preamp + a/d, the nbox and sax only the a/d.

I'm with you, though.  Definitely should throw a cmc6 based source in there.

The cmc6 wouldn't be used with the lemosax.

Three rigs:

1. mk41 > nbox > something
2. mk41 > lemosax > something
3. mk41 > cmc6 > something