I've just recently started following the Korg threads & have been getting used to a new playback system before listening to the comp. I've not been overly impressed with the move to 24/96 mastering, especially considering the extra work, effort and signal processing that goes into it. Thanks to Carl and Nick for going through the effort of putting this together. I know it's not always easy to find two tracks that tell the whole story.
Samples 1 & 2I thought the differences between Samples 1 & 2 were more noticeable than what Carl talked about. I thought the treble in Sample 1 was too much, to the point of ear fatigue. Even with the extra treble, I thought the recording sounded closed in and a little ragged / incoherent.
Sample 2 definitely had a softer treble compared to Sample 1. It might have been a little too soft for my ears. Through the midrange though...especially the lower midrange...Sample 2 lacked proper definition and the speed required to propel the music along. Sample 2 had the most bass, but it sounded bloated and sluggish on my system. I preferred Sample 2 for overall listenability, but I thought both samples had flaws. Thanks for the rig synergy comp, even though it proves absolutely nothing
. It's good to hear two different rigs side by side. Personally, I like measuring performance vs. investment dollars.
Samples 3 & 4The midrange opened up and the bass was no longer bloated (in comparison to Sample 2). Sample 3 was more coherent than Sample 2, allowing the music to flow more naturally. The bass was not as strong as with Sample 2, but it seemed adequate. The clearer low end provided a better since of pace and timing and a higher degree of transparency.
Sample 4 was notably better than the other samples on my system. Yes, I preferred the Korg by itself. It became apparent after listening for only two or three minutes. I liked Sample 4 best for a couple reasons. First...Overall Clarity. The treble has a nice airy extension to it without being overly aggressive. The midrange opened up even further and the sense of space around the instruments was elevated. I also thought the bass was slightly better than Sample 3 recording as well. Second...Dynamics. I thought the Sample 4 recording handled the band at its loudest better than the other samples. When the whole band came in at the end of Playin', the sound was big, open, not too bright and not falling apart. Additionally, I thought Sample 4 had a slightly better sound stage. Overall, it sounded like the stand was a little closer to the stage for Sample 4. I'd also like to add that Sample 4 was the only one that gave me any sort of goosebumps. There's a good technical measurement.
I'm looking forward to hearing more comps out of Camp Korg. I preferred the recordings in the following order for overall sound quality...Sample 4 > Sample 3 > Sample 2 > Sample 1. I listened to the samples four or five times over the course of two days. I was listening on a 30 wpc Mastersound Compact 845, Sonist Concerto 2 stand mounts, an Exposure 3010 CD player with various ICs and PCs from GutWire and Atlas.
Thanks for the comp,
Chris