Audeze LCD-5 Headphones

Audeze LCD-5

THE WORLD HAS GONE CRAZY

I love these headphones! But, there seems to be so much hate online about them. Let’s discuss! By that I mean, I will talk and you shall read, please.

THE LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTY AUDIO SOCIETY

In February 2023 I went to an LAOC Audio Society meet at the Audeze factory on SoCal. It was a wonderful experience and I recommend joining the society if your interested in high-end audio events. Visit LAOCAS.com for more info.

After meeting some genius level engineers and employees, I decided it was time to bring some Audeze into my life. Caught up in the excitement of it all, I threw my card down and purchased the flagship model LCD-5! I was very excited to own state of the art headphones from such a well respected company. Did you know the drivers are thinner than a red blood cell? I can’t even wrap my head around how they manufacture this or even more challenging build a durable product with it. But I felt like I was buying something from NASA. State of the Art, indeed!

BREAK IN

A week later the Headphones showed up at my door. There’s plenty of reviews explaining the cool case they come in the high end accessories. I’ll just say it was a very pleasing experiencing.

Plugging them in for the first time, they did not sound right. So I gave them a few hours of break-in and listened again, they were starting to loosen up. I could tell they needed more break-in, but I was impatient, so let’s kick out the jams!

Plugged into my PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium headphone jack, they sound pretty good. Not great just good. After a week or so, I got a little bored and packed them up in the case and stuck them in the corner. I even thought, “should I keep these or sell them?“. But life got busy so I left them for another day.

BEAUTY AND MAGIC REVEALED

Many months later I decided to give them a shot again. This time trying various amps, my portable Oppo HA-2 (sounded good!), the outs on my Universal Apollo interfaces (sounded bad). So I settled on using the PrimaLuna and committing to spending some time with them.

After a couple of weeks, all of a sudden magic was happening. I was delighted and surprised! How could these change so much? Oh well, just enjoy them. Each day they seemed to get better and better.

G.A.S.

Then the old audio itch of curiosity crept in. I’ve been meaning to bring a Balanced headphone amp into my life and these LCD-5s certainly deserved something special.

That’s when things got weird online. I was finding message boards like Head-fi and Reddit, where people were bashing the headphones. Many calling them shouty and unlistenable. Then a small army of EQ fans preaching various EQ techniques to make the LCD-5s tolerable. I strongly choose to not use EQ, it always sounds artificial to me.

So how could this be? So many unsatisfied listeners. My experience is near perfection with the LCD-5s. They do everything I wished in a headphone. Plenty of bass, plenty of clarity. Nothing offensive about the sound. They are so low in distortion that after listening to them and switching to other headphones, I immediately hear flaws in other headphones. Harsh distorted trebles and sloppy bass. Blurry details and lame soundstages. I couldn’t wait to return to the superstar LCD-5s. Back to headphone bliss. Deep satisfying soundstage and imagining.

Sadly, I haven’t been able to find the right balanced amp, yet. No worries though as I am absolutely loving the LCD-5s through the Primaluna. I’m quite happy at the moment and may never need to change.

Some amps I considered: Woo Audio WA22 is top of my list. But their portable amps are also tempting. I recently got to hear the New Woo Tube Mini. It’s awesome and fun! I will get one for travel.

Woo Audio Tube Mini

Because I’ve been to the Schiiter in Old Town Newhall, CA, I regret not buying a Moljnir when they were still in production. Now the Jotenheim seems to be a good option. I was lucky enough to try a bunch of Schiit products. They are a fun company that really does make great products.

Last on my list is the Manley Absolute Headphone amp, Because it’s killer! It’s also pricey, so not today.

I’ll probably just keep using what I already have. It’s very satisfying.

WHY ALL THE HATE?

I felt compelled to blog about these headphones after reading and watching all the haters. I have some crazy explanations for what might be going on.

Humans like distortion. I know I do. I love tube amps and vinyl records. Anyone into digital studio recording knows that “saturation” has been the missing element for good sound. Harmonic distortion can make the perception of bass increased or add a “glow” to midrange and treble. It adds texture and excitement to the sound. Basically, we like broken things. Maybe we just get used to that sound.

Real change takes time to adopt. Perhaps the advancements with the headphones and super low distortion are catching people off guard. Maybe they are used to over hyped bass and treble. Distortion! Maybe these headphone expose flaws in gear that used to be perceived as exciting. Whatever it is, I wish I could invite some haters over to my place to have a listen. Maybe they have heard better sound, but I certainly have not.

POINT BLANK

I love these headphones! Not a new product, but still current and still the flagship. Congratulations to Audeze on their hard work. Pushing the boundaries of what headphones are capable of. I’ll be enjoying these for years to come.

Bogner Helios 50 Head

Are you intrigued by the mythical Marshall amps that dominated rock records for decades? Large black tolex wrapped boxes pictured behind so many guitar legends. Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Paul Kassof, Edward Van Halen, AC/DC, Slayer! From the late 60’s to the 80’s it was the only real rock amp to own. Sure there were other brands, but Marshall was most popular for rock. As the 80’s progressed, players started asking for modifications, usually involving more gain, or a change in tone. All this just added to complexity of choices. How do you find a good Marshall? Do you mod it, if you find a decent one? This concept spawned quite a few amp companies. Instead of hunting down decent Marshalls and taking a chance modifying them, just buy a new amp already capable of high gain tones. Over the years, these great companies started popping up, in the late 80s to early 90s. There was already Mesa Boogie and Randalls, but the real drool worthy amps were, Soldano, VHT, and later Bogner.

Ever since hearing and loving the first Bogner rig on a stage, some time in the mid 90s. I’ve been following Reinhold Bogner’s designs. Waiting to see what I can afford and acquire. Waiting for the right one.

If the Helios didn’t exist, I’d probably be content with the Shiva. As usual, I can’t remember the year, but one Amp Show (Van Nuys, CA), everyone seemed to be making incredible Marshall type amps. End game kind of stuff. Friedman and Metropoulos were releasing outstanding amps that year. Scumback was hitting it out the park with greenback type speakers and cabs. Right down the hall, Bogner had something quietly cooking. Not only did he give the people what they want, he included a variety of his own, useful modifications.

Behold the Helios! Is it a vintage plexi? Yes. Is it a modified hi-gain Marshall? Yes. Can you still get lower gain classic tones? Yes. It’s basically like owning a history book of Marshall tones.

At the time, I was without my VHT rig and need to buy a combo. Instead of a combo, I bought a Bogner 1×12 and the Helios 50 Head. Guess what? it’s awesome together, even if it looks a little funny. (See above) I’ve owned this amp for a few years, I never grow tired of it. It always delivers, always gets the job done.

First thing that strikes you is the aesthetics. Like running into Reinhold himself, the amp has style like no other. The faceplate, is a work of art. Second thing, is the versatility. As you experiment with switches and knobs, its’ obvious this amp will get any tone you can think of. For me, I tend to dial in one channel like Van Halen (of course), but the second channel has kind of a classic JTM 45 type thing going on. Which is basically, my two favorite tones. The Variac switch on the back actually works. Slightly increasing the gain and changing the feel of the amp. The “Bottom” knob, located on the back, is also great, for dialing in whatever type of cab you happen to be using.

I don’t know if anyone else has listed out the the switches, so here’s my quick, cheat-sheet.

From left to right:

  • EQ/11 – Bypasses the Bass, Middle, and Treble tone controls. When, 11 is engaged. Only Presence works.
  • 80/70 – 80’s adds and gain stage, that is obvious in the upper frequencies. Volume drops slightly. 70’s is basic vintage plexi marshall. Both are great.
  • B2/N/B1 – Reinholds mods to the input gain stages. They all become less effective, the more Gain is increased. So, if the gain is maxed out, you will hear no difference. B2 Boost mids and gain, while shelving off some low end. I love this one. N is for Normal. B1, is a light top end increase.
Summing it all up

I love this amp and will probably never part with it. It can recreate any classic tone I ever wanted. It’s far more versatile then it first appears. The more time you spend with it, the more you begin to unravel the beauty hidden within. Burn through the sky with Helios!

Focal Clear Headphones

The honest review you deserve.

From 2017-2019, I had to put my big HiFi rig in storage. I was moving around a lot and didn’t have the room. I love headphones, so I took this as an opportunity to get some new ones. Though, I was very happy with Grado RS-1s, that I’ve had almost 20 years, there have been advancements in headphone designs. So, I decided on a pair of Focal Clears. I’ve owned them for about 3 years, here’s the review.

Full Review!

They sound really good. If you own them, you should feel vindicated with your purchase. However, I still enjoy my Grado RS-1s, too. So, that means, if you don’t own them, you should feel content with what you currently own. Way to go, you the reader! You make excellent choices!

The end.

Not For Mixing or Mastering

All jokes aside, these headphones have a dip in the lower midrange frequencies. Making them sound very clear, lively and present. Unfortunately, that also makes them highly difficult to mix music on. I tried a few times and either resulted in way too much, muddy bass, or not enough. These headphones are best for sitting back and enjoying music. Listening for pleasuring, not a tool for audio work. Focal might disagree with this, because they make a Black/Red version, targeted specifically for studios. Regardless, I’m still a big fan of the company, and these are the best headphones, I’ve ever owned.

PrimaLuna Dialogue HP Integrated Amplifier

Purchased in 2016. Way past the honeymoon phase. Sharing my experiences with the amplifier, good and bad. Primaluna recently replaced this model with the “Evo” series. Due to my current satisfaction, I will not be upgrading.

Why Tubes?

I’ve always wanted to own tube gear for my stereo. Ever since hearing a maxed out Conrad-Johnson system at the Sound Factor (no longer in business) in Encino, CA. It was the early 2000’s, my roommate Bill and I walked in and simply asked, “What’s the big deal with tube electronics?”. We were the type of kids in our 20’s who frequented the store, but couldn’t really afford anything. Still, they treated us well, and fired up a pair of B&W 802s (I think). they were positioned far out into the listening room, waiting for a paying customer to keep their appointment for listening. In the back of the room, they had 2 full racks of gear. One rack all Conrad-Johnson, the other rack was all Krell. Each setup was about $80-100K. I do remember they had flagship Nordost Cables. The owner of the store described the Krell electronics as, “State of the art!”. We were about to have a high-end battle royal. Tube vs Solid State!

What happened next, stayed with me forever. The Conrad-Johnson gear cast holographic images around the room. The resolution was so incredible, that it was as is if little windows of overdubs appeared in space, then disappeared after they completed their task. The sounds were captivating and magical. I couldn’t believe these kinds of aural illusions were possible. Then, they switched over to the Krell system. The sound completely fell apart. No more believable sounds, no more magic imaging. Just sloppy sharp transients and frequencies that were out of synch. We both couldn’t believe how bad it sounded. The sales man helping us, just kind of smiled and shrugged his shoulders saying, “Well, some people like it.” Maybe this was a sales man trick, maybe the Krell had better potential. But, for this example, tubes won. It wasn’t even close. I’ve been chasing that tube dragon ever since.

The Itch To Upgrade

Fast forward to 2016, San Francisco. I moved to the city for a good paying job and was on the hunt for an integrated amp. I accidentally discovered the well respected HiFi store, Audio Vision on California Street! They let me sample a few amps and I wound up taking home an open-boxed Primaluna Dialogue HP Integrated Amp. The truth was, it was more then I wanted to spend, even with the discount. But, at the time, it was the only Primaluna that also had a headphone output. Which was super important for me. So, I took a chance.

When I got home, I was having trouble seting up my speakers and getting the soundstage right. Though the sound quality was already a big improvement for me, something was wrong. Then I realized, while using headphones, the left channel was much louder than the right channel. A balance knob would have remedied this, but the Dialogue HP does not have one. I suspect maybe it was just a tube issue, so I swapped them around. I was never able to fix the issue. Heartbroken, I had to return the amp to the store. This is HEAVY by the way. Carrying it anywhere was a real hassle. But, the store let me exchange it, and for a little more money, I walked out with a new sealed box version. The same one, I still currently am using, and it’s had no issues.

Sound

So, how does it sound? Pretty fantastic. It was giant leap in sound quality for me. I might describe the sound as romantic over analytical. The stock EL34s had a super addictive sparkle on the top end, bass wrapped you in warm blanket, midrange is the famous lush sound you hear everyone mention with tube gear. Kind of standard cliches, but it was finally mine and glorious. The amp is dynamic and powerful. I’ve read separates can be more dynamic, but I can’t imaging why anyone would need that. Classic and Jazz recording’s are lively and realistic. Rock, um, rocks! Really great soundstage. The kind that captivates you regardless of the music genre.

It’s worth mentioning, if you are used to solid state amps, this amp sound comes from around the drivers. It takes a little getting used to. My last couple of solid-state amps had a very direct driver sound, music came from the tweeter shooting straight at you. This tube amp has more of an aura to it. I have no idea how this is technically possible, but that’s how it sounds. Perhaps subtle distortion creates this effect?

Over the years, I often hear the question asked, “What component makes the most difference in your system”? Some people say, Source is everything, others say Speakers are #1 priority. I was in the camp, that believe speakers were probably most important. Until owning this integrated amp. I know believe the amp is most important. What led me to this change in religion? In 2019, I upgrade my 25 year old Mirage speakers with some brand new EgglestonWorks Emma Evo series. Though, I’m very happy with the speakers, they did not make as big of a difference in my system as the Primaluna amp did. There are many other reviews explaining how easy the Primiluna amps are to use, and how they except almost any type of power tube. You can seek those types of reviews. The bottom line for me, is the amp sounds fantastic. I think it would be very costly to upgrade or try to beat it, so I’m staying put. Am I casting Holographic images, did I catch that dragon. Well, no, not yet. There’s more to come regrading that!

P.S. The rarely discussed reality of impedance.

There is a complicated mysterious microcosmos known as impedance. The more I learn, the more I realize it’s greatly misunderstood. Speakers and music swing wildly through different impedance curves. The numbers on your speaks and amp are useless. Experiment and see what sounds best for you. I wound up preferring my amp’s 4ohm tap, regardless of what speaker is plugged in. Perhaps this is what I like about tube electronics, even guitar amps have a way of gripping the speakers better. Do tube amps somehow manage impedance swings differently than solid-state? Maybe its the output transformer? I supposed there will always be unanswered questions. Always more to learn. This hobby will continue.

Why The Music Business Fails

Dear Music Business,

Please stop crying about “Downloads” killing the Music Industry.  There were so many other factors that got us here.  Now, I shall break them down, so everyone can understand.

If you have a short attention span, just read all the stuff in bold.  You’ll get the gist of it.

Part 1: Catalog Resale

This is something no one brings up anymore.  The resale of archived catalogs.  Basically, it’s when Led Zeppelin releases another “Remaster” and everyone goes out and buys it for the third of fourth time.   Only, in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, they weren’t remasters. They were entirely new formats.  Reselling, proven successful music, was vital to music industry.

Once upon a time 45’s were popular. Full Length LPs joined that, when bands started doing more interesting albums.  Think about the early days of Beatles, at first it was just 45 Singles, then over the years, Full Length LPs.  Some may argue, the Industry died back in the 60’s when this was popular.

Some time in the mid to late 60’s, 8-tracks were released for consumers.  Now you could listen to your favorite music in your car, instead of the Radio (which I’ll get to in moment).  Guess what happened?  Everyone went and bought music they already owned, all over again!

Some time in the 70’s, Cassette Tapes hit the market.  Finally, you didn’t have to own five 8-Tracks for one album.  It all fit on one cassette!   Resulting in, you guessed it.  Everyone bought their favorite albums all over again!   Some people would even buy a Vinyl LP for home and Cassettes for the car, if you really loved a particular artist.

The 80’s.  Oh, such a decedent time of deception and greed.  Now we add Compact Discs into the market.  Causing consumers to buy all their music all over again.  But, this time, it took a little more work.  So, lots of shady things went down.  Sony/Philips purchasing record plants and shutting them down.  Labels and Distributors refusing to accept returns of Vinyl LPs from Retailers. But, if you order CD’s,  those are returnable.  These moves are why, seemingly over night, Music stores went from a variety of formats to majority Compact Discs.

But, wait! The late 80’s and early 90’s still had those pesky Cassette Tapes around.  How annoying!  Surely something must be done to make more money.  Most people barely remember this.  But, two formats were introduced and failed. Sony’s Mini-Discs and Phillip’s Digital Audio Cassettes Tapes.  Consumer’s were starting to wise up and were getting tired of buying music from the 70’s, again.  So, those formats faded away.

Now we can purchase Downloads. I look forward to quality improving in this area.  Remember, people are happy to pay for quality.

One final point about Catalogs.  When I was with Giant Records( Warner/Reprise) in the 90’s, they didn’t make money from new artists.  Irving Azoff made all the label’s money from selling The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, and other Classic Rock acts that already had fan bases.  I’m not hating on Irving, he was one of smarter business men, who got ahead regardless of the environmental obstacles.  But, this time period was really when new music faded.  Why pour money into new music, when you could very easily sell old music, again and again?

Part 2: Radio and MTV Dying

I hope I don’t need to explain how important Radio once was.  Radio was huge and the one and only place to discover new music.  Assuming you didn’t have friends handing it to you.  This is why Payola was rampant.  Everyone knew without Radio, your Artist would go nowhere.  It was worth breaking the law to get Airplay.

I’ll leave all the complexities of trying to fit into “radio friendly” formats and genres.  Oh too late, I already started.  This was horrible for artists trying to be different and original.  Labels would lecture them about conforming and fitting in, so they can get radio airplay.  This was a common problem for musicians all through history.  But, back to topic.

Radio dominated for decades.  But through acquisitions and consolidations, It became flavorless.  Stations were limited to what they could play.  Eventually you would hear more commercials than music. It all just got worse and worse until people simply stopped listening.

We have to mention MTV.  There is a reason, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Billy Idol, and many other artist, broke sales records in the 80’s.  Music Television was the reason.  Imagine, if you only had one Cable Station combined with the only Radio Station.  The whole country only watched this one channel.  It was great and terrible all at the same time.  They had so much power.  A good video on MTV would be difference between playing Arenas or playing dive bars(that are actually restaurants).  But, this topic has been beat to death.  MTV changed direction and plays mostly shows about spoiled rich 16 year olds, or pregnant 16 year olds, or whatever is going on there.  The Music Television channel, abandoned music.

These were two fatal blows that would be very difficult to recover from.

Part 3: Internet Is The New Radio

This is when the complaining get’s really annoying.  It’s not a new argument, but worth repeating.  I use to record songs off the Radio onto Cassette Tapes.  That’s right, I stole music off the airwaves.  Friends of mine would lend me Albums on Vinyl or Cassettes and I would make copies.  Oh the Shame!  But, eventually, if the Artist was good enough, I would go to a Store and purchase something of good quality, that I would cherish for ever (or at least about 10 years).

The argument goes like this.  Yes, people have always shared music, but there’s a big difference between your neighbors and giving something to entire planet.  Sounds reasonable enough.  Only one thing, what’s being left out is the power of great music and loyal Fans.  Someone who truly loves an artist is not only happy to purchase music, they are compelled to do so!

When I want to hear a song, I go to YouTube or Spotify.  Just like everyone else on the planet.  But, when I really love something, I go buy it.  I buy it on Vinyl if I can!  So basically, the Internet has replaced Radio’s role.  Really think about this.  The thing the Music Bizz used to bribe and fight for, Radio Airplay, is now being done voluntarily by people, for free.  OH God, that is so horrible.  What are Record Labels going to do with all those Hookers and Drugs?!

Part 4:  New Artist Development

Are Labels prepare to be patient and guide new artists through years of development?  Heck no.   Are Musicians willing to devote their lives to an art form and forge new styles of music.  Heck no.  “Ain’t nobody got time for that”!

This is where the problem lies.  Both sides of the fence are to blame. Musicians and Labels.  Without new products, there’s nothing to sell.  You can only resell the same old thing, so many times.  (I suppose Ovaltine might argue that.)

None of the complaining helps.  What matters is captivating music.  We (consumers) are desperate for it.  Labels can no longer succeed by, brainwashing people through shear repetition of airplay.  We all have to go back to the drawing board and give people something they actually care about!  If people aren’t excited about it, music will continue to fade away into the background.

You deserve a prize for making it this far.  Your reward is this entertaining video about Spider Dog.

It’s Time We Talked About Digital And Analog (Again)

Folks, we need to talk.  When it came to the Digital vs Analog debate, I sided with Digital since the late 1980’s.  After getting back into Vinyl Records a few months ago, my world has been flipped upside down.  I will now bore you with my longest post to date.  Feel free to skip around, and digest what you have time for.

digital-vs-analog

Quick Summery for short attention spans:  It is my experience that in my home, Vinyl is so laughably superior to any Digital playback format I’ve experienced.  Now, I’m forced to explain and ponder why (or how?!) that might be.

Like a classic hero’s tale.  I will now take you on a journey and later return to my origin with new found wisdom and experience. Ready to live happily ever after!  …um, well, maybe.

Section One:  My Personal History or What I believed to be true at the time.

I was born in 1973.  So, I grew up with my parent’s records and record players.  Saw 8-Track tapes scattered around my older cousin’s car.  Recorded LPs to cassettes, so I could play them in my Sony Walkman.  Marveled at the clarity of Compact Discs, which my brother and I fully embraced in the mid 1980’s.

At the time, Compact Discs seemed so much clearer and quieter in the backgrounds.  I could easily hear more details in caparison to my worn out cassette tapes or my my brother’s turntable ( I did not own an actual record player).  After all, hearing more stuff = better, right?  Turns out that was a naive way to look at audio quality, but I went with it.

While attending Berklee in the early 90’s, I had an amazing professor, who seemed like the smartest guy I ever met.  He ran tests comparing early versions of ProTools Digital recordings compared to Analog Tape.  His conclusion was, “Using the same sources, there is no difference between Digital and Analog recordings”.  He went on to explain, any differences we thought we were hearing were caused by differences in gear.  EQ or compression changes depending on what was used.   Meaning, one studio’s mic preamp can sound different than the other studio’s Neve console.  Because I admired and respected this particular teacher so much, and he wrote books about this, I believed this to be scientifically proven truth.  Hence, why I’ve sided with digital ever since.

Section Two: Beginning of the Downfall or My Loss in Interest of Sound.

Lately, I’ve been wondering why I don’t enjoy music.   Is it my age?  Is it lack of good or inspiring new music?  Is it a lack of peer pressure?  Maybe I listen to iTunes too much.  This made me trace my steps.

Let’s go back to the mid to late 1980’s.  My Brother owned the only CD player in the house.  He always had the better stereo.  I was fascinated with the clarity, but I did notice some new music was sounding very thin.  For example, I was very exited to purchase Robert Plant’s Now And Zen.  It was one of the first recordings I owned that claimed to be completely Digital.  Meaning Recorded to Digital Machines, Mastered on Digital equipment and released on a Digital Compact Disc.  DDD!  It sound very bright in the treble frequencies and very weak in the bass frequencies.  In fact, this was my experience with most CDs purchased in the 80’s.  They all sounded trebly and thin.  But, I still marveled at the clarity.  It seems silly now to think, I judged music on how quiet the silence was.

But, the truth was, I simply was not enjoying music in the same way.  It became analytical for me.  I would listen more to learn things about players or song writers than I would be actually enjoying the music.  Seems obvious in hindsight, but I barely realized it at the time.  This was most of the 1990s for me.  Only listing because I wanted to learn or analyze.  Not particularly enjoying anything.

For some reason, I’ve been thinking about enjoying music in the early 1980s when radio stations still played music.  (that was a shot at too many commercials).  Some new rock releases sounded so fresh and exciting to me.  The actual productions sounded advanced and new.  The Cars debut and some Billy Squire comes to mind.  Why does that stuff sound old now?  I mean, the production sounds crummy.  In fact, most music older than 20 years sounds pretty bad.  Did it sound this way when it was released?  I will revisit this, because I think it’s important.

Section Three:  Apple’s iPod

2001.  Boy, did I love the iPod!  Every musician I knew did.  Especially the ones that travelled a lot.  For the first time you could have your entire music collection in your pocket!  Putting one of these on shuffle was like a Juke Box of your life.  It was very exciting.  Also, I preferred WAV files or Apple Lossless formats.  So, I didn’t care much that MP3s and AAC files sounded worse.  I just chose not to listen to them.  I believe the iPod killed off CDs, not The Internet, yet.  Who wanted to look at ugly CDs anymore?  No one certainly wanted to carry around books of CDs on airplanes.  iPods made it all easier and more attractive to streamline your music library.  Also, through my first pair of Grado SR-125 Headphones, it sounded better than my Stereo.  One which I poured a lot of money into.  Attempting to get better sound, or closer to the music.

Once we all accepted Digital Formats that were Files not CDs, it only made sense to share them online.  This is why to this Day, Youtube is the worlds biggest music library.  It’s truly an amazing time, to have the history of music, seconds away from your searching fingers.

But, still, I rarely felt excited  or inspired by music.  As a musician, this was and still is depressing.  Which brings us to 2014.

Section Four:  My Audiophile Hobby

I blame some friends for exposing me to Hi-Fi music.  As a life long music student, I loved hearing deeper and clearer into recordings.  So, over the years, I’ve invested a lot of money into an adequate playback system.  Yet, my life evolved to 100% Computer audio.  My Big -Rig Stereo collects dust.  My Grado RS-1 headphones still get daily use.

My lack of satisfaction is something I could no longer ignore.  Maybe, it’s time to explorer new higher resolution formats.  Is FLAC the answer?  Should I try one of Neil Young’s Pono Music Players?  After all, he was one of the first “nut cases” to complain about the bad sound of CDs.  I remember thinking he was just some nostalgic old fool.  Now, I feel like I owe Mr. Young an apology.

Released in 1999,  Sony was pushing their new SACD format. Super Audio CD.  They reinvented the digital algorithms used to record and playback sound with DSD, Direct Stream Digital.  It seemed like the holy grail of sound we were all waiting for.   But, I have to confess, the players were all fairly pricey (1K and up) and there was not much music available.  So, I never took the leap into this format.  Years later, it’s faded away.  DSD still lives on, but it’s not as embraced as I would hope for.  I wish ProTools would switch over to this format.  But, maybe I wouldn’t hear the difference between 24/192 or a DSD format.  Still, I hope Digital continues to evolve into the best possible resolution.

So, what’s an audiophile to do?  Stay with Computer audio. There’s still too many formats.  It’s confusing for consumers.   Oh wait!  Maybe, I’ve not giving records a proper chance.  After all, guys like Michael Fremer from Stereophile magazine, are still full supporters of Vinyl playback. T-Bone Burnett said, “Analog is the future of music”. These guys are really passionate about analog.  Maybe, it’s time to give it a chance.

Side Story 1!

By the way,  Michael Fremer reminds me of Phil Enselmo in the mid 90’s.  Wait, I can explain!   I played in a metal band in the 90’s, but “Metal” became a dirty word.  No one wanted to be associated with it.  It seemed outdated and very uncool.  Our own record label once made a joke about how sorry Metallica must have been for naming their band that.  This was the mindset then.  But, I would see Pantera many times in the 90’s and each time, Phil would get on that stage and preach about Metal.  “Long live Metal!  We are Heavy fucking Metal, until the day we die! ”  I will admit, it seemed like he was hanging on to something that was already dead.  But years later, Metal came back, like it always does.  Phil remaining the undisputed metal champion.  You’ve got to respect that kind of perseverance. Staying true to what you believe in.  So, Michael Fremer is like that with Vinyl.  But, with less Tattoos.  Probably less drug use.  But, still, I had to wonder if a guy who hangs onto to something through all the bad times, might be right.  Was and is Vinyl superior?

Side Story 2!

Sometimes we are wrong about older technologies.  One day my very close friend and drummer Bill Southerland and myself, wondered into a very high end Stereo store in Encino, Ca.  The Sound Factor! (now closed).  We simply asked, “Why do people still go on about tube electronics?”.  The very helpful salesman sat us down and fired up an $80,000 Conrad Johnson/B&W setup, to experience an all-tube HiFi system.  We were both completely blown away!  Every instrument and overdub had their own distinct separation and clarity.  The imaging and soundstaging effects were amazing!  Best I’ve ever heard to this day.   It changed our attitudes and our lives. This was a CD playback system too.   He then immediately, fired up the Krell $100,000 system through the same B&W speakers.  We both were instantly disgusted.  Yes, emotional repulsed!  All the magic imaging and aural illusions where gone.  The transients were so overly sharp, it was difficult to listen.  Even the bass suddenly was sloppy and way out of control.  Now, giving the right synergy, I’m sure many people could get the Krell system to sound good.  Krell was and still is considered, “State of the Art”.   But, the experience with tubes, changed us forever.  I tell this story, because it’s an important lesson.  Just because something is old, does not mean it’s bad.

Section Five:  Am I seriously going to buy a turntable in this day and age?

I’ve been drooling over high end turntables for years.  Companies like VPI, Clearaudio, Avid, Thorens, SOTA, Music Hall,  and Pro-Ject are still going strong.  Even browsing some high end cartridges can be fun and aesthetically pleasing.  Don’t believe me?  Take a look at Koestu Cartridges.

0405koetsu

http://www.koetsusea.com/Home.php

There are a lot of dedicated hobbyists and manufacturers devoted to the art of turntables, cartridges, phono preamps, and accessories.  Not too mention the folks who devoted their lives and business to manufacturing Vinyl Records.  Getting deeply into the mastering.  Providing consumers with the best possible playback from a Vinyl Record.

Then, the stars aligned for me.  Well, kind of.   I was intrigued with two things.  The remastered release of Led Zeppelin I and II on Vinyl and the (suddenly in my price range) VPI Nomad Turntable.  These started the spark for me.  Maybe it’s time to check out this Vinyl stuff and see what it’s all about.

This is a not a review, but a brief background of the VPI Nomad.  It’s about $1000.  Considering, I would drool over the awesome VPI Scout, which was about $2000, this seemed like a nice compromise for me. Plus, being a headphone nerd, I loved that I could plug my Grado RS-1s right into this thing.  It has a built in Headphone amp and Phono Preamp.  Heck, I could even set it up next to my bed on a night stand.  This might be fun.  But first, I have to learn more about what I was getting into.

Back to Mr Fremer, Heavy Weight Vinyl Champion of the world.  I stumbled upon some of his set up videos on youtube.  Like this one for the VPI Traveler, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcgBI9dGJxA .  So, I learned all about VTA/SRA, Azimuth, Proper Tracking Force, the Loefgren setup, all sort of things that most consumers could care less about.   But, this is going somewhere.

Basically, I learned that If I’m going to make an investment I hope would last many years.  I wanted something that could grow with me.  I narrowed it down to a few things I cared about.  Most importantly, having the flexibility to experiment with different cartridges.  This and many stellar reviews, led to my purchase of a VPI Traveller.  I’m still intrigued by the Nomad, but the Traveller suits my future needs.

https://vpiindustries.com/index.htm

Section Six:  The Big Purchase or “Oh god, what am I doing?!”

I decided to purchase a VPI Traveller in red.  80% because it fit my needs, 10% because I like to support smaller companies, and 10% because some portions go to charities.  I purchased one pre-fit with a Grado Prestige Gold Cartridge.  I also, purchased some accessories, Bellari Phono Preamp (with a headphone out, to maybe take the place of what the Nomad could provide) and of course some starter LPs.  Keep in mind, I’m very nervous about this.  I don’t often spend this much money on anything, not even guitar amps.  I was hoping I wasn’t making a huge mistake.

Once everything was all set up, I sat down for the first listen.

Seeing how this was kind of a ritual, I started out with some classic LPs.  The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Van Halen I (in honor of my brother), the first two Zeppelin albums, and Miles Davis/Gil Evans Sketches of Spain.   Sgt Pepper was first and it grabbed my attention immediately.  What was going on?  This really does sound different!  But, is it better?   Guitars sounded crunchier, beefier and more realistic. Drums sounded super realistic.  I could hear a dynamic I never noticed before in everyone’s performance,  Orchestral instruments have very clear separation.  You could really hear the individual timbre of each instruments.   Suddenly things I didn’t find all that appealing to listen on CD sounded great on Vinyl.  Woodwinds for example, wow, they sounded great.  Even songs, that I never like for some poor sound quality reasons, were very enjoyable.  I was hooked right away and kept adding more music to see what was different.  The original Black Sabbath debut sounded better than I’ve ever heard in my life.  This is incredible and also very confusion.  What is going on here?  I referenced back to some CDs of the same recordings.  They were thin and blurry sounding in comparison.  Vinyl was both clearer and beefier.

Aha! Just as I suspected!  Older recordings sound refreshing again!  In section 2, I pondered why my memory of hearing music for the first time was exciting, But now, they sound dated and dull.    Well guess what.  On LP, the recordings sound new again.  Like they just came out of the Studio.  I was Baffled at how good the production of the The Cars debut album is.  Could this have something to do with RIAA curve applied to LPs?  Maybe when the transition to digital was taking place, someone things got screwed up.  Hm,  Probably not.  But, more than a few 70’s rock albums sound like they were just released.  Even some classical stuff from the 50’s sounds better than newer digital versions.   Turns out, old things weren’t bad.  There must be some fault in our playback systems or possibly the digital conversion of these older recordings.  Whatever the explanation might be.  Vinyl scores more points!

I can’t believe this little needle riding on some plastic bumps sounds better than anything else I’ve ever owned.  Uh oh, I think I’m being converted. To an analog fan!

IMG_2233

Section Seven:  Wait a sec.  Some Vinyl is from Digital Masters 

Here’s where my mind starts to boggle.  I’ve experienced high resolution digital formats before.  Why did vinyl sound better to me?  Especially when you start to consider, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin LPs are from Digital Masters. Probably 24/96, if we’re lucky.   To be fair, I really can’t answer why it works.  But, this is a format I can live with.

I spent the next few months finding used music from the 50’s through to the 80’s and they all sound great.  Debunking any of my theories that modern mastering techniques might be the reason Vinyl is king again.

Section Eight:  Record Care or Oops, I really thrashed that LP

Learning how to keep LPs clean and static free is a hobby into itself.  A clean LP is very satisfying and rewarding to listen to.  But, man, it can be a pain in the butt!

For anyone purchasing a VPI Traveler.  Get rid of the Sorbethane mat!  Michael Fremer warns consumers of this in his reviews and videos.  I was thought I would be too smart to have problems.  When I first got the traveller, I washed the heck out of that sticky slimy mat.  I thought I was so clever.  But, guess what?  It leached onto about 4 of my favorite LPs!  Because, I was still new at dust control, it got very messy.  Sounded horrible.  Crackle and Pop city.   Took me weeks to figure out how to clean off the gunk.  Which was when I learned about surface scratches.  LPs scratch very easily, even with a carbon fiber brush.  Do not ever try to clean or brush again the LP grain.  Always have a light touch.

So, I ruined a few LPs.  I got them back to sounding good, but they look pretty beat on.  Lesson learned.   Also, I purchased a Herbie’s Way Excellent Mat for the Traveler. They even cut out the center to fit on the Traveler’s platter properly.   I’m very happy with it.  My LPs are happier too.  I haven’t ruined anything since!

Turntable Mats

Section 9: More Bad stuff with Vinyl.

Some audiophiles critique fans of Tube electronics, claiming what they really like is distortion.  Very subtle distortion, not Jimmy Hendrix Marshalls and Fuzz Faces.   One could say the same thing about Vinyl LPs.  There are times, I hear distortion. Very subtle, but it’s there.  Turns out, it’s normal and very common.  Mine is limited to very hot cut LPs in only the loudest tracks. I can live with it.  But it does remind me of why Digital can be appealing.

Section 10:  Conclusion.  (took me long enough)

Here’s the highlights of what I have experienced with Vinyl:

  • Everything sounds more solid.  Bass is back again! All instruments have more bottom end. Exactly how I remember it being before thin sounding CDs took over.
  • Instrument separating is the best I’ve ever experienced.  All styles of music benefit from this.
  • Realistic Performances.  You can really hear humans playing.  Vibratos seem more obvious.  You can very clearly hear when a Drummer gets excited and pounds away a little harder.  Vocals are so clear and easy to listen to.  No sibilance or anything artificial to distract the listener.
  • Dynamics are surprising!  This one caught me off guard.  One of the selling points of Digital was Dynamic Range.  Well, that may be true scientifically.  Explaining the differences from the absolute quietest silence to the loudest possible level.  But, in application my LPs seem to get shocking loud when  an orchestra crescendos.  Adding more the realism to a performance.  My CDs simply don’t do that.
  • Unexplained magical things happen.  Ok, maybe not real magic.  But, there are many times when I hear special studio tricks really shine.  Even small things like Ozzy getting extra reverb added to his voice as a trick to transition him to a distant land.  Some thing like that on digital is heard on an analytical level.  Sure, you can tell the mix engineer cranks up the reverb.  But, the vinyl experience does something special.  You forget about analyzing what’s going and just enjoy that magic of the moment.  “Whoa, he just floated away into space!”  (I don’t do drugs)
  • Analog remasters are most enjoyable for me, but even Digital Masters sound great.
  • All LP are not created equal.  I got some duds.  I bought two Aretha Franklin LPs.  One original 1968 press and a newer pressing by Four Men with Beards.  Don’t know why, but the newer doesn’t sound very good.  Learning who is mastering and pressing the LPs is important.
  • This is a lot a of work. It gets expensive.  But, totally worth it!
  • Bottom Line, I’m enjoying music again.  Just as I had hoped.

To add more complexity to this long story.  I do feel the need to point out, the VPI Traveller may be the reason for all this enjoyment.  Maybe if I bought a Pro-Ject entry level table (around $400), I might not have been this impressed.  My other friends who are already into vinyl just tell me, they all experience the same things.  More enjoyment.  Music that can move you.  Isn’t that the point of music?  To experience the emotion and feel something.  But, still I have to point out, a great cartridge and a great turntable could be responsible for so many things sounding right.

Maybe if I had a $2500 SACD player, I would be saying the same things.  It almost doesn’t matter, because I can’t find many SACDs, but there seems to be more LPs available than ever.  I hope it continues to grow.  Vinyl Records are historical and important.

Am I done with Digital?  Of course not.  I still enjoy the convince of it.  But, from now on, the Internet is like a big radio station to me.  Great for samples or discovering new music.  When I care about deeply experiencing music, really feeling it and enjoying it.  I will buy LPs.  Until something better comes along.

If you made it this far, you deserve a prize.  Go treat yourself!

https://vpiindustries.com/table-traveler.htm

http://www.gradolabs.com

The Silk Road Ensemble

My current obsession.  With all the useless stuff my friends post on FB, I can’t believe The Silk Road Ensemble is about toe celebrate their 15th year.  I just learned about them a week ago!  Sheesh!    Thanks to PBS and my Apple TV.

Such an interesting mix of world music.  Proof that music can contain such beauty and life!

 

Check out an amazing concert at Tanglewood, featured on PBS online.  Don’t wait too long, this stuff doesn’t stay up forever.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365211861/

 

 

New People in Old Bands

Phil X and Jon Bon Jovi
Photo Credit: Lindy Jacob

Name drop time.

Phil X is back in Bon Jovi!  Which is very kick ass!   What I loved about this, is how fast I found out.  Phil tweeted a picture of himself getting on a random private jet.  Less than 24 hours laters, a friend told me Richie quit in the middle of the Bon Jovi tour.  Boom, Mystery solved.  Gotta love the age of information!

 

What comes along with the perks of an internet connected society, is the instant feedback.  Positive or Negative, it’s in your face right away.  The day after I found out, the whole world knew.  People who dig Phil thought it was great news!  People who are attached to Ritchie were very disappointed.  I won’t mention who, but a friend immediately offered to sell me their tickets, at $255 each!  They felt ripped off, Ritchie wasn’t going to be there.

Negative feedback is something that used to be buffered from artists.  They at least had time to give something a shot before critics or fans tore them apart. Nowadays, it’s in your face so fast, it might stop you in you tracks.  You might never pursue anything if you took it all too seriously.  I often think about and give props to Wolfgang Van Halen.  We never met, but that kid mastered every Van Halen song and gets in front of thousands of people and does a great job.  I only know two people alive capable of pulling that off.  But according to what you see via youtube comments.  People just tear him apart.  Attacking his weight.  Claiming he’s not worthy of being on the same stage as the other members of Van Halen.  But he is.  He’s doing a damn good job!  You complaining losers are probably siting on your asses, sour that the world doesn’t give you enough attention. Meanwhile,  he’s touring the planet Earth with Van Halen.  He worked very hard to be apart of that.

Wolfgang Van Halen

Right now I have a handfull of good friends touring with older bands.  By older I mean, bands that have not had a hit record or single in 10-20 years +.  Let’s see, Glen Sobel and Tommy Henrikson are in playing for Alice Cooper.  Marty O’Brien is playing for Lita Ford. Phil’s in Bon Jovi.  Jeff Pilson is in Foreigner. Ron Thal’s in Guns N’ Roses.  All these acts are touring big arenas.  Very few original members in the bands.  Where do we draw the line?  When do fans stop buying tickets?  When do we stop caring?  Easy answer.  When it’s no longer entertaining or fun.   If you truly love the songs, You’ll probably love seeing a band regardless of who’s still in the band.  If the emotion is still there, if excitement is the still there, that’s what counts!

Marty O'Brien on stage with Lita Ford
Marty O’Brien on stage with Lita Ford

Glen Sobel Alice Cooper
Glen Sobel with Alice Cooper

Ron Thal Guns N Roses
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal with Guns N’ Roses

What does all this mean for the future of music?   As long players have the energy and drive to be a part of bands.  As long as music delivers emotions and songs we can enjoy.  Fans will still pay attention.  A lot of these younger guys are breathing new life into fading bands.  That’s a good thing!  Don’t forget all styles of music need a community to survive.  This is all part of the circle of life for Rock.  Carrying the baton!

But, I do see a dark future as well.  Successful bands become brands and brands are big business.  Eventually, all original members will be out or dead.  That band will then become the worlds best tribute band.   Still touring because they own the rights to the name.  Anyone want to see Kiss?

How do we avoid this bleak and horrible future?  We all do our best to grab a baton and start making some new music.  Maybe a new style, maybe a retro style.  Just do it.  Even if your the first to carry the baton.  Go for it.  Make something for yourself.