Stunsworth
pfm Member
I subscribe to his YouTube channel. I enjoy what he does, but do wish he'd stop doing the funny voices and make factory visit videos that were less jerky.
Reviewer : Michael Fremer
- Thread starter daytona600
- Start date
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
I loved the Art Dudley video- he's got a great style and the video medium worked really nicely. It could be an elegant medium for some reviews. His "choose your distortion" message was a good one!
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Yes, lets...
My take on the cable thing is that I have heard plenty of systems where cables make a difference, and I have heard plenty of systems where they don't. The interesting thing is that I've noticed that the systems where cables make a difference tend to have speakers which are more phase coherent - where the design aims are to preserve (as far as possible) the phase relationships in the signal. So, speakers like Focal, Avalon, Russell K, Tannoy, for example.
Systems where the speaker crossovers are designed for a smooth frequency response at the expense of phase relationships, tend not to reveal any significant differences between cables, in my experience. These are usually more complex crossovers, third order designs, for example. B&W, and BBC-derived designs would probably fall in this camp, IME.
This leads me to suspect that where cables can make or break a system is in the realm of phase relationships, and how these are preserved or not during transmission down the cable. I have no measurements or evidence, merely offer this as a hypothesis in case anybody feels like starting another cable war in Fremer's name...
Not so sure about the good egg bit but I would agree people like Michael Fremer, Art Dudley, John Atkinson are likely to create interesting posts for both believers and unbelievers. The tricky thing would seem to be how to make it in their interests to post?
His and my point is they don't have to. We are of a similar age , and have records we must have played thousands of times without any sound degredation.
Of course they can wear out.
But you have the privilege not to believe him.
Tony L
Administrator
Not convinced by that at all I have to admit, but its no secret I just can’t stand modern hyped-up brght, forward and dry speakers like Focal etc. I could tell you far more about a cable in a system that actually reproduces instrumental tone, texture, soundstage etc as well as timing, e.g. Quads, Tannoys, JBL, BBC etc. I’ve seldom had any issues detecting cable differences, though my preferences tend to have no correlation to price or hyperbole. I think the key is to know and like the system in advance, it must be familiar and at that point one can safely identify small incremental changes.
A couple of decades ago when I was going through a kind of Keith phase and wanted to establish exactly what I could and could not hear blind the systems used were a friend’s high-end US rig (Audio Research, Krell, Martin Logan) and my own classic Linn/Naim system. Both revealed differences in cables with ease, some speaker cable changes being so profound I could identify the switch and name the cable from the kitchen, let alone the listening seat! Neither system was especially famed for time alignment (I had Isobariks!). Since then I just learnt to trust my ears and just can’t be bothered to blind test anymore. I almost always have the advantage of genuinely not giving a crap about the outcome too and I am very hard to convince that this month’s flavor of the month is of any interest to me, so I guess I actually have very little stake in the game. I’m certainly not trying to sell any product or ideology. I just view it the way I would if sitting behind a mixer or whatever, if its better its better, if its worse its worse. Observe and act accordingly!
Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
I think mine is tarnished rather than rusty. I don't think I've ever played it.
I've just watched the Art Dudley video, which is also very good and shows how different characters they are.
He also says many truths (OK true to me), such as a system that does not have ruler flat frequency response can be more enjoyable to listen to than one that has. I see it as the difference between pro and home listening. A recording engineer has to analyse the sound he is hearing,so the reproduction has to be as accurate as possible,
not just sit back and enjoy. That is what we want at home.
He also says many truths (OK true to me), such as a system that does not have ruler flat frequency response can be more enjoyable to listen to than one that has. I see it as the difference between pro and home listening. A recording engineer has to analyse the sound he is hearing,so the reproduction has to be as accurate as possible,
not just sit back and enjoy. That is what we want at home.
Tony L
Administrator
Mine is very different to Michael Fremers! Until that video Ive not seen a clean one for decades. Id like to check it to be honest as I suspect it might be the 4 Men With Beards reissue from a few years back as the lack of rust is most suspicious! I bought mine at the time, so definitely a real one! The insides are still mint. It is such a PITA to get the records out of the can I play it very infrequently, but it is an amazing sounding bit of vinyl so you should definitely play yours. It contains bass that can do structural damage!
Julf
Facts are our friends
And do you have any theory as to what cable parameters or characteristics would preserve (or not) the phase relationships? Do you have any suggestions for how to test or verify your hypothesis?
poco a poco
I'm Jim
The Michael Fremer video was good fun especially his record collection stories. I have a copy of the direct to disk Nimbus, Bernard Roberts Beethoven Piano Sonatas Vol 2 that he is after. Perhaps I can do a trade? 
pocketkitchen
Registered User
Send him a message thru Analogue Planet?
Paul R
pfm Member
His main point was that records don't age, unlike tape, and especially some brands of tape.
On that I obviously agree with him.
And old records can sound great. Agree also.
Paul
Jonathan Ribee
Unavailable at present
Last edited by a moderator:
Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
It think mine is a little more shiny than that, but maybe that's just faulty memory. I bought mine at the time too, and took the vinyl out and put it in poly sleeves, but 45rpm was .... difficult .... and I didn't have a system to handle the bass, so I probably played about 2 mins of it before putting it away. The box is empty save for the paper separators and whatever else it came with.
You're right, I must give it another go.
