I'm sorry. Yes, you are 100% right. The OJAS system sounds "nothing like it" (three exclamation marks).
I was deceived (despite listening to hi-fi for >50 years and being a member of the trade briefly in the 80s)
You win.
Ojas at the Lisson Gallery
- Thread starter Sonnyboy958
- Start date
I'm sorry. Yes, you are 100% right. The OJAS system sounds "nothing like it" (three exclamation marks).
I was deceived (despite listening to hi-fi for >50 years and being a member of the trade briefly in the 80s)
You win.
nmtjb
pfm Member
On a not dissimilar reawakening of vintage kit for the younger generation this looks quite interesting:
https://www.facebook.com/SunPalaceSoundSystem/
Not art of course, but I wouldn't mind a listen. I'm sure the sound rigs weren't as interesting in my 70's disco days...
I see Devon is now marketing his own castings of altec horns- 829B and 529B cast aluminum horns. No pricing indicated, I doubt if they'll be cheap though.
https://www.facebook.com/SunPalaceSoundSystem/
Not art of course, but I wouldn't mind a listen. I'm sure the sound rigs weren't as interesting in my 70's disco days...
I see Devon is now marketing his own castings of altec horns- 829B and 529B cast aluminum horns. No pricing indicated, I doubt if they'll be cheap though.
Just try DNM cables, they're thin.
I went last Wednesday and took my 19 and 21 year olds with me. We loved it and whilst it was very busy, we had to queue for about 30 minutes, we managed to listen to one side of some quite experimental jazz. Whilst not our cup of tea music wise, my kids and I loved the experience. I've been into audio for nearly 40 years and have been to any number of hi-end shows in multiple countries and I can say that for me, this was a very different experience.
It let me concentrate on the music, to feel the music in my body, in a way that was very different to the usual high-end audio auditions where I tend to analyse and break down the merits of the sound. Bass, treble, mid-range, soundstage etc .. with Devon's system I very quickly forgot about all this.
I was also heartened to see a lot of young people, quite a few women (and not just dragged in by their partners), a number of people came for the experience and were clearly music lovers. Diametrically opposite to the usual high=end show populated by duffers and anoraks such as myself in their 50/60ies. I was particularly heartened that my son, who DJs and mixes music himself, was so taken by this and wants to save up for a Devon speaker kit.
Hats off to Ojas for creating something different, for engaging the senses and for appealing to a diverse crowd.
It let me concentrate on the music, to feel the music in my body, in a way that was very different to the usual high-end audio auditions where I tend to analyse and break down the merits of the sound. Bass, treble, mid-range, soundstage etc .. with Devon's system I very quickly forgot about all this.
I was also heartened to see a lot of young people, quite a few women (and not just dragged in by their partners), a number of people came for the experience and were clearly music lovers. Diametrically opposite to the usual high=end show populated by duffers and anoraks such as myself in their 50/60ies. I was particularly heartened that my son, who DJs and mixes music himself, was so taken by this and wants to save up for a Devon speaker kit.
Hats off to Ojas for creating something different, for engaging the senses and for appealing to a diverse crowd.
kjb
Proof reading not always a strength
I dropped in this morning during a gallery day in London.
Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip had brought in 4 original 78s by Washington Phillips, two in superb condition. The turntable had been rigged up with a mono 78 cart from Ortofon.
The sound, which Taylor and Turnball pointed out was probably recorded unamplified straight to a cutting lathe, had a wonderful purity to it.
This was followed by some ambient jazz which I found sonically more vivid but musically less engaging.
As a pretty big queue had built and I wanted to see some other shows I stepped out after an hour. I did get to have a quick chat with Devon on the way out about Blue Note master tapes. He pointed out how people often confuse “a” master tape with “the” master tape. He was saying that there are various iterations of master tapes from different stages and components of the recording process and the idea of a single or original tape is a misnomer. I wish I could have talked to him for longer.
Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip had brought in 4 original 78s by Washington Phillips, two in superb condition. The turntable had been rigged up with a mono 78 cart from Ortofon.
The sound, which Taylor and Turnball pointed out was probably recorded unamplified straight to a cutting lathe, had a wonderful purity to it.
This was followed by some ambient jazz which I found sonically more vivid but musically less engaging.
As a pretty big queue had built and I wanted to see some other shows I stepped out after an hour. I did get to have a quick chat with Devon on the way out about Blue Note master tapes. He pointed out how people often confuse “a” master tape with “the” master tape. He was saying that there are various iterations of master tapes from different stages and components of the recording process and the idea of a single or original tape is a misnomer. I wish I could have talked to him for longer.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
JustJohn
pfm Member
Graham H
pfm Member
As I initially thought, I’d be very surprised if the first generation edited session master complete with tape splices had been loaned out, they’d probably fall apart. Kevin Gray has mentioned, (in conversation with DG mono IIRC when he visited his cutting studio), having to do some minor repairs to some of them. Likely Devon’s are copy masters that were sent to various pressing plants and overseas record labels.
Thanks for taking the trouble to ask and report.
pure sound
Trade: manufacturer/distributor
Would be interested to know how they were setting the Eq for the 78's. Been having some fun recently with a phono stage that allows you to dial it in very accurately for all of the different labels that were issuing discs at the time. It's alarming how good & dynamic 78's can be when played via the correct Eq. No vestiges at all of the typical honky 78 sound you might expect. Indeed many of the early microgroove LPs were also cut with curves other than RIAA & some labels took well into the 1960's to adopt it.
Something of a niche pastime the 78's, & 4-5 minutes playing time doesn't help.
halvis
pfm Member
Here is a something in a similar vain, although a permanent fixture, not suprising given the scale of the speakers: https://www.lottehotelmagazine.com/en/art_culture_detail?no=553
It's part concert hall part listening room.
I thought it maybe of interest.
It's part concert hall part listening room.
I thought it maybe of interest.
kjb
Proof reading not always a strength
Would be interested to know how they were setting the Eq for the 78's. Been having some fun recently with a phono stage that allows you to dial it in very accurately for all of the different labels that were issuing discs at the time. It's alarming how good & dynamic 78's can be when played via the correct Eq. No vestiges at all of the typical honky 78 sound you might expect. Indeed many of the early microgroove LPs were also cut with curves other than RIAA & some labels took well into the 1960's to adopt it.
Something of a niche pastime the 78's, & 4-5 minutes playing time doesn't help.
That's very cool. They didn't discuss this but there was a conversation about how great the records would sound in a completely un electronically amplified gramophone.
After listening yesterday I was left feeling quite sad that, in the late 60s, my dad threw out his collection of jazz 78s as they didn't play on the new stereo/ music centre he'd bought. Previously he'd had a big radiogram. I quite clearly remember the smell and feel of the HMV ones in their thick brown paper sleeves.
I think I have mentioned this before, but I have a really good HMV wind up gramophone with integrated horn. I've played 78 jazz recordings, some Humphrey Littleton in my garden at one of my daughters Christening parties some 25 years ago and many who came could not believe how good a completely un-amplified system could sound. With an all mechanical system it pushed sound out and filled our garden and that was also with approximately 70 people in attendance.
pocketkitchen
Registered User
It was very busy yesterday. I went down with a couple of friends and had a wonderful time. Very interesting and very good sounding. I’ve not heard many systems that can do the scale and presence that that system managed. Great to sit in a room without everyone on their bloody phones all the time, too. The Blue Note master that was played was a bit of a disappointment - it was explained that they were safety tapes made in 77 and being used for the first time. Some survived well, some didn’t. However, the straight off the mics tape of his own recording that he played was just astonishing, as was the record player. I’m very glad I went, although it made for a very long day.
kasperhauser
pfm Member
For those of us in the western US, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is hosting Devon Turnbull and his system May 4 through August 28 as part of their "Art of Sound" exhibit, which also explores album and concert poster art, hi-fi design, more.
https://www.sfmoma.org/exhibition/art-of-noise/
https://www.sfmoma.org/exhibition/art-of-noise/
JustJohn
pfm Member
While you're there, be sure to put an hour aside for Ragnar Kjartansson's spellbinding video installation 'The Visitors'. The SFMOMA building is worth the visit on its own.