Adding Colour

[thewinelake.]

I was thinking a while back that perhaps neutrality isn't all it's cracked up to be, particularly with some recordings.

I know there are filters you can get for music production apps that give your guitar the sound of a vox amp or something, but can one get something to do that for "hifi"? Maybe in the digital domain? It may seem a wrong thing to do, but I'd be curious to try.

 

[Al ears]

I was thinking a while back that perhaps neutrality isn't all it's cracked up to be, particularly with some recordings.

I know there are filters you can get for music production apps that give your guitar the sound of a vox amp or something, but can one get something to do that for "hifi"? Maybe in the digital domain? It may seem a wrong thing to do, but I'd be curious to try.

You could try a graphic equaliser. ;-)

 

[thewinelake.]

I suppose, but there could be more to it than frequency response. e.g. effects like "aural excitement" and reverb.

I quite liked the coloured sound of B&W s685mk2 (but only on some tracks). Not sure what's going on there in a technical sense, though.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

An AV amp gives an infinite range of "effects" including reverb etc etc. My experience is that they are largely a waste of time. Sounds like chasing a rainbow to me.

 

[abacus]

I suppose, but there could be more to it than frequency response. e.g. effects like "aural excitement" and reverb.

I quite liked the coloured sound of B&W s685mk2 (but only on some tracks). Not sure what's going on there in a technical sense, though.

Except the B&W S685mk2 is not coloured, but is brutal in showing up bad recordings, however if you want a true Hi-Fi sound, then it has to be warts and all.

If you are using an AV Receiver, then there are plenty of pre-sets and settings on-board to change the sound, so try these out first.

EQ is the easiest way to alter the sound, (That’s how Hi-Fi manufactures get their house sounds (Which in my opinion should be avoided at all costs, but users seem to love it) but it’s certainly not true Hi-Fi)

If your happy to use your computer to process the sounds, then there are plenty of VST Effects (Software versions of hardware) programs out there to do whatever you want, (Here are some examples https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/effects/ ) however if you don’t want to use a computer then you can purchase the hardware versions, (However this can get expensive) which can be picked up at any pro music store or online shop.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[thewinelake.]

I guess it's (again!) a bit like wine, where beginners quite often prefer the more obvious fruity high alcohol wines, but with age and experience drift towards those with higher acidity, more mineral influence and lower alcohol.

My new current system is AVI DM9rs, although I still have the Audiolab 8000a + ProAc Tablette combo (and will be doing more comparison between the two).

Will certainly have a play with EQ....

 

[Infiniteloop]

IMO speakers have the ability to add the most colour in any given system.

 

[Al ears]

From what he appears to be discussing its not adding colour but adding distortion. But that's just me after a couple of glasses of a very nice red. ;-)

 

[plastic penguin]

I was thinking a while back that perhaps neutrality isn't all it's cracked up to be, particularly with some recordings.

I know there are filters you can get for music production apps that give your guitar the sound of a vox amp or something, but can one get something to do that for "hifi"? Maybe in the digital domain? It may seem a wrong thing to do, but I'd be curious to try.

So do you use the ADMs in conjunction with the Audiolab or as a separate entity?

Both are very neutral and I know from experience the Audiolab needs careful partnering regards speakers and/or source.

 

[thewinelake.]

In theory, both ways - my analogue devices go through the Audiolab's preamp, digital sources go direct.

It's all still set up in a temporary location, hoping to deploy properly next week....

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

I was thinking a while back that perhaps neutrality isn't all it's cracked up to be, particularly with some recordings.

I know there are filters you can get for music production apps that give your guitar the sound of a vox amp or something, but can one get something to do that for "hifi"? Maybe in the digital domain? It may seem a wrong thing to do, but I'd be curious to try.

I saw different softwares that you can add behind your music reproduction. For inserting cracks and hisses, or simply warming the thing up. It's very popular in actual folk production, especially for radio masterings. But I know no serious hifi doing this. The supermarket hifi gear has some of those "church mode" or "disco mode drunk during sunset" and other things like this. But it's really unserious. Probably the best solution would be to use some fitting softwares directly on your PC/MAC/Linuxer.