Adele - 21

[stevebrock]

Just ordered it on vinyl......

Have the CD but just sounds terrible especailly the louder tracks!

Been reading a few posts on the Steve Hoffman forum....the vinyl appears to be a bi improvement over the CD

Does anybody own it, can they confirm if it sounds good?

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Regardering Adele records the only one that I think I'll buy in vinyl is "Adele live At Royal Albert Hall" .

Nice sound quality in CD and bluray.

 

[Paul@HiFi-Lounge]

Hi Steve,

You may have already recieved it by now I guess but I've just recently done the same and bought 21 on vinyl for the same reason, you will definately find the vinyl a more pleasing listen, it is far more balanced and not so 'shouty'.

I really don't know what they were thinking when they mastered the CD, didn't stop it selling though.

 

[stevebrock]

Hi Steve,

You may have already recieved it by now I guess but I've just recently done the same and bought 21 on vinyl for the same reason, you will definately find the vinyl a more pleasing listen, it is far more balanced and not so 'shouty'.

I really don't know what they were thinking when they mastered the CD, didn't stop it selling though.

Yep its a lot less in your face!

I like! it sounds very nice but the record is warped - shall i keep it or exchange?

 

[mitch65]

Personally I would change it if it bothers you, mine's as flat as a pancake and you shouldn't expect anything less. The only time I accepted it was with an American import of a James Blunt album which, at least, is still payable.

 

[spockfish]

The CD is indeed horrible. I really can not comprehend that an artist like Adele is satisfied with the end product.

I've read somewhere that the LP is just being mastered directly from the CD, which would mean that it's not that great by itself :-(

 

[MajorFubar]

Hmm I've only heard it on Spotify and compared to mastering-atrocities like Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto album, I thought the SQ was quite good for a modern album. I tried to listen to MX on Spotify but couldn't stand it beyond the first two minutes. The mega-compressed 'wall of sound' mastering hurts my ears, somewhat ironic as the track I was listening to was called Hurts Like Heaven.

EDIT: ...and it's possible, but unlikely, that the LP is being cut straight from the CD's masters. Technically it's not that simple, because it would probably need to be re-engineered for the cut.

 

[mitch65]

Hmm I've only heard it on Spotify and compared to mastering-atrocities like Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto album, I thought the SQ was quite good for a modern album. I tried to listen to MX on Spotify but couldn't stand it beyond the first two minutes. The mega-compressed 'wall of sound' mastering hurts my ears, somewhat ironic as the track I was listening to was called Hurts Like Heaven.

EDIT: ...and it's possible, but unlikely, that the LP is being cut straight from the CD's masters. Technically it's not that simple, because it would probably need to be re-engineered for the cut.

Probably explains why I can't listen to Mylo Xyloto, thought it was just a crap album 😉

EDIT: I didn't say rubbish but you get the idea....... 🙂

 

[stevieg330]

Hi,

I have both '19' and '21' on vinyl. Have to say I think they're ok but nothing special. I think they just sound rather flat and boring if that makes any sense with no real dynamics. Mine are perfectly flat so if you have a warped copy then I would get it changed.

I' recently received a warped copy of 'War of the worlds' and had to have it changed. The replacement wasn't completely flat either but the record clamp sorts it out.

Kind Regards

Steve

 

[stevebrock]

I have a new copy arriving tomorrow - pretty good service as they just said send the warped one back when I receive the pre paid address label

 

[stevebrock]

Got the replacement copy today!

It is still a little warped, but it plays ok. SQ is ok better than CD but not blown away by it by any means!

It cost me £13, is my first brand new vinyl purchase (all my collection is used) so I dont think I will be buying a lot of new vinyl as a little underwhelmed by 21, unless anyone can pesuade me other wise?

Thanks

 

[ellisdj]

Your all wrong - the CD sounds very good - your hearing bad room acoustics or maybe is your speaker cabling mixed with your interconnects / speakers placement

It gets intense but stays composed with good gear and room treatment - I am guessing it was recorded in a very good studio where the sound is very controlled

I don think the compresssion onto CD is wonderful / the best I have heard - but it certainly doesnt sound terrible

I used to think exactly the same thing until I treated my room and got the Graham Slee Cables

Read this review for more about it

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/accessories/new-speaker-cable-and-speaker-links-from-graham-slee-spatia-its-outstanding-speake

 

[spockfish]

yeah well... our hobby is vvverrry subjective 🙂

I at least wished that it was being recorded and mastered like say.... the latest Kate Bush.

 

[ellisdj]

Listen to it in a room with acoustic treatment and you will agree. Lot of CDs are like it

doesnt need to be a studio, just some treatment in the key places.

Is a raw sounding CD but I think they have gone for her voice and just the basics to not take away from it

 

[stevebrock]

yeah well... our hobby is vvverrry subjective 🙂

I at least wished that it was being recorded and mastered like say.... the latest Kate Bush.

I have it on a 24/96 hi res file and red book CD!

Do you have the vinyl??

The 24/96 sounds gorgeous!

Thing about Kate Bush - she does actually care about the production - 50 Words for Snow was recorded in Analogue wasnt it?

Adele is a good artist that I like, she really is doing a dis-service to herself.........but I know she is governed by the ipod/mp3 generation - all the record co is bothered about is how good it sounds on an ipod - its quite sad really!

 

[stevebrock]

i really wanted to love the CD, but sorry its too shouty!

its not my room or kit....... a lot of my CDS sound amazing - eg Kate Bush, Hounds of Love

 

[ellisdj]

i really wanted to love the CD, but sorry its too shouty!

its not my room or kit....... a lot of my CDS sound amazing - eg Kate Bush, Hounds of Love

Thats exactly what I thought- when the CD arrived I was initially going to send it back - I thought it there was something wrong with it - I went and tested soemone else copy againt it - but there wasnt

- new kit, system in sig - room treatment and Grahams slees and even the most shouty one on there "Rumour has it" - is not shouty anymore - its still on the edge as intended but as I say composed - I am going to test it again tomorrow as not listened for ages but I already know whats its going to be like.

Some of the songs you cringe at when they come on are actually quite good - I always thought it was terrible - but other factors were letting the music down - noit just saying it to be an ass.

Its the same reason why people say Cyrus is bright - its not its just detailed and bad room acoustics make it sound bright - leanrt that one in WHF test room itself

 

[MajorFubar]

I see your point but if it sounds rubbish on average hifi equipment and in an average living room which isn't accoustically treated, then to all intents and purposes, it *is* rubbish.

 

[stevebrock]

I see your point but if it sounds rubbish on average hifi equipment and in an average living room which isn't accoustically treated, then to all intents and purposes, it *is* rubbish.

what point are you refering too?

 

[MajorFubar]

Sorry I should have quoted to make myself clearer. I was referring to the view-point that if it sounds ok on first class equipment in a well-treated room, then don't blame the recording. My view is that if a recording only sounds good in those conditions, then it's worse than useless. A great recording should sound great no matter where you play it and what you play it on. Well, within reason. Many recordings do. That's supposedly part of the art of good mixing and mastering.

 

[stevebrock]

Yep I see, IMHO red book CD of Adele 21 is average! Well mastered CDs sound great on my Rega so I know it's my set up!

 

[ellisdj]

I am listening to the album now and it sounds excellent. It's raw but that's it design. Its layered really well

it will sound good on most systems but bear in mind it's demanding music - therefore lots of factors come in - kit timing, room acoustics, speaker cables and interconnects.

if your hearing harshness / brightness then it's likely some or all of the factors above.

Adelle is the biggest artist in the country and the knew the album would sell so that had the ££ to go in a good studio with a controlled sound.

Maybe they had the headphone brigade in mind - but not with bad sound quality more with headphones where acoustics are 95% null and void.

Now I have my system and room as is I get no harshness at all with this album or 99% of albums for that matter.

if you love your hifi then I can't recommend some basic room treatment for improving what you hear - or letting you actually properly hear what's there.

£££££ on kit nothing on the room is generally a mistake.

also I can't recommend Graham Slee cables enough, Cusat and Spatia - for the money you will not find anything that touches them. Especially the Cusat 50 for the money is amazing!!

you can get free home demo as well

 

[stevebrock]

I have read a bit about the Soatia cable I understand its made specially to order, so if you don't think the price justifies the improvement can you send it back for refund?

akso read somewhere that some people rate it higher over the chord Odyssey 2

 

[ellisdj]

Hello mate

It dosent quite work like that - they have loan sets that they ship to you for a period of 2 weeks.

You then test them, ship them back and and include the postage cost to get them to you in the first place - £7 cash. That goes to the sender who is called Jon, he doesnt work for the company so its his personal money you are replacing.

This way you get a run in set as well - mine have kept getting better over a period of about 2 months now.

You then order if you want them - dont if you dont.

I had Odyssey 2 before Spatia and Epic - Tried them against the Odyssey and there is no comparison. Its magic cable it really is - supposed to be as good as Telerium Q Black which is approx £100 more - that was brand new not run in as well so it might be better? I have not tested it against TQB, it was Jon who sends the loan cables out that told me - as he has TQB.

I would also try the Cusat 50 - to me its a reference quality interconnect for about £140 - it was so amazed by how good the cable was and how it made my system sound that I was immediately interested in testing the Spatia when it came out. I was the first Joe Bloggs tester - not involved with the company. I thought if it speaker cable sounds like the Cusat they will get my money and I wasnt dissapointed, and have never once regretted my purchase. In fact I am looking to buy 3 more cusat 50 single runs as digital cables to link my HD621 to G61R processor.

Prior to the Cusat 50 I had Chord Signature and Cadenza. The Sig would probably sound good in my system now - it was too good for my system then, however I still dont think it would be better, and if so certainly not by the extra £350 cost.

The Cadenza great interconnect but not a patch on the Cusat 50 at its £60 more.

Hope that helps you - sorry to waffle on

 

[stevebrock]

thanks for that I have registered on the web site just waiting for a log in so I can contact Jon to et a loan set of Spatia & Cusat 50, will he let me have both?

thanks