Ever heard speakers which sound like live music?

[shafesk]

Hello dear forumers, I have just got some speakers custom made (will post a review soon but in short they are great) which got me fooled into thinking I was listening to live music. Now I know we all love our hi-fis but I'll be honest my Mezzo's never sounded real by any measure although they are great speakers. This led me to think, have you ever heard speakers which made you feel like you were listening to live music? Are you using that experience to build your setup towards that or are you pursuing a more studio type perfect sound? I mean I have heard clinical and I have heard live and they are very different things, so what do you prefer?

A speaker that I've heard that sounds real are the Avantgarde Unos, they were playing in a high end dealers separate high end room (which I presume is separate to keep away the rif raf much like myself). I barged in, I had to meet the woman with such a beautiful voice, turned out it was the speakers playing vinyl from an outlandish turntable. That memory stuck with me ever since and I've been slowly pursuing it. The beauty of the sound was that I couldn't describe it, it wasn't bright, wasn't warm, it was music and how do you quantify music in those terms?

These speakers remind me of those Avantgardes everyday...its a similar listening experience and I'm glad to say I won't be upgrading my speakers anytime soon.

Please share your experience, what have you heard that you really thought sounded live and how did that influence your setup?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts as always,

Shafin

 

[John Duncan]

Lots that have come very close, but the ones that fooled me best were the Spendor A9.

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

my Magnepans. but they are only entry level speaker. I believe there's even more to be had with more sophisticated designs; namely those using long true ribbon from Magnepans or others. since others are waaay too expensive to me (Analysis Audio) or out-of-business for a long time (Apogee) I think my next stop up the ladder will be a Magnepan of 3 series; most likely a 3.7 one day?

 

[moriarty]

The closest I ever heard was a Naim DBL set-up (with A LOT of Naim amps powering them) at a hi-fi show many moons ago.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

I don't think music ever sounds 'live' through speakers alone. Most amps deliver whats on a source so 'perfect' or as the engineer mixed it is the best/worst you will get, clarity and seperation is not something one really hears when dealing with live music, it comes to you as a whole, room reflections aswell.

Saying that running jazz through one of the DSP 's on my AV amp works for me when I'm in the mood for some 'live'music. ran as normal its more unnatural. Its like vocalist on my set up 'a giant head in the middle of the room singing to me personally' is how I'd discribe the sound I get - a most un natural sound....compared to having someone singing to me live.

 

[CnoEvil]

Focal Maestro Utopia; Kef Muon & 207/2s; Linn Active Klimax 350As and (surprisingly) Audio Note AN-E/lx.......takes a great source and amp though.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Shafin

For me ATC's SCM150ASL Professional monitors and C6 - SCM0.1/15 active sub

http://www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk/scm150aslpro.php

http://www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk/scm0.1_15.php

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[simonlewis]

I agree ian dury's live version of sink my boats is a lot better than the album version, is this what were talking about.

 

[steve_1979]

Speakers that can sound real are usually held back by the quality of the music being played on them. The toughest test to see if a speaker is capable of sounding real is to listen to a recording of some spoken words. This test may sound simple enough but you'd be suprised to find that most speakers don't quite sound 100% convincing when listening to spoken words.

My Neutrons are better than most and have suprised me by how realistic they can sound at times but usually they don't quite manage to sound totally real. The most realistic sounding speakers that I've ever heard were probably some big two way Quested monitors.

 

[SteveR750]

Many years ago I thought there was a band in the basement section of a retailer in Chester, turns out it was an LP12 / Naim / Isobarik system at full chat. I have never heard a drum kit sound quite so realistic since.

 

[Gusboll]

have you ever heard speakers which made you feel like you were listening to live music?

No, and it will never happen.

Currently listening to: Megafaun's entire catalogue

 

[Anonymous]

This is a strange question, what do you mean by live music. With the exception of a busker playing an acoustic guitar pretty much every live act I have ever seen has been amplified and played through a pa? So surely the only speaker that sounds like live music is the one the artist is using?

Also, what does recorded live music sound like. Does your CD sound anything like what it sounded like at the mixing desk? I imagine it sounds nothing like what it would have sounded like if you were standing in the studio...

 

[steve_1979]

This is a strange question, what do you mean by live music. With the exception of a busker playing an acoustic guitar pretty much every live act I have ever seen has been amplified and played through a pa? So surely the only speaker that sounds like live music is the one the artist is using?

I assume that shafesk is referring to live music played using acoustic instruments without any speakers to amplify the sound.

 

[SteveR750]

I assumed it was a comparison between any live instrument, electrical or not. An electric guitar isn't much of an instrument without an amp, so a valid comparison between a guitar + amp in your room vs on your hi fi system. That seems reasonable to me. Whether the recording production aims to record an instrument naturally or manipulate it during the mix down process is of course another issue, many recording are obviously processed or manipulated with artifical effects (reverb, stereo soundstage position, multitracking etc)

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Hello dear forumers, I have just got some speakers custom made (will post a review soon but in short they are great) which got me fooled into thinking I was listening to live music. Now I know we all love our hi-fis but I'll be honest my Mezzo's never sounded real by any measure although they are great speakers. This led me to think, have you ever heard speakers which made you feel like you were listening to live music? Are you using that experience to build your setup towards that or are you pursuing a more studio type perfect sound? I mean I have heard clinical and I have heard live and they are very different things, so what do you prefer?

A speaker that I've heard that sounds real are the Avantgarde Unos, they were playing in a high end dealers separate high end room (which I presume is separate to keep away the rif raf much like myself). I barged in, I had to meet the woman with such a beautiful voice, turned out it was the speakers playing vinyl from an outlandish turntable. That memory stuck with me ever since and I've been slowly pursuing it. The beauty of the sound was that I couldn't describe it, it wasn't bright, wasn't warm, it was music and how do you quantify music in those terms?

These speakers remind me of those Avantgardes everyday...its a similar listening experience and I'm glad to say I won't be upgrading my speakers anytime soon.

Please share your experience, what have you heard that you really thought sounded live and how did that influence your setup?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts as always,

Shafin

Yes, that have happened to me once or twice and i've already posted in this forum.

It was the Shahinian ARC, was connected to a Well Tempered Lab "Amadeus" Model, the pre-amplifier i dont remember, but the power amps it was two mono from Rega...

All together sounded like a live performance of the jazz band that was playing.

 

[drummerman]

Nop. I usually see live bands or single performers once or twice a week and I dont think I'd like to have that in my living room to chill out to! - I also have no draught beer or good looking women I dont yet know at home so the illusion would never be real.

regards

 

[hoopsontoast]

BIG front loaded Horns or Big Panel speakers are the only types that have conveyed any realism.

Just got some Magnepan MMG's myself :rofl:

 

[Sabby]

For me it has to be my Magnepans that have come closest to creating the illusion of listening to live music. Close, but not quite there. There are simply no speakers that can recreate the illusion of listening to a live symphony ochestra. It all depends on the type of music you are listening to.

 

[steve_1979]

I also have no draught beer or good looking women I dont yet know at home so the illusion would never be real.

You could just look in the mirror hunnybun.

 

[Electro]

Yes mine it is the reason I bought them !

I think if I was to blindfold an unsuspecting person and told them I was going to take them to a local small venue to hear a band play live then drive a short distance to my house and guide then through the door with a well recorded live recording already playing at realistic levels they would be fooled at least for a short period

With a good recording the wall behind the speakers disappears and is replaced with the acoustics of the venue that the music is being played in along with the performers, it is also possible to feel the music through my body and fingertips .

A bold claim perhaps but it is why I chose the equipment and speakers I have . It has always been my aim to have a HiFi system that is capable of doing a good impression of live music .

I will add that I don't listen at live levels all the time rarely in fact but the system can still give a good impression of a live performance at lower levels as well.

I hope I don't come across as a bit of a show off because I am not a wealthy person and I have worked hard and sacrificed other things to own the equipment I have , I am just passionate about music and go to many live performances and I wanted to have the same feeling that I get at a good live performance at home .

There is always room for improvement though

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Without highjacking a curious thread, I would suggest one would need to listen to a speaker in a live venue environment for any real comparison. Room acoustics will have a very significant effect. Few of us therefore, could ever compare like with like.

 

[Mr Beachams]

best comparison would be to listen to non amplified (acoustic) live music...... otherwise all your doing in comparing your kit with whatever amplification/speakers they were using at the time...... Just a thought :rockout:

But to answer your question....... any speaker with Morel drive units.

 

[v1c]

I went to a foo fighters concert at the NEC 2007...... a little while later i got the Foo Fighters Everywhere but home DVD i played Stacked Actors because it was my favourite track they played at the NEC. I remember saying to my wife who didn't go to the concert **** me it's just like being at the concert and i wasn't exaggerating it evoked a very strong emotional reaction to what i experienced at the live gig. This it why it bemuses me when i see comments that MK speakers aren't considered good with music. I carn't argue with the emotional reaction i got when listening to the music so if the reality is different it's lost on me because to me it was like being there and as i was there i have the perfect reference point.

 

[Frank Harvey]

This it why it bemuses me when i see comments that MK speakers aren't considered good with music.

I say that, although I am referring to recorded studio music. Live music is a little different, and I find that Ken's designs are very good at reproducing PA amplified live concerts. Having said that, they are quite a different presentation to a conventional hi-fi speaker, with a less recessed lower treble and midrange.

It'll be interesting to see if his new designs will be better musically.

 

[plastic penguin]

This is one of the major strengths of the RS6. Without doubt they come the closest I've heard, at the price, to a live recording. One of their biggest strengths - oddly enough - is they aren't quite as precise as others, but it's the raw, no holds barred sound, that mimics a live performance (not really, but the closest).