System Demonstrations on YouTube

[ID.]

Recently I7ve been killing some time listening to demonstrations people have put up of their systems on YouTube. It has been interesting. My main impressions are that, most of the time, I'm listening to the room and the definciencies in their camera/phone mic.

On the other hand, I have been surprised by how much of an impression one can actually get. This is most notable when they have good accoustics in their listening rooms and where the same person has put up multiple videos of different set-ups in the same room (many thanks to Jaxwired).

All videos seem to be worst at conveying the bass performance/

Interestingly the systems that come across as impressive have been some demos of professional actives and some of the Kef LS50s. For some reason there's a Japanese one of some Fostex professional monitors (active) that seem to be running off a tube amp that works really well on YouTube.

Sorry, just some random thoughts. Does anyone else bother checking out these kinds of videos? Do you think it is completely pointless beyond the visual audio porn of checking out other people's kit and listening rooms?

 

[ksoundwerx]

I must admit I am miffed by trying to capture system performance and SQ on youtube - I just don't see the point. It's impossible to record how the ear would hear it in person, and as such, I've always dissmissed such videos.

Perhaps a certain level of impression can be gained but, I still avoid.

 

[lpv]

yeah.. and you can only hear instrumental, vocal etc.. no videos with rock, metal.. or maybe I'm not dig deep enough.. but I'm not really that much interested anyway

 

[iJoe]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=hup7cckTM58&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dhup7cckTM58

The best recordings I found, has a tube Mic.

 

[iJoe]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=hup7cckTM58&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dhup7cckTM58

The best recordings I found, has a tube Mic.

 

[visionary]

Always struck me as a daft concept. What I'm listening to is a (dubiously recorded) representation of their system THROUGH MINE! Any good or bad aspects of the demo are tempered by what my system sounds like.

 

[drummerman]

I do, on occasions, have a look at some youtube videos, especially when I am looking for something specific and I agree with jaxwired uploads being more informative than some others but as you said, you can really not judge acurately how something sounds. An impression is possible though, especially if the video is a like for like comparison (cartridges for example).

Even so, what I find puzzling is when folks talk for ten minutes about their systems or a component but never show it working ...

Happy Sunday everybody!

regards

 

[MakkaPakka]

I have watched a few - more for the pictures than the sound which tends to be echo-y sounding 'audiophile jazz'

Some of the videos are a bit of a shocker - thousands worth of cables, supports and what not in completely bare rooms that must be murdering the sound.

 

[chebby]

Worse than listening to equipment in a hi-fi shop. (And that's a pointless activity in itself.)

However, some videos are quite good for nostalgia...

A Walk in the Black Forest

Theme from The Odd Couple

(FD might like them)

And especially for Floyd Droid (and older snooker fans)...

Dansette Bermuda

 

[floyd droid]

Good stuff Chebby. I did give the Dansette/Winnie Attwell a whirl yesterday. Matey was well impressive hand cueing WITBF left handed at floor level. I would have scat that easy peasy.

 

[the record spot]

I must admit I am miffed by trying to capture system performance and SQ on youtube - I just don't see the point. It's impossible to record how the ear would hear it in person, and as such, I've always dissmissed such videos. Perhaps a certain level of impression can be gained but, I still avoid.

Likewise, never much bothered with it, occasionally for interest's sake but we're talking about an old Sansui amp I'd had a curiosity about (think it was one of their high end models). Other than that, for reasons already covered off, seems like a pointless action from an audio perspective.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Worse than listening to equipment in a hi-fi shop. (And that's a pointless activity in itself.)

I'd hardly say pointless. No, it won't represent your own room, but the main thing is that you're comparing two products under the same conditions, so differences will be detectable. I see pointless as hearing one product at one dealer, then the second at another dealer

Anyway, many might say that it would be pointless listening to those systems on YouTube, but maybe it's not. There may be some things that you can tell from this. I've not watched any of these videos, but it reminded me of when I worked at Superfi. We had a Bang & Olufsen telephone, and I called another store that also used one (they were better sounding phones than most). While I was talking to the other manager, there was some music playing in the background. I can't remember what it was and I don't think I even knew who it was at the time, but during the conversation, I said to him, "you're listening to vinyl aren't you?". He was quite surprised that I could tell that over the phone. And to make it clear, there were no crackle and pops to give this away, it just sounded realistic, lifelike, natural.

Even though the sound of these videos may not be great, one might stand out over the others for some reason. It may only be a hint of what you would actually hear if you had been present, but its a pointer. This is of course assuming that the same equipment has been used for the recording.

 

[the record spot]

Because obviously, CD, or digital, can't possibly do realistic, lifelike or natural...

 

[plastic penguin]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

 

[chebby]

Worse than listening to equipment in a hi-fi shop. (And that's a pointless activity in itself.)

I'd hardly say pointless. No, it won't represent your own room, but the main thing is that you're comparing two products under the same conditions, so differences will be detectable. I see pointless as hearing one product at one dealer, then the second at another dealer

Yeah, you can prod and twiddle stuff in the shop and get a sense of the build etc. but the sound could be up to 180 degrees different at home.

I also get headaches when listening in shops. (Even ones like my excellent local Audio-T with two purpose built demo lounges.) It's an artificial environment with artificial expectations and a bunch of retailer/customer 'baggage' going on both sides. (I can do without that little buyer/seller 'dance' thanks.)

Also, I am - primarily - a radio listener. A lot of what I listen to is drama, comedy, documentary, history centred content with BD and TV stuff next followed by music. Do you think I am going to listen to an entire episode of Radio 4's 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' in a demo lounge to see if I can forget that the equipment and the shop and the assistant are all there? (In order to immerse myself in the dialogue and the plot like I would do naturally at home.)

And not many hi-fi shops have properly installed FM/DAB antennas on their rooftops to maximise performance of their tuners (or receivers). In fact they don't have that many tuners or receivers.

 

[steve_1979]

Watching videos of HiFi's can be interesting to see what they look like in 3D as photos don't always tell the whole picture.

But it's a total waste of time trying to judge the sound quality this way. All you're doing is comparing the quality of the microphones that are built into the cameras that are used to make the videos. This is before you even consider the obvious distortions caused by their rooms acoustics and your own system replaying the sound.

It can be fun to watch these videos but don't forget that you're just comparing the sound quality of cheap camera microphones not HiFi systems. :roll:

 

[chebby]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Is that your general view of YouTube? Do you know you can search for content that will interest you?

 

[steve_1979]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Doesn't YouTube just suck you in sometimes though? You start off watching one thing and before you know it you've been clicking on links for two hours and you're sat there in the early hours of the morning watching videos of kittens and you're wondering how the hell you got there. :type: :doh:

 

[plastic penguin]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Is that your general view of YouTube? Do you know you can search for content that will interest you?

No. When you do search you always end up with few rogue videos that are there for no possible reason or logic. Why would anyone want to see a rabbit cEDITEDg on a pricey rug? Futile. I blame Jeremy Beadle for all this garbage.

 

[John Duncan]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Is that your general view of YouTube? Do you know you can search for content that will interest you?

No. When you do search you always end up with few rogue videos that are there for no possible reason or logic. Why would anyone want to see a rabbit cEDITEDg on a pricey rug? Futile. I blame Jeremy Beadle for all this garbage.

I think you're using it wrong...

 

[John Duncan]

You start off watching one thing and before you know it you've been clicking on links for two hours and you're sat there in the early hours of the morning watching videos of kittens

That's my excuse when challenged over my search history, certainly.

 

[steve_1979]

You start off watching one thing and before you know it you've been clicking on links for two hours and you're sat there in the early hours of the morning watching videos of kittens

That's my excuse when challenged over my search history, certainly.

The search history? That gets deleted everyday out of habit round here. :shifty:

 

[chebby]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Is that your general view of YouTube? Do you know you can search for content that will interest you?

No. When you do search you always end up with few rogue videos that are there for no possible reason or logic. Why would anyone want to see a rabbit cEDITEDg on a pricey rug? Futile. I blame Jeremy Beadle for all this garbage.

Then you have answered my question. You can't do adequate searches that would find stuff you are interested in.

From Jeremy Beadle?

 

[steve_1979]

You start off watching one thing and before you know it you've been clicking on links for two hours and you're sat there in the early hours of the morning watching videos of kittens

That's my excuse when challenged over my search history, certainly.

The search history? That gets deleted everyday out of habit round here. :shifty:

I wouldn't mind getting caught watching porn but if she ever found out that I spend several hours a day looking at hifi equipment I'd never live it down.

 

[plastic penguin]

Not (quite) as pointless than people videoing their hamster running across a carpet or a dog on a beach. |(

Is that your general view of YouTube? Do you know you can search for content that will interest you?

No. When you do search you always end up with few rogue videos that are there for no possible reason or logic. Why would anyone want to see a rabbit cEDITEDg on a pricey rug? Futile. I blame Jeremy Beadle for all this garbage.

Then you have answered my question. You can't do adequate searches that would find stuff you are interested in.

From Jeremy Beadle?

(not clicked on the link) Have no objection with people who take videos of Jonny's birthday party (I've taken videos of my daughter, but wouldn't dream of showing the world) or Rover sniffing another dog's backside, but do they really need to plaster across the internet?