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發表於 2017-6-12 10:25:27
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Hi Peter,
As few readers are interested, I will just be brief.
You question as I see it involves two parts, a) recording with presence a full audience OR recording without any audience, and b) use of such recording to assess and tune our audio system.
a) recording with or without audience in my view is basically preferences determined by the producer, artist and consumer. One fact is that recording with audience is invariably live recording and that is quite demanding on the performers and recording engineer. For example, if there are 3 performances, proper placement of microphones and performance of players provide only limited choices (for cutting and splicing) for ironing out mistakes etc. If need be, the engineer may even have resort to previous recordings in order to get a better phrase if none is available in the 3 live tracks. Some record labels invite a small number of attendees for even pop album recording in large studios because some artists perform better with the presence of an audience than merely recording into lifeless microphones.
I guess many audiophiles prefer studio recordings to live recordings, the former having cleaner sound with more details. That is why the majority of CDs available in the market and bought by audiophiles are non live recordings.
Personally I prefer live recordings and often I rip tracks from DVDs.
Smaller works, such as chamber and recitals, are usually recorded in rehearsal studios or churches because there is no need to hire a large concert hall for a couple of days which is very expensive and in any case the acoustics and environment of large auditorium are not right or intended by the composer.
b) for assessing audio performance and tuning our audio system.
* I think different genre of music and recording techniques/ venues are required in order to arrive at a more comprehensive judgement. My own view is that there are three most demanding features to be properly reproduced by an audio system: 1) large chorus comprised in a symphony performed in a concert hall, for example, Beethoven 9, Carmina Burana, Mahler 8 etc., no strain, no compression/distortion and adequate head count; 2) the same with a soprano singing loud in high register 3) 3D layers of players in the orchestra, for example, Carmina Burana, 7 rows, namely 1 for the three singers, 3 for string players, 2 for wind and the 7th for percussion. I have mentioned these in other posts and would not repeat them here.
*Other than orchestral rendition, the audio system has to reproduce small works just as well. High frequencies and compact imaging of a drum set are useful for assessment. The set should be reproduced similar in size to the real one placed inside the listening room in 3D. The ride and crash cymbals in front at centre, the snare and high hat behind and additional crash cymbal if any, further back. (I have come across a high end system with the cymbal spread diagonally some 16 ft from the speaker to the corner of the room—design fault in using the diamond tweeter)
* Then solo voice in 3D at or near the plane of the speakers with mouth not larger than a grape fruit. (I have come across the mouth of singer almost as large as a basket/washing basin).
Many recordings in Hong Kong even studio ones add echo to the voice in order for it to sound smoother.
Pop concerts in Hong Kong add a lot of echo.
*violin and acoustic guitar, real life size in 3D.
Timbre is difficult for the listener unless he is well versed with the sound of the instrument. I have tracks of different makes of guitars all with different sound, and even the same guitar sounds different with a different pack of strings, for example, folk, country, bluegrass.
*bass and other stuff— leave for another time then |
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