Author Topic: Who has Dynaudio?  (Read 26691 times)

Offline VWKev

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #60 on: 25 September 2009, 15:09 »
I had an interesting experience when I first got my iPod.  As I said, I didn't have iTunes on a PC at the time (slow dial-up at home and no admin privileges for office computer).  A friend loaded up some stuff she thought I would like from her own collection.

It sounded, well not horrible, but uninvolving and two-dimensional.  I thought, oh dear, that was a waste of money wasn't it.

However, I was trying to learn a piece of music at the time, so I showed up with a CD of the Brahms German Requiem and asked her to put it on the iPod for me, which she did.  I was only thinking of it as a learning tool.

I was blown away.  I couldn't take the earphones out of my ears.  The difference was astonishing.

When I asked my friend about this, she came up with some complete BS about how her files had been copied and recopied over several computers, so they must have degraded.  Well, even I know better than that.  We're not talking about magnetic tape here.  I can only imagine that he own files were at a higher compression, and had lost that je ne sais quoi.

I agree, once I plug the iPod into the Linn Majik amplifier and play it through the Linn Toukan speakers, it's not quite the same thing.  But using the standard iTunes settings to copy a CD, then playing it through the earphones, it's definitely "good enough".

Incidentally, I noticed something else interesting.  One day I was absolutely compelled to listen to the Berlioz Te Deum, which I didn't have a CD of (just a cassette tape which some day I must convert).  So I went to the iStore and bought a recording of it, while I was at work (yes, I did torture these admin privileges out of IT in the end).  I was so keen to listen that I plugged the iPod's earphones into the audio jack of the computer and listened to the beginning while it was still downloading.

I didn't much care for it.  I wondered again about compression, or if I'd just chosen a poorly engineered recording.  However, I waited till it had downloaded, changed the earphones to the iPod itself, and listened again.  It was great.  After some discussion on another forum, the opinion was that my office computer has a poor sound card.  Just shows again that the iPod is well engineered to give a very acceptable sound in the context it's supposed to be used in.

I just wish iTunes was about 200% more intuitive though, and track naming was rational and consistent.

Rolfe.

Your thoughts are spot on Rolfe, It depends on what bitrate is used, it depends on the quality of the original format, most importantly the endocer used. The advice given already is fine, and my advice is fine too, my advice was to give the best encode possible at a bitrate thats good quality at a very good file size. Of course standalone CD with a seperates system will be completely different and again vinyl, with a marble turntable, stanton or ortafon needles, valve amps with some classic floor standing speakers will blow your socks off, but this is listening to music in the car, it shouldnt be taken this seriously.

I'd disagree with the vinyl comments; poor dynamic range, pops and hisses, and all the other typical analogue issues. Valve amps are just over hyped, expensive, underpowered, room heaters that add distortion. They look pretty though.

I'm not going to debate this, for a number of reasons. Infact just one reason, thats a load of tosh what you just wrote.

I have working with Linn on my CV, I also have had 2 recording contracts, I've have had my music chart in the Scottish dance charts, I also have  sound technology qualifications and I have played a gig in front of 20,000+ people at dance event.

i have heard and tinkered with almost all forms of music playback. I have heard music played back from a £20 sonly walkman right through to a £400,000 Linn system that would make grown men cry.

Have a little think about what you just said, and if you want to debate it properly it really needs it own thread but not in the mk6 section.


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Offline Rolfe

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #61 on: 25 September 2009, 15:31 »
Mmmm.  Any thoughts on why my Sondek isn't the bees knees?  Louder passages just seem to go all blurry.  I'd think it was clipping, but the same music played from another source is handled quite adequately by the amp and speakers.

Rolfe.

Offline VWKev

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #62 on: 25 September 2009, 16:35 »
Mmmm.  Any thoughts on why my Sondek isn't the bees knees?  Louder passages just seem to go all blurry.  I'd think it was clipping, but the same music played from another source is handled quite adequately by the amp and speakers.

Rolfe.

It's a cracking unit you have there Rolfe, you checked the cart/needle, looks ok ? when was the last time you replaced it ? Also, does it do it with all vinyl you use ? Do you use the same interconnects when you used another source, if you did you can eliminate them, if not, check they are ok.

Its weird that it happens just when there is a loud extract in the music, almost as though speakers, cabling, amp/power amp/receiver could be the cause.

If you have eliminated it down to the turntable, then have a look at the arm/needle as i say and ensure that the baseplate is not loose and make sure there is no vibration going to the deck at all. As i say, its quite weird why its only at louder points in the music your listening to.  :undecided:

Would be nice to know what your exact system is and what alternate system you used to test.


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Offline Snoopy

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #63 on: 25 September 2009, 20:35 »
Between the electronics, no, or at least incredibly unlikely, at least not to the human ear.....

Between the different speakers, Dynaudio and standard, yes, in all probability there is. How much, well that would depend on various things and only a (double) blind test would be much use determining that given the problems associated with audio testing and comparisons. Then there's preference to add to that; not everyone likes the same speakers for good reason. And then to top it all, you have the considerable amount of ambient noise in a car to add to the mix.

......Seems like there's some subjective audiophile ignorance showing its ugly head here. I'd bet you'd even recommend people to use $$$ external DACs too.  :rolleyes:

For those that don't know, there's a lot of ignorance and myth in the audio world, considerable amounts of which is championed by "high end" A/V salesmen that make their biggest profits from selling ridiculously over priced cables to the unsuspecting public.....   

A couple of things; first, the encoding algorithms used is just one factor. Another important one, more so in the past few decades is the mastering quality. A lot of music these days has little dynamic range due to sound engineers attempting to make everything so loud (do a google for "loudness wars").... but for .... audio, it's awful. Really, really, awful. Although this trend tends to be more restricted to popular music rather than classic.......

I'd disagree with the vinyl comments; poor dynamic range, pops and hisses, and all the other typical analogue issues. Valve amps are just over hyped, expensive, underpowered, room heaters that add distortion. They look pretty though......
WOW  :shocked: That was like reading my posts on audio forums for the past 10 years!!
I thought there was only a few of us on the net, people like David Clark(home/pro audio), Richard Clark(autosound2000/pro audio), Mark Eldridge(MSE), Gary Biggs(JBL), Andy Wahmyer(JBL) were brave enough (to speakout against the instilled truth) on the net.

I have working with Linn on my CV, I also have had 2 recording contracts, I've have had my music chart in the Scottish dance charts, I also have  sound technology qualifications and I have played a gig in front of 20,000+ people at dance event.
i have heard and tinkered with almost all forms of music playback. I have heard music played back from a £20 sonly walkman right through to a £400,000 Linn system that would make grown men cry.
Have a little think about what you just said, and if you want to debate it properly it really needs it own thread but not in the mk6 section.
I seem to have missed some posts or skipped some so not sure what you agree or disagree with.
Im interested in what you actually did at Linn. I have worked for a highend English home audio company myself in the south :wink: in the design and test section and it opened my eyes to the utter BS in the audio industry i was let in on so many secrets and lies that are fed to people. Stuff is often used not for sonic grounds but because the marketing men want it!. In the electonics side of a system you can think of them as an electonic linear systems. So within the well documented human ears very low levels of been able to notice a difference like 1% THD for tones 3% for music, less ~30db channel seperation (defined by the size of the human head) , things like amplifiers can be looked on when used in there linear range as 'linear systems' so are defined by frequency responce, Gain, noise & distortion. Wiring in the audio frequency range can be defined by there LCR properties. etc etc. Theres no vodoo in audio just electonics + mechanics.
« Last Edit: 25 September 2009, 21:15 by Snoopy »
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Offline AdrianM

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #64 on: 25 September 2009, 21:04 »
Between the electronics, no, or at least incredibly unlikely, at least not to the human ear.....

Between the different speakers, Dynaudio and standard, yes, in all probability there is. How much, well that would depend on various things and only a (double) blind test would be much use determining that given the problems associated with audio testing and comparisons. Then there's preference to add to that; not everyone likes the same speakers for good reason. And then to top it all, you have the considerable amount of ambient noise in a car to add to the mix.

......Seems like there's some subjective audiophile ignorance showing its ugly head here. I'd bet you'd even recommend people to use $$$ external DACs too.  :rolleyes:

For those that don't know, there's a lot of ignorance and myth in the audio world, considerable amounts of which is championed by "high end" A/V salesmen that make their biggest profits from selling ridiculously over priced cables to the unsuspecting public.....   

A couple of things; first, the encoding algorithms used is just one factor. Another important one, more so in the past few decades is the mastering quality. A lot of music these days has little dynamic range due to sound engineers attempting to make everything so loud (do a google for "loudness wars").... but for .... audio, it's awful. Really, really, awful. Although this trend tends to be more restricted to popular music rather than classic.......

I'd disagree with the vinyl comments; poor dynamic range, pops and hisses, and all the other typical analogue issues. Valve amps are just over hyped, expensive, underpowered, room heaters that add distortion. They look pretty though......
WOW  :shocked: That was like reading my posts on audio forums for the past 10 years!!
I thought there was only a few of us on the net, people like David Clark(home/pro audio), Richard Clark(autosound2000/pro audio), Mark Eldridge(MSE), Gary Biggs(JBL), Andy Wahmyer(JBL) were brave enough (to speakout against the instilled truth) on the net.

Take a look over on audioholics.com you'll find quite a few more people that actually know a little about the science and engineering behind audio. ;)


I'm not going to debate this, for a number of reasons. Infact just one reason, thats a load of tosh what you just wrote.

I have working with Linn on my CV, I also have had 2 recording contracts, I've have had my music chart in the Scottish dance charts, I also have  sound technology qualifications and I have played a gig in front of 20,000+ people at dance event.

i have heard and tinkered with almost all forms of music playback. I have heard music played back from a £20 sonly walkman right through to a £400,000 Linn system that would make grown men cry.

Have a little think about what you just said, and if you want to debate it properly it really needs it own thread but not in the mk6 section.

Dude, you're right, it's not the place for a technical discussion on the merits (or lack thereof) of analogue and vinyl. Although I will say that your personal claims have little or no relevance when it comes to the objective superiority of one technology over another.  Maybe you should join one of the A/V related forums out there and debate your point of view; audioholics.com or avsforum.com for instance? The high end section on avs usually has some lively debates going on. :)

Offline simonpolly

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #65 on: 25 September 2009, 21:16 »
So have we decided if dyno audio is any good ? :wink:
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Offline Snoopy

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #66 on: 25 September 2009, 21:23 »
Its Dynaudio  :wink: (i wish GTI owners would get the name right  :drool: ) and yes imho for the price and what you get and since its oem it is an ok deal  but then im into sound quality audio in a big way both home and car, more so car nowadays as i enjoy the engineering/tunning challenge :evil:
« Last Edit: 25 September 2009, 21:28 by Snoopy »
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Offline AdrianM

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #67 on: 25 September 2009, 21:23 »
So have we decided if dyno audio is any good ? :wink:

I think the answer to that is people should listen and make up their own minds if it's worth the extra $$$. They certainly shouldn't assume it's worth the extra given the environment is a car. But FWIW, Dynaudio are generally good speakers.

Offline simonpolly

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #68 on: 25 September 2009, 21:32 »
I have dynaudio in my car,in the car a scrapped i had a sony head unit and alpine speakers all round,it was fitted by a proffesional audio company about 10 years ago and to be honest was as good as the dynaudio set up in the golf.imo :grin:
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Offline gizzywizzy

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Re: Who has Dynaudio?
« Reply #69 on: 25 September 2009, 22:40 »
I have dynaudio in my car, the 307 had a bose unit which was good but imho not as good as the dynaudio.  Seriously anyone considering whether to go for it really needs to listen to a car without and a car with and then make their own opinion.  For me it was definitely worth the extra dosh as I love listening to music on the move.
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