I once heard the Infinity IRS-V in a large room, and to those that have not heard a system like that it's hard to convey what resolving actually is like. Words that describe it are: clarity (you can almost reach out and touch the instruments in front of you they are so real), soundstage (it is utterly clear where instruments are placed in the sound stage, like individual instruments in complex orchestra pieces), depth (almost 'seeing' soundstage contributors 20-30 feet behind the speakers), ease (plays super complex music effortlessly where you can not just separate the kick drum from the bass guitar, but you can hear the pluck/strike of the strings and the pedal hit the drum skin). It's kind of like a Monet painting compared to a high resolution photograph of the same scene - one is clear and you can see/hear every detail, and the other isn't - yet it's a wonderful interpretation of the same information, and the viewer can derive more pleasure from it, but will not be able to see (hear) every single detail.
@andershammer9307
2 жыл бұрын
I heard the IRS speakers years ago when they cost $160K. Sound was good but the stereo image moved up and down the drivers. I couldn't live with a speaker that does that. My Acoustat electrostatics are very open and resolving and they stereo image is rock solid as long as I don't move much.
@carlstineman274
2 жыл бұрын
Wrong title / subject. Not DSD.
@Tahitian58
2 жыл бұрын
Mislabeled for sure. Paul you already did this video on 12/26 (?)
@gotham61
2 жыл бұрын
I'm confused by the title of this video.
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
Apparently so was PS Audio.
@googoo-gjoob
2 жыл бұрын
get in line...
@Connectronix
2 жыл бұрын
DSD: Definitely Sounds Dumb (at least it did to me)
@joz411no8
2 жыл бұрын
The title to this post says “DSD Sources.” I think I may have missed something. I will say in response to the video, though, that I gifted my sister a HomePod Mini for Christmas. She’s into the music like I am, but doesn’t care even half as much about the sound quality. Apple products (as do many brands) make music sound good, but they’re not resolving at all.
@christofferberg9431
2 жыл бұрын
The most recent generations of SF lineups still have the wonderfull midrange but also have treble, bass, and ’resolving power’ to compete with other high end brands. They still have their own take on sound though, not aiming to win any particular parameter but to prioritize the overall engagement in music. I have the Electa Amator III, a delight.
@NoEgg4u
2 жыл бұрын
I learned a bit about yesteryear Cadillacs, as well as modern day Teslas. I did not, however, come away with more insight into DSD sources. But, ultimately, I enjoyed the video!
@carlosoliveira-rc2xt
2 жыл бұрын
Paul resorting to click bait. 😋
@housepianist
2 жыл бұрын
"Not over my dead body!" ☠️ Words from many wives that have toppled even the mightiest of audiophile home set-ups. 😂
@artyfhartie2269
2 жыл бұрын
I once told my best friend that I prefered listening to music on records and tapes on vintage equipment. As a digital audio fanatic, he got very excited and argumentative. So I dropped the subject. Then I told him that I slept with his wife and his two kids are mine. And he said " No wonder they prefer to buy records and tapes"
@nathankilgore7061
2 жыл бұрын
Paul, great analogy with the car suspension! We automotive enthusiasts will forgive that you think Tesla has a “resolving” suspension 🤣
@zeppedled
2 жыл бұрын
So this was 100% not related to DSD 😞 Was really hoping to hear more about where to get more DSD music.
@anthonyf3957
2 жыл бұрын
So what does this video have to do with DSD? It was not even hinted at.
@Erk88888
2 жыл бұрын
The food analogy was great! It is true for most of the tastes in art. Thank you for teaching me this analogy! Great channel!
@louisperlman8030
2 жыл бұрын
Paul, have you actually heard any of the current Sonus Faber models, the Sonetto and Olympica Nova lines in particular?
@ThinkingBetter
2 жыл бұрын
I like Paul’s focus on the topic of creating a resolving system and really look forward to hear the new speakers at some point. Nothing in an audio system is as important as speakers that can resolve the details helped by drivers that can translate the music signal most precisely. Ribbon drivers win over traditional “Lincoln moving” dynamic drivers.
@user-od9iz9cv1w
2 жыл бұрын
Bucket list item for me is to travel to Boulder and hear the new speakers vs the IRS V. Great marketing on Paul's part. if I were buying speakers these are the first I would audition. I love the look and the concepts.
@Instrumental-Covers
2 жыл бұрын
I posted a comment yesterday saying that audiophile speaker performance is overrated and it is not that hard to build home-made speakers with cheap parts that sound incredible and resolving, and can compete with an audiophile speaker performance-wise. The comment was misunderstood, as if I had claimed that I can make an audiophile speaker at home with cheap parts. That is not what I said. I will illustrate the difference with cars: you can't make a Lamborghini at home, but you can modify a Honda Civic to make it competitive against the exotic car in terms of performance. In a similar manner, the performance of an audiophile speaker can be approached or matched by a home-made speaker. Denying this is like saying you can't have a modified Honda Civic compete with a Lamborghini in a street race. I have heard some audiophile speakers, and what I hear is not significantly better than what I can achieve on my own. I don't think this is an ignorant pretentious claim at all, for the same reason a person modifying a Honda Civic is not being pretentious if he claims his car can compete with a Lamborghini. He is not saying that his car looks as good as a Lamborghini, or that he can make Lamborghinis at home using cheap parts, he is just claiming that he can race it. He is not able to create a beautiful product such as a Lamborghini, but he can focus on the performance of the engine to approach or match the specs of the supercar. What exactly is a speaker? Well, typically it is a box with several drivers: tweeter, midrange, mid-bass, bass. It also has a crossover. Can somebody with knowledge make something similar? I don't see why not. I see Danny from GR-Research opening speakers all the time and talking about their design. So far, they all have been boxes with drivers and a crossover, nothing magical inside, which he typically improves. Will the box be beautiful if you make it at home? Probably not. But performance-wise, is there something special that prevents somebody from creating a high performing speaker? The idea of a resolving speaker, for example, is not difficult to achieve at home. What other people are describing in the comments about certain details they heard in specific speaker systems, is not something impossible to achieve with home-made speakers. My whole point is: high quality audio doesn't have to be that expensive, and it can be done at home with cheap parts. Do I believe audiophile speakers can sound amazing? Yes. Do I believe that only audiophile speakers can sound amazing? No. Do I believe that very expensive components will sound better than cheaper components? Yes, but up to a certain degree. There is a threshold after which more and more money in component sophistication will not yield a substantial improvement in performance. So far, I haven't been motivated in audiophile components because I find that their performance is not that different from what can be done in the DIY world.
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
I will only disagree with this part of your post, "... and it can be done at home with cheap parts." Granted you don't define "cheap parts" but there is a giant difference between what a $3 tweeter can do and a premium tweeter that may cost $50 or $100 or more. Same with functional midbass vs premium midbass. Let's not confuse the issue with focusing too much on cost, cheap vs expensive. The real issue is functional vs premium. Sadly "premium" tends to cost many more times as much as "functional." And a well designed speaker with premium parts will reproduce content more faithfully. But I understand where you are coming from. Some 10 or 15 years ago I build a pair of ported 2-way speakers with 8" Audax midbass and silk dome tweeter, a rather simple crossover filter, using a SPL meter and test tones to fine-tune everything. And they sound great. The parts were "budget" for the most part but I expect that if I had used premium parts they would sound even better. Or reproduce lower. Or play louder without distortion.
@Instrumental-Covers
2 жыл бұрын
@@txmike1945 I agree with you. My point is quite simple: you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to afford high quality audio or resolving speakers. The final sound that comes out of an audiophile speaker system can be reasonably achieved using pretty affordable parts (let's avoid the term "cheap" to avoid confusion with a $3 tweeter or similarly priced cheap drivers).
@jeremiahchamberlin4499
2 жыл бұрын
@@Instrumental-Covers and txmike1945, I’ve tried my hand at speaker building, and I think there is actually quite a bit to it. There are the materials you choose for the box, it’s size and dimension, the driver(s) chosen, their placement on the baffle, and, not least, the finish (which can consume a lot of construction time, and grille cloth. And we haven’t touched on the question of how one designs the speaker to begin with (actually, I guess most of my issues touch on design, come to think of it). Building a speaker from a kit saves money. Updating a well-regarded vintage speaker may make sense. Duplicating someone else’s speaker design is a path often taken; but to come up with a speaker design to give you the sound you want in the room you have, with the equipment you have is a nontrivial task. Unless you have studied the subject thoroughly, and/or are willing and able (financially and physically) to go through several iterations before you ‘get it right,’ then I think those are tasks better left to the engineers whose job it is to accomplish this difficult task. I consider it more ‘affordable’ to attempt a ‘try before you buy’ review of speakers on offer by your local dealer. Can you amuse yourself building speakers? -undoubtedly. Can you learn something from the process? -highly likely. I learned I couldn’t do it as well as the professionals, although I have now accumulated enough vintage speakers that I might like to try ‘updating’ them to correct their shortcomings. Right now, I’m still trying to get my analog sources to play nice with my amp and preamp. I have observed others go down a rabbit hole trying to ‘fix’ their speakers. It’s not a path I wish to follow.
@Instrumental-Covers
2 жыл бұрын
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 I am pretty sure that speaker building is an art and a science, better left to the professionals. I would not argue with that. But my point is: making great sound (by reasonable standards) is not that difficult. Let me share with you my favorite design, which I recognize will produce mock and ridicule by most. I place a full range driver in a panel (open baffle design). The speaker will have a dedicated amplifier. Then I add a tweeter, also with its own dedicated amplifier, and just a capacitor chosen by ear, not by rigorous measurements. Then I add a subwoofer, also regulated by ear. As simple as this design is, it makes an incredible sound. You can certainly laugh at the lack of science and rigor of this design. But it sounds very live and detailed. Such a simple system does not require a box and can be finished in a few hours. Notice that I am not even bothering with a proper crossover. I am aware of the very extensive list of defects you can find in such a system: speakers working outside their optimal frequency range, overlapping of frequencies, etc. But there is still the fact that this system sounds very good. I once built a 7-foot tower with four 15" full range drivers (open baffle design) and a single tweeter in the middle, plus a subwoofer. No crossover network, just a capacitor, all regulated by ear, each driver with its own amplifier. That is as ridiculous as design goes, isn't it? I agree. But it sounded great, clear, detailed. When I played André Rieu, for example, you could hear the lips of the singers smacking so clearly (the tweeter could go very low to midrange levels). Since it was a large open baffle design, it was very well fitted for orchestral music. When played loud, the music filled the room. Imagine having a 15" full range driver 6 feet in the air and one 1 foot from the ground. I know it is a very ridiculous design, but take a look at the Steinway Lyngdorf system.. something similar to that. But again, it is not what the design is, but how it sounds. I am not trying to compete with audiophile speakers. My point is: some extremely simple designs sound so good. You can get very detailed sound from simple home-made speakers. I have also some professional level music instruments that have high resolution samples in them, and when I play them using studio monitor headphones and my own speaker designs, the sound is basically the same. Once again, simple designs, and particularly having a dedicated midrange driver and a tweeter that can go very low to midrange levels, can bring a lot of detail to the music. While I am not claiming a home-made design like the ones I mentioned will win any audiophile competition, my point is that a clear, detailed, great sound is possible outside the circle of audiophile speakers.
@kentonkirkpatrick5225
2 жыл бұрын
I owned a "resolving" system once. It let me hear with "certainty" the differences between recording venues (in live recordings). It let me feel like I was hearing 99% of what was on my CDs and SACDs. When you hear it you'll know it. UPDATE: Today, as I opened my dark shop, I was wearing my three-position head-mounted flashlight. To conserve batteries, I usually set it to position 3 (low). Today, I left it on position 1 and had "high resolution" in-my-face. Walking through my living room, I notice it was much easier to navigate, I saw more colors and detail from all objects, It was a more "powerful" experience. Everything was easier to do with more resolution.
@giovannipepe5945
2 жыл бұрын
Hi. I had a pair of SF Venere 1.5 bookshelf speakers. Great overall sound. Never fatiguing. Absolutely great. But I wanted a bit more punch. Bought SF Chameleon T floorstanding speakers. Totally different. Loads more individual details (more resolving?) but I have to admit, not as "relaxing". But I prefer them. As always, "horses for courses" 🙂. Haven't listened to any high end SF yet so I'm definitely no expert. Just my personal experience.
@edd2771
2 жыл бұрын
DSD Sources?
@benrub
2 жыл бұрын
Hey did you upload the wrong video? this video has nothing to do with DSD sources.
@m.9243
2 жыл бұрын
The late Peter Walker, owner and designer of Quad Electronics in the UK is on record saying: "..music should be enjoyed, not suffered.." I rather agree with that sentiment. I love music as a "sum off" different instruments harmonizing with each other, rather than individual sound sources that my brain has to work hard to put together. Extreme resolution usually causes the latter..
@gotham61
2 жыл бұрын
My favorite PW quote is from when a reporter asked if he thought the performance of the Quad Electrostatic was satisfactory, he replied “On no. No, we think our loudspeaker very poor, but we think that the others arc even poorer!”
@m.9243
2 жыл бұрын
@@gotham61 😀😀 Εxcellent answer! Thank You!
@jeremiahchamberlin4499
2 жыл бұрын
To A. M. Your comment struck a chord with me. Sound is such a complex phenomenon. I am currently running two sets of amplifier/speaker pairings on my system because there was something about the first set that I just didn’t like, although it was (and is) hard to put my finger on or describe. The second set of speakers were much ‘smoother’ (I was told), but details are sometimes lacking. What the second set brings is a remarkable sound stage. It is as if they cast out an orb of sound which envelopes me in my sitting position. I am able to run the first set at diminished volume in order to catch some of the details and timbre that they bring, but at times I have to take them out of the circuit because I find they distract me from listening to the ‘harmony’ (as you put it) of the music -in other words, the details from the first set get in my way, they interfere psycho-acoustically with my listening to the music from the smoother second set of speakers, as much as I like some aspects of the first set. If you’re wondering, both speakers are three-way designs; the first set is a bass-reflex 12” woofer + ‘bullet’ tweeter driven by a solid state amp, and the second set is a acoustic suspension 15” woofer + soft dome Mylar tweeter driven by a tube amp. I haven’t tried switching the amps, I think the difference is more in the speakers themselves. I only bought the second set because I just wasn’t completely happy with the sound of the first set. I’m just getting back into this hobby after many years; still trying to work out just what kind of sound I want for my system. I’ve really been enjoying listening to jazz trios and quintets on my ‘new’ system. Anyway, I couldn’t get your comment out of my head after many days and thought I would respond. Thanks.
@m.9243
2 жыл бұрын
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 Great to hear / see other people following a similar path (as myself), in making _that_ special connection with the music they listen too. I, like you Jeremiah, also use two different set ups to enjoy music on different occasions. The main system is made by large American speakers (Thiel CS6) and driven by solid state mono-block amplifiers. Like in your case, this gives me a huge and deep soundstage, plus lots of slam and dynamics. It also blends all instruments of an orchestra into a very tuneful stream of music. Lights out and you can get the illusion, you're in the front rows of a Concert Hall, especially if it's played in realistic levels. Ideal with Symphonic Music, Choral stuff and Opera. Also great with rock music and any recording that needs a dynamic presentation and impact. The second setup, is what I euphemistically call, the "British BBC" sound. Rogers LS7t speakers driven by tube amplification, a sound that presents a very accurate and detailed array of instruments, each one very well defined on the soundstage, both in width and depth. Excellent system for small scale Classical music (Baroque, chamber etc) as well as traditional Jazz. This configuration excels in late night listening, at low(ish) volume but with every little nuance of the music present. So, depending on what I am listening too, I use the appropriate equipment. I guess, from quoting Peter Walker, you've guessed that I've been into this hobby for many years and done the 'full circle'.. No more purchases and upgrades. I enjoy what I have. 🙂
@jeremiahchamberlin4499
2 жыл бұрын
@@m.9243 I think I would enjoy what you have as well. 😋 Not being familiar with the speakers you called out, I read John Atkinson’s reviews of model in Stereophile. I love what he said about the Thiel’s “-the speakers neatly stepped out of the way of the music.” Based on your configuration, I ought to go ahead and try switching amps; you have the tube amps on the ported boxes, and the solid state on the sealed ones. But it sounds as though you also have better equipment. My vintage ported speakers are Cerwin-Vega DX7’s and my vintage sealed enclosures are Warfedale W70E’s. Thanks for the (informative) response, enjoy the music!
@ptg01
2 жыл бұрын
DSD sources??
@birgerolovsson5203
2 жыл бұрын
Why do you say just "Sonus Fabers" since I can't think that the cheapest "Fabers" sounds just like the most extreme.
@Wicked_Fox
2 жыл бұрын
Where do I send a question to be answered at?
@Bassotronics
2 жыл бұрын
Video Title: Resolving (Part 2).
@CarlVanDoren61
2 жыл бұрын
Magnepan 20.7s w/coda 16.0 amplifier. Wife loves them over box speakers!!
@paoloventurini6406
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Paul, i like your car analogy, which explains why I've never been able to appreciate sonus fabers (and i hate to say that as they are my co-nationals). Matter of fact, i'd never drive a cadillac, and i cannot stand anything that feels 'muddy' or 'rubbery'
@anonimushbosh
2 жыл бұрын
That's because those are relative terms which for you are negative and it's a subjective test. Compared to an F1 car every car you've driven is 'muddy'.
@m1tch3llphotos
2 жыл бұрын
I only want to know one thing: why do you wear your watch sideways? (Keep up the great videos!)
@MrDoneboy
2 жыл бұрын
Paul...I personally am a "Vagitarian"!
@clintonwalker5000
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Paul I was about to buy SONUS FABER NOVER 3 , having second thoughts now 🤨
@user-od9iz9cv1w
2 жыл бұрын
This video would make me think twice before buying Sonus Faber. There are lots of vintage speakers that play nicely but are not particularly resolving. The new technologies and their potential for superior performance would be the only justification for spending the kind of money that speakers command.
@clintonwalker5000
2 жыл бұрын
@@user-od9iz9cv1w Paul actually maybe your video was a blessing in disguise I’m going back to the drawing board, I listen to focal kanta 2, they sounded nice. Anyway you made me think twice perhaps not a bad thing. 👍
@SwoOopy
2 жыл бұрын
??? DSD sources ???
@Kah0ona
2 жыл бұрын
I think the wrong video was uploaded :-) This video i've seen before and doesn't match the title
@JoeJ-8282
2 жыл бұрын
I think this video may have been mistitled by accident? You mentioned absolutely nothing about "DSD Sources", as the video title implies... Did I miss something here?
@CyberBeep_kenshi
2 жыл бұрын
If you want a 'resolving' car.... take my old mazda 323f ba. That thing was absolutely perfectly tuned. They don't makem like that anymore....
@dandonna852
2 жыл бұрын
I'm having second thoughts buying Sonus Faber speakers
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
Well if you can't quantify it (measure it) then it is just an impression and no two listeners have the same impression. But if it makes you happy, or sell more speakers, then it's all good!
@user-od9iz9cv1w
2 жыл бұрын
I think it would be pretty easy to measure. Play individual tones and look at a scope. Is a tone at a specific Hz narrow or fuzzy wide.
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
@@user-od9iz9cv1w If so then that idea should be developed so "resolution" can be quantified instead of just being discussed as an impression. Like subwoofer response for one example. Two subs, one with a -3dB point of 20Hz and the other with a -3dB point of 40Hz. Without hearing each we can pretty well tell which one will reproduce low frequencies more faithfully.
@user-od9iz9cv1w
2 жыл бұрын
@@txmike1945 Agreed. As I think about it there ought to be a sequence of measurements that can easily be published to give at least a starting point of what we seek. Ultimately it comes down to what we hear. I value full range. Low level information. Dynamic response. The frequency range is easy to measure. Is it relatively even and what are the roll off points in room. The resolution could be seen as I described above. Then, low level information could easily be shown. How low is the noise floor, and can we detect very low level information just above the noise floor. All of these things could be measured and provided in context in a system review. This source, linestage, amp and speaker produces these results. Then in this mail order world we'd have a sense of what we are getting vs buy and return until we're ready to compromise.
@Con-Man2000
2 жыл бұрын
DSD? Ummm
@patrick12399
2 жыл бұрын
Hey Paul, I discovered the audiophile music recently and I want to know your opinion about the Hifiman Sundara. I drive them with my FIIO KA3. The Music is great and it's like I never heared before. The Details are so great and I discovered some things in the music I never heared before in my Music.
@ranbymonkeys2384
2 жыл бұрын
It's like before and after cleaning your ears.
@Lacking_something
2 жыл бұрын
I hope there is a DSD Sources video soon!
@seanholung1521
2 жыл бұрын
This question was asked by the same person from Kokomo from yesterday’s video with the same topic. Maybe this was another take that got accidentally uploaded. Great video though. 😂 kzitem.info/news/bejne/lZmC22FpeqmidH4
@JonnyParker-
2 жыл бұрын
That car analogy haha
@D1N02
2 жыл бұрын
Beach Boys that's what it reminds me of
@garysmith8455
2 жыл бұрын
Maggies, head in a vice? = YES, Martin Logan Masterpiece series e'stats head in a vice? = NO. No one seems to recognize ML these days for their accomplishments on getting around the problems found with FLAT panel speakers...........well, 'cept me, cause I own a pair and sitting 20' from them?, they have a very broad image across my seating area.
@djbusters
2 жыл бұрын
I remember the story about Magna palanars. But this is not related to the title: DSD sources!? 🤔
@ecowavepowerelectricityfro128
2 жыл бұрын
@chefsteve8381
2 жыл бұрын
Welcome to the analogy channel...
@tntsuchtie9490
8 ай бұрын
Tesla Sport Suspension 😂
@daveycrockett5738
2 жыл бұрын
That was probably the worst analogy I’ve ever heard lol. Went over my head notice I didn’t say right over my head. Only an old man would use an analogy like that, except you think it would be in reverse.
@milkman100001
2 жыл бұрын
sporty car = tesla..lol
@NeilBulk
2 жыл бұрын
This is the same question as this earlier video: kzitem.info/news/bejne/lZmC22FpeqmidH4
@jeremiahchamberlin4499
2 жыл бұрын
Exactly, and from the same person! -David, in Kokomo, Indiana. Maybe Paul shuffled his pages one too many times. 🙂😋🌝
@roberts5770
2 жыл бұрын
Serafino from Sonus Faber is the entry into the resolving speakers. It starts from $25k in the Homeage Tradition line. I have them, and my wife loves the red wood finish with the strings on the front. The less expensive series have the sound stage squeezed in between the speakers and sound relaxing and mellow.
@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461
2 жыл бұрын
🤗 THANKS PAUL ….I APPRECIATE BOTH EXAMPLES …MAKES SENSE TO ME 🧐😋 As for your Tesla 😎 I would not take it 😊 BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE A RIDE IN IT 🤩👍😍😍😍
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
How do you quantify "resolution" or "resolving power?" If you can't figure out a way to measure it then it is just a feel-good descriptor that means different things to every different person. And that isn't very helpful.
@txmike1945
2 жыл бұрын
@Make Money Online It doesn't matter what he means. We can measure speaker sensitivity, or distortion, or response curve. If you can't measure resolution by some quantifiable method then talking about it is useless.
@shangrilaladeda
2 жыл бұрын
yay!!!!!!!!
@kentdaigle
2 жыл бұрын
Way down in CoComo!!
@robertt7238
2 жыл бұрын
Well that was painful and useless.
@Yu-Fei-Hung
2 жыл бұрын
Quite interesting; I bought my dongle DAC with DSD (Shanling UA2). I just expect to get good DSD files.
@RoaroftheTiger
2 жыл бұрын
LOL Looks like I was put in "time out", for disputing a "deluded" Self-Taught Wannabe Speaker Designer ... go figure ???
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