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View Full Version : 340's and Alison Krauss & Union Station Live



tjennings
09-19-2005, 08:00 PM
I have a couple of weeks until my front three 340's arrive... but I was just listening to the AKUS Live CD (I also have the DVD-V concert) and was wondering if anyone has listened to AKUS LIVE on the 340m's. Her voice is so pure, so crystal clear, that I was actually WINCING with my current speakers when she would really belt it out (such as on the BROADWAY and GHOST IN THIS HOUSE tracks). I'm hoping with the 340's I don't lose any of the detail I have now, but that I can actually listen to her gorgeous voice without bleeding from the ears. ;)

I have this same problem with the DVD-A of Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - the chorus parts of just about every song is just so, well, in-your-face and piercing, that I can barely stand listening to it. I'm hoping that settles down a bit on the 340s too.

bikeman
09-20-2005, 04:00 AM
Listen to AKUS live regularly. I have GYBR but not the DVD-A version. The 340's do a great job with both recordings. I don't "wince."

David

tjennings
09-20-2005, 03:10 PM
Ok, thanks for the info... HURRY UP 340's!!!!! :)

tjennings
11-14-2005, 07:50 PM
I've had my three new front 340's for 4 weeks now... I don't wince either anymore when listening to AKUS and Alison's crystal-clear voice! I had the SACD of it in tonight and my oh my, she sounded sweeeeeet! :D

curtis
11-14-2005, 08:35 PM
The only Allison Kraus song I have in my collection is "New Favorite" and I really like it.

tjennings
11-15-2005, 04:04 PM
New Favorite is on this Live CD / SACD / concert DVD - in fact, the concert DVD also has the New Favorite VIDEO - so if you liked that song, I highly recommend this incredible Live recording. Essentially a greatest hits and one of the best live recordings I've ever heard.... definitely demo material!

I had a friend over last week that had never heard of AKUS and I played him 3 songs from the DVD and he was absolutely blown away (as I was when I first saw it when MY home theater buddy showed it to me!) - he couldn't believe how perfectly Alison sang with such little effort! Then I played him a few other songs from the SACD version of it while we watched a HD football game... I think he is now in love also with Alison ! ;)

I had the honor to see them in concert this past summer here in Erie PA and it was perfection just like this Live album.

bikeman
11-15-2005, 04:40 PM
I rented the DVD from Netflix last week. It was nice to "see" what I've been enjoying on CD for a while now. Should I "invest" in multi-channel for a different experience? :confused:

David

tjennings
11-15-2005, 08:10 PM
The SACD is a step-up from the CD sound-wise as you might expect, but the surround effects are minimal in most songs... mostly the typical concert crowd cheering between songs. The last couple of a capella songs on disc 2 seem to have some of the better surround usage, like AKUS is in the room with you. I'd say get the SACD if you REALLY enjoy AKUS like I do... otherwise put the CD in Dolby Pro Logic 2 mode and get nearly the same effect.

sensibull
12-01-2005, 06:43 AM
Just rented this concert DVD from Netflix. Great performance, fantastic musicianship. Odd thing though, the center channel doesn't seem to be used at all, or very minimally. Alison's voice and violin come predominantly from L/R, though she is standing front and center. Can you confirm this TJennings? I wonder if this was done to maintain traditional "stereo" sound in the front soundstage, or in case a center isn't used?

bikeman
12-01-2005, 09:04 AM
I watch this DVD and her voice seemed to come from the center speaker. I also got the DVD from Netflix. I own the CD but that won't help with the question. I watched the DVD in DTS. Don't know if that had any effect.

David

sensibull
12-01-2005, 09:07 AM
I watch this DVD and her voice seemed to come from the center speaker.

Weird. My center channel speaker trim is 3 notches below my mains, so that could account for some of it, but there's no doubt I can hear her voice (and prominently) coming from my left and right speakers. And I was watching in DTS as well. Perhaps a difference in the way our receivers process the signal? (I'm using an HK 635).

bikeman
12-01-2005, 12:13 PM
Could be. I may have forgotten to turn the center back to 0. For movies, I'll keep it at +2 or 3. Helps with the dialog. I usually listen to music in 2 channel but for DVD's, I'll sometimes use DTS or DD.

David

tjennings
12-01-2005, 03:18 PM
Hi guys, I just got home and popped in both the DVD concert and the SACD to confirm the non-existent center channel (I remember noticing that when I first bought it a long time ago, but wanted to be sure). I listened to STAY in both DTS and Dolby Digital with my ear up to the center channel and I couldn't discern any output... if it was there it is EXTREMELY faint. And then I popped in the more newly purchased SACD which I KNOW doesn't have any center channel output (and yep, that was again the case with my ear 1" from the center).

I quickly found this link which explains why some are mixed this way:

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-rgbtcspd/reviews/20030923/5_1_sound.html?print=1&page=all

In some surround mixes, engineers don't want to use the center channel speaker at all. That's because there is a wide range of center channel speakers being used in surround systems. The problem is especially true in the all-important car playback market. In a mobile environment, the center speaker might be a tiny, low-powered speaker mounted in the head unit. To get around the center-channel speaker, engineers will sometimes create a phantom center image, which is how the voice appears to come from the center of the stereo panorama in a stereo mix. By using the same signal at exactly the same level in both front speakers, it will appear to be coming from the center. This technique can be used quite effectively in surround mixing. Listen to Buena Vista Social Club (Nonesuch Records) on DVD-Audio to see how pleasant it can sound.

sensibull
12-01-2005, 03:36 PM
Thanks very much for the clarification (and the helpful link). I'm in the middle of re-intergrating my newly replaced HK 635 into my setup and I was beginning to wonder if something was amiss...

bikeman
12-01-2005, 03:36 PM
now I have to get the DVD again. Why does this not distress me? :rolleyes:

David