Are my ears just fooling me?


I have been in this hoppy for a couple of years. I have been through alot of equipment, trying to find the sound for me (dont we all!) I have really enjoyed it but something is starting to bother me. I for some reason feel that every system I have ever heard cannot reproduce a saxophone with the body and emotion like when I hear it live. I am young but I have listened to and owned equipment all over the board. Most hifi gear I find is just really thin sounding to my ears, even with owning many tube amps. Is this normal? Does my ear just want to hear distortion with playback that really isnt there on the recording? I have never heard SET amps before and think they maybe down my alley...but is it just some more "ear candy"??
macd

Showing 3 responses by shadorne

I am always dumbfounded of how the sax fills the room with this amazingly warm and low "buzz" if you will.

I assume you are talking bari sax as this can hit about 65 Hz?

I can confirm that Tower of Power Soul Vaccination Live is a good recording that will sound real (just like you are there)

Doc Krupa on bari sax. If it does not sound live then you need to investigate.
Try the Sheffield Labs drum track recording - close your eyes and listen. If that sounds like somebody playing on a drum set with you in the room then stop worrying.

The biggest difference between live music and live instruments is dynamics and high SPL. If you don't have big enough speakers and enough power then NOTHING you do will ever come close to sounding like a real instrument. It will simply sound either thin and lacking body or, alternatively, overly distorted when you try to crank it. Loud, dynamic and above all CLEAN sound is what real instruments do so very very well.