2. music
  3. 1152498446

Difficult Sopranos

Perhaps I am not using the correct term, but when I bring my opera cd's to audition a "high end" showroom I have yet to come across a system where the soprano, when singing, say "questa reggia" from turandot, doesnt eventually come to a part where the sound just beams and drills into my ears. Have listened to Meridian, Arcam Rega, Musical Fidelity Cd players with assortments of speakers, SACD, amps in sound treated rooms. I am the first to admit I havent heard a great many systems, - but if I knew there was a cure for this, I would be encouraged to continue to look and audition systems. For now, I am enjoying a "no dramatic soprano zone" with the Musical Fidelity A5 /Vandersteen 2Ce sigs and Rotel 1080 amp. So tell me opera fans- has anyone tamed the dramatic soprano?
johnstassi
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
It could be partially the CD itself. The system is accurately playing harshly recorded female vocals. That is why you cannot find the right system. Your source material sounds that way.
schipo
1,268 posts
 
Is it just possible that the cd that you audition systems with is just flawed by tecnical standards?
gregm
3,397 posts
 
"Her Royal Icy Highness, Princess Turandot". Try Callas/Schwarzkopf/Serafin on EMI or Sutherland/ Pavarotti/ Caballe /Zubi Mehta on Decca. (performance wise, I prefer the former to the latter) If I remember correctly, there's no (or little) over load on the soprano recording.
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Johnstassi,

I have literally felt your pain. Another audiogon member described this experience as akin to having ice picks stuck through one's ear drums. In my opinion, it is likely that this is due to multiple factors resulting in an inappropriate reinforcement of certain frequencies. It is likely that the recordings themselves are at least part of the problem.

In my own system, I experienced a similar phenomenon most prominent with certain female vocals, but on occasion I would get the same thing from French horns. Further, it seemed that Chandos recordings were especially prone to this sort of thing. I successfully tamed this using a combination of room treatments and purchase of an Audio Mirror D-1 DAC. No more bleeding ears!
More to discover