"Background" music

[xcortes]

I've been thinking it's stupid trying to emulate our "big" or "main" systems in environments not designed for such effect. In an environment not 100% controlled and when music is being listened as a complement to other activities there's some factors that loose importance but there's others that don't.

Audipohile tricks as "speed", detail, soundstage and palpability become less important as well as headroom, scale and explosivity.

But textures, tones and analog-like sound remain very important.

So maybe for an office, bedroom, studio or patio any BH kit (without upgrades) with a pair of your favorite flavour fullrangers in medium sized boxes (think Altec 755s, 403As or biflexes) is a perfect combination. Sourced from an analog sounding DAC or, even better, a simple turntable.

Since I built my big rig I've been suffering because I try to achieve "the same" in other spaces without succes. Maybe this new philosophy is the way out?

Saludos!

[Grainger49]

Xavier,

I see your outlook on this.  But would you want to put a pair of nice Altec speakers on a patio?  From the looks of your back yard it rains there often enough to keep everything green.

Seriously, that is a good idea.  I'm ok with crappy speakers in the background.  I have a pair of "weatherproof" KLH speakers for the deck fed from my GainClone.

[Paul Joppa]

My vote for something you don't need in a second system goes to frequency extension. Give up an octave of bass, and another of treble, and you don't lose much - but the cost goes way down, and the boxes get much smaller. By giving up extension, you can integrate the crossover better, and/or reduce the number of drivers

If you can give up extreme loudness as well, then smaller drivers and lower efficiency become workable - opening a wider range of drivers and even smaller cabinets.

The very first Bottlehead product (actually it was Electronic Tonalities back then) was the original SEX amp, and it came with 4" widerange drivers which you could install in a 2-foot-square open baffle. It was easily good enough to hear how much better SET's sounded.

[xcortes]

I see your outlook on this.  But would you want to put a pair of Altec speakers on a patio?  From the looks of your back yard it rains there often enough to keep everything green.

Well, Altec made a Patio speaker with "weatherproofed" 755s. In light plastic cases and very 60s looking. How do they sound? I shall know soon since I bought a pair for 150 bucks which will be traveling with me from CA to Mexico this weekend. Talk about a score!

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://altecpro.com/pdfs/vintage/SpeakerAndMics/systems/829A%2520Speaker%2520System.pdf&sa=U&ei=FnkuUPT2PIbzyAHKloHwCA&ved=0CBsQFjAC&usg=AFQjCNFBNTSlhy8bWZOVDoiSYWV-Edy_Lg

Oh, and I've heard news that these will be used at a BBQ in the fall to honor certain visitors from the US (WA actually).

[ironbut]

Those look cool Xavier!
Can't say I've ever owned a pair of speakers in " Attractive Molded Kydex" enclosures. Maybe you'll start a trend!

Another thing that goes by the wayside in lots of informal listening environments is stereo.
Once you get away from the "sweetish spot", it's all mono anyway. And in something like an outdoor set up, feeding the speakers a stereo signal might mean that folks who are near one speaker will miss an entire instrument(s) while the folks near the other speaker will be missing the other instrument(s).
I hate to say it, but these are the kinds of situations where computer audio excels. Not only is it easy to set up playlists but many computer players have the ability to use third party plug ins (one of the things I like about the Pure Music player). Free stereo manipulation plug-ins are available and you can narrow the stereo field or switch it to mono.
If that sounding interesting to you, give me a holler and I'll direct you to some decent plugs.

[Grainger49]

OOOOooooo, I am with Steve concerning Mono for convenience/deck listening.  I added a Mono switch to my GainClone for the deck.  Then we can sit on the "veranda" (you know I'm from the US South, right?) and have sweet tunes coming from the speakers.  Mine are cheep KLH plastic ones.  I'm just not at the Computer Music Server point yet.  I'm using a single CD player.

P.S. My KLH speakers have nothing to do with Kloss (I met him at Advent once) Low or Hoffman.

[xcortes]

Thanks pal but no more digital for me. I did try and it's just not worth it!

I have several mono lps (and some tapes). Moreover I do have a sweet spot seat in the terraza. You should come and visit one day!

[Grainger49]

Terraza is Spanish for Veranda, right?

[earwaxxer]

I think I can suggest a quick and dirty solution to your problems. Dont ditch the digital idea for your second system. You need to 'tame' it for background music. Get a Logitech Touch, go wired or wireless to it from a laptop. Most important - resample the redbook to 24/96 apply dither, set phase to minimum, allow aliasing, and last but not least apply replay gain album (try 8db). What all this does is remove the 'nasties' from the digital. I use foobar to do the gymnastics. There are other programs out there. Foobar is free so I like it. I also use Sox for the SRC task.

Now that I look back on the above it may not be as 'quick' as expressed, but certainly dirty. Just like John said - 'give peace (digital) a chance.

peace, love, granola - Eric

[Doc B.]

I didn't notice "molded Kydex". That is cool. Kydex is a very popular material for handgun holsters, I have had a couple. I thought it was a more recent development. Once again, Bell Labs/Westrex/Altec/etc. were leading the way.

[xcortes]

The speakers sound pretty decent. Probably better than most other "patio speakers". Problem is I hooked them up immediately after the WE 755As. And in comparison they are crap There's not that gorgeous midrange anymore, and no highs. Of course for the price, weight and intended use I love them!

[xcortes]

On their first formal engagement they are soundig amazing. I just love them. Connected to the main rig and using a pair of Ni MQ enabled Paramours.

[ironbut]

Looks cool Xavier!
I've always been a believer in connecting speakers to a system that's "overqualified".

BTW What's with the umbrellas?

[xcortes]

I don't know! I think the kids are playing with them.

Saludos