From: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org (idealcopy-digest) To: idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Subject: idealcopy-digest V4 #172 Reply-To: idealcopy@smoe.org Sender: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk idealcopy-digest Sunday, June 3 2001 Volume 04 : Number 172 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [idealcopy] RE: collective completism & quantum mechanics ["wiremailorder] [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? ["wiremailorder.com" ] [idealcopy] OT - completists... ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - The Who? ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - Nau Ensemble ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - James ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - vid pastiche ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - bad vinyl ["ian jackson" ] [idealcopy] OT - Joy Div flexi/70's ["ian jackson" ] Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? [fernando ] Re: [idealcopy] OT - James/'Later...' ["ian jackson" ] Re: [idealcopy] [OT] Vinyl Crap! Digital Good! ["Paul Pietromonaco" Subject: [idealcopy] RE: collective completism & quantum mechanics Tears for Fears did an exceptionally rousing Bside "Schrodinger's Cat" shop@wiremailorder.com http://www.wiremailorder.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 05:27:02 -0500 From: "wiremailorder.com" Subject: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? Okay, here's one for the list - Can vinyl records really be cleaned? The one extreme is of course expensive vacuum type record cleaners to the other which is don't ever clean them.I've a lot of old 45s which while visually NM, still have the ol' clicky- popy. Is that because of the way the grooves are cut? I've also played sealed albums yet they've got the clicky-popy as well. Obviously I know it's possible to wipe off dust etc... from a record, but is it really possible to clean a record to remove pops and ticks? Thanks for the replies... charles shop@wiremailorder.com http://www.wiremailorder.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 05:17:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Wireviews Subject: [idealcopy] colin v's the beat generation [Blank Canvas] "Echoes of dylan discarding placards with the lyrics of 'subterranean homesick blues' in the opening scene of 'Don't look back' now much imitated..." I've seen a few photographic artists use this idea, too. Still, it is probably the best of the [Immersion] videos, and even if it is a little derivative, it's a good, simple idea that works well. "s'funny, but the only one I can recall colin holding is the one saying 'everything after pink flag sucks'" "Conceptual art is bollocks" was my personal favourite, especially after spending three years gradually becoming disillusioned with art college... Craig. ===== - ------- Craig Grannell / Wireviews --- http://welcome.to/wireviews News, reviews and dugga. VMU: http://listen.to/veer SVA: http://welcome.to/snub - -------------- wireviews@yahoo.com --- Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 09:02:27 -0500 From: "dan bailey" Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? I've also played sealed albums yet they've got the clicky-popy as >well. unsealing them first & taking 'em out of the sleeve just might help ... dan *ducking* ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 10:39:22 EDT From: HeySean@aol.com Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? Back in the old days when I worked in a record store it wasn't unusual for an entire run of a record to "cliky popy" in the same spot throughtout the whole chain. That's 90+ stores @ 10 records per store. 900+ records doing the cliky popy in the same spot. Our understanding was this: first of all no one was using virgin vinyl hardly anymore; it was mostly recycled stuff, furthermore the quality control and care for customer satisfaction was such that the attitude was "this is as good as it's gonna get" Some of my dad's old records that are over 50 years old are a ton weight of good vinyl that doesn't clicky nor popy one bit ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 09:29:23 -0700 From: "Paul Pietromonaco" Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? > Okay, here's one for the list - Can vinyl records really be cleaned? The one > extreme is of course expensive vacuum type record cleaners to the other > which is don't ever clean them.I've a lot of old 45s which while visually > NM, still have the ol' clicky- popy. Is that because of the way the grooves > are cut? I've also played sealed albums yet they've got the clicky-popy as > well. Obviously I know it's possible to wipe off dust etc... from a record, > but is it really possible to clean a record to remove pops and ticks? > Thanks for the replies... > Okay - here's the deal on cleaning vinyl. Records are designed to have a certain amount of dirt. This dirt can be from airborne particulates, record release compound, or even small shavings from the vinyl itself. (Record release compound is the chemical added to the surface of vinyl to "release" it from the stamper). The grooves in records are v-shaped to allow this material to accumulate in the bottom of the grooves. Your stylus should ride about mid-groove - above the dirt, but below the surface scratches on vinyl. So, the first thing that might cause scratchy records is a sylus that is miscalibrated. You have to set tracking angle, tracking force, and anti-skate correctly. Also, if your stylus is worn or dirty, it will ride higher in the grooves, exposing more surface noise. Check your stylus! (^_^) A properly adjusted stylus has one benefit. It tends to "polish" the grooves. This doesn't destroy audio information (seriously!) but gets rid of some of the pops that occur when a record is released from the metal stampers. Next, static is an enemy. If the vinyl is recycled or low grade, then static builds up, and that can cause momentary pops and clicks. Make sure your record is fairly anti-static. Now, you have a clean stylus, properly adjusted, and a relatively anti-static record. Now what? Well, you should dust your record to prevent the airborne particulates from accumulating and increasing damage. Most people just use a carbon fiber brush. The main problem is that this tends to sweep the dust along the grooves - not really remove it. Still, if you sweep carefully, you can get most of the dirt off - and what's left is down in the lower part of the grooves where it doesn't matter. You might be tempted to use a "discwasher" like liquid system. The key word here is...don't. (^_^) The problem is the fluid leaves a residue which usually creates surface noise. I only use Discwasher systems when I get a used record that has a ton of dust and fingerprints. And then, only sparingly. You might think that a higher evaporating fluid would do better - - but the problem is that they are usually alcohol based and although they leave less of a residue, they also leach out anti-static and anti-wear compounds that are blended into the vinyl, making the record age faster. So, how do I care for my vinyl? I found the coolest toy. It was from Maxell, during their short lived foray into vinyl care. It's a spinning carbon fiber brush. It not only cleans the grooves, but it generates a slight suction that carries the dirt off the record, and the spin also servers to de-static the record. I love this thing. For stylus care, I use another Maxell product - their ultrasonic stylus cleaner, in conjunction with a small, small brush. For the beginner, I would suggest a carbon fiber brush, and a small stylus brush. Buy a Discwasher record and a Discwasher stylus cleaner for heavy duty backup cleaning. Keep your stylus and record clean. Have your turntable calbrated and check your stylus for wear once a year. You should get many years out of your vinyl that way. Cheers, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:45:45 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - ex-Fall giluz wrote :- Nothing ever prevented an ex-Fall member to return to the Fall. I think maybe 50% of the people that got thrown out returned for an album or two before leaving again (Brix, Bramah, Riley, Burns, etc.). But as much as I like Scanlon, I think Hanley should be MES' biggest regret - certainly one of the best bass players ever. can't remember if anyone else picked up on this already giluz, but surely not Riley? i think the 'schism' was too big in that case, although punch-up's with Burns didn't stop him coming back... agreed on Hanley though, listening to a bootleg right now, i'm still astounded by how much the Fall relied on that bass sound (which to be honest, Smith always admitted...until the big clear-out) and also how much it influenced my own bass playing!! cheers, ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:46:31 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - completists... jeff wrote :- Completists: some time back, someone said something about buying everything a beloved artist puts out even after it's clear it's shit. But it's not clear it's shit until you hear it that was me, i think... true, but you don't have to buy it to hear it right? My cassettes are a mess - they're almost all homemade, and some feature solely one artist, others have one artist on one side and another on the other side, and many are just compilations of leftover randomness (and many are mixtapes received from friends). probably like many of the Brits on the list, i have hundreds of cassette tapes comprised of tracks recorded from the John Peel show (in my case since 1978). they are a nightmare, usually i only have the artists names on and the session tracks are split by other good/dodgy stuff that came inbetween. tried to edit them a while back and gave up after a week!! ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:51:47 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - The Who? michaela wrote :- i wouldn't like to have Wire next to The Who (which i still haven't sold). if it's 'Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy' please don't sell it. it's the only one you need!! ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:51:09 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - Nau Ensemble Paul (rezmole) wrote :- Well, I've got this, and I reckon it's brilliant. It gets far more plays than any of my Joy Division albums! actually paul, what i heard of it was fine but you know, i prefer the originals, so i consider your comments heresy!! ^_^ ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:49:14 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - James Miles wrote :- And someone's gotta stick up for James! well someone has to!! i liked them right from Jimone (another record i foolishly sold, doh) up until the big line-up change. sorry to be brutal, but i think they're a joke now. another 'underground' band for the 'Later...' crowd. ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:50:36 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - vid pastiche someone wrote :- the one (video) where Colin is holding up a piece of card with various stuff printed on further to this, i always wanted to a pastiche of the Dylan vid, with quotes from various favourite songs, including a section of cards saying 'Up' 'Down' 'Here' 'There' and 'Nowhere'!! ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:49:53 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - bad vinyl tim wrote :- I used to hate that sinking feeling when you bought a really shit pressing, only to take it back, change it and get another one of the same batch that was just as shit.] i had murder with Magazine's 'Secondhand Daylight' when it came out. i think i took it back 4 times!!!and the one i kept was still shit!! happy days... ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:48:14 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - Joy Div flexi/70's Mark wrote :- It's not actually called As you said. It's really called INcubation... correct, i remember going to pick up a copy of the flexi from Probe Records and being offered 5 or 6 copies because they wanted to get shut of them. i politely refused saying i only needed one, what a dickhead... Well I saw the first time New Order played! But my first gig was er...Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, supported by Sailor.... Cockney Rebel i still have a lot of affection (and time) for. aaaahhhh, Sailor, 'Glass of Champagne'? isn't it? Hmmmmm? marvellous!!!! ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:53:31 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - poverty of riches... Mark wrote :- Regrets of my life? Once, in a state of college-induced poverty, I was forced to sell some records at a record fair. i share similar regrets, but it was due to the birth of my first child and being on the dole!! biggest regret...selling an original copy of X-Ray Spex' 'Germ Free Adolescents', that came with a lurid pink t-shirt (that subsequently got ripped up) and the 1st Scritti Politti lp with 'oh-so' exclusive print inside! unfortunately, the other thing that had to go was a Rickenbacker 4001 Stereo Bass guitar, having that AND a Fender Precision was a bit of a luxury at the time!! ^_^, ian.s.j. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 14:34:55 -0700 From: fernando Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? Hmmm.... from anecdotal posts on newsgroups, it seems that vinyl can be cleaned REALLY well with the machines... however, it seems that non-virgin vinyl may have some clicks that just will not go away... or in some other pressings, it is worst than clicks to have bass distortions because the center hole is not, well, centered. The latter is the most annoying to me, as I see the woofer on the speaker making some wild oscillations, which may mask other sounds. So, the answer is hard to give... if it is high quality vinyl and a good pressing -- like some of the latter vinyl 180 gm pressings done these days -- I am sure that you can clean all the clicks... I know that my pressing of Talk Talk Colour of Spring is divine... until the remaster CD came out a couple of years later... and it is still a toss. But, some vinyls that I bought in the heyday are just badly pressed... even vinyl only labels like Sarah. - -fernando At 5:27 AM -0500 6/2/01, wiremailorder.com wrote: >Okay, here's one for the list - Can vinyl records really be cleaned? The one >extreme is of course expensive vacuum type record cleaners to the other >which is don't ever clean them.I've a lot of old 45s which while visually >NM, still have the ol' clicky- popy. Is that because of the way the grooves >are cut? I've also played sealed albums yet they've got the clicky-popy as >well. Obviously I know it's possible to wipe off dust etc... from a record, >but is it really possible to clean a record to remove pops and ticks? >Thanks for the replies... > >charles >shop@wiremailorder.com >http://www.wiremailorder.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2001 16:37:07 -0500 From: Miles Goosens Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT - James At 05:49 PM 06/02/2001 +0100, ian jackson wrote: >Miles wrote :- >And someone's gotta stick up for James! > >well someone has to!! >i liked them right from Jimone (another record i foolishly sold, doh) >up until the big line-up change. >sorry to be brutal, but i think they're a joke now. >another 'underground' band for the 'Later...' crowd. Just two notes... re: James -- well, opinions differ. No big deal. I never owned JIMONE, though. I always thought of James as painfully airy and pretentious until LAID, when (Eno as catalyst?) the band somehow morphed into a unit that just *meshes* in a way that's tough to describe. Heck, I like BOOTH AND THE BAD ANGEL a heckuva a lot too. Maybe I should join the "Later..." crowd, if I knew exactly who they were. :-) re: LATER (presumably Jools Holland's TV host gig) -- Since I live in the U.S. and don't have this program available to me, perhaps the show has slid into the safe-for-yuppies mediocrity that inferences here and on other lists suggest. But I have fond memories of Jools, as both Squeeze keyboardist and in his brief U.S. stint co-hosting NIGHT MUSIC -- his irreverent attitude grated the show's producers and his priggish, insufferable cohost David Sanborn, leading to the second season being hosted by Sanborn alone (and Sanborn's sax being artificially inserted into most performances that season). And if my understanding about LATER's content is correct, I'd be pleased as punch to have a network TV show as devoted to music as LATER appears to be. across the cultural divide, listowner Miles np: Orgy, "Blue Monday" remixes :-) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 14:40:28 -0700 From: fernando Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Can Vinyl really be Cleaned? At 9:29 AM -0700 6/2/01, Paul Pietromonaco wrote: >For the beginner, I would suggest a carbon fiber brush, and a small stylus >brush. Buy a Discwasher record and a Discwasher stylus cleaner for heavy >duty backup cleaning. Keep your stylus and record clean. Have your >turntable calbrated and check your stylus for wear once a year. You should >get many years out of your vinyl that way. Great summary, Paul. I once heard that you should not play the record twice in a row because of the heat from the friction causing problems... not sure how true this is for rock music, for instance. Anyway, I have gotten good results from LAST products... a little more expensive, but it seems to hold well... meaning, it cleans, and the record is not worse off the next time. Have you used LAST products? - -fernando ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:03:47 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: [idealcopy] the best digital format On Fri, 1 Jun 2001, david mack wrote: > the best medium is that with no moving parts or surface - memory > not quite there in price yet, but when it gets there .... So when it happens, we'll be able to make... (wait for it...) ...the ideal copy? - --Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::As long as I don't sleep, he decided, I won't shave. ::That must mean...as soon as I fall asleep, I'll start shaving! __Thomas Pynchon, VINELAND__ np: The Dinner Is Ruined _A Maggot in Their Heads_ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:37:54 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT - completists... On Sat, 2 Jun 2001, ian jackson wrote: > jeff wrote :- > Completists: some time back, someone said something about buying > everything a beloved artist puts out even after it's clear it's shit. But > it's not clear it's shit until you hear it > > that was me, i think... > true, but you don't have to buy it to hear it right? Well, actually, yeah. Okay, you can download a few MP3s, etc. - but for me, I often can't decide whether an album really works until after I've listened to it in its entirety several times, over a period of time. Usually, the records I end up liking best are not the ones that grab me immediately - those often end up paling over time. And since I tend to listen to albums as a whole, the sequencing and overall effect of the tracks' proximity to one another colors my opinions strongly. So no, for me hearing a track a couple of times isn't going to tell me the whole album's shit. I mean, okay, sometimes songs are so clearly crap that I don't *want* to take the time to see if I'll like them - but that doesn't happen often with musicians I'm following over several albums. But then, I may just be terminally undiscriminating...I've heard *that* before. - --Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::can you write underwater on liquid paper?:: __Zippy__ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 00:10:18 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] Re: OT - completists... jeff wrote :- >Well, actually, yeah. Okay, you can download a few MP3s, etc i wasn't even thinking of MP3's, this may be a bit basic but... just getting a cassette copy of the whole thing? this of course involves waiting a while, maybe, before purchasing (or not), which you may not want to do! >then, I may just be terminally undiscriminating... I've heard *that* before. i couldn't possibly comment on that one!!! then again, i may be too critical for my own good!! but i don't find myself having to eat my words when i return to something i've dismissed as 'past it' that often!! ian.s.j. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 00:38:59 +0100 From: Tim Robinson Subject: [idealcopy] Re: [OT] Fall Humor John Hedges wrote: > > Btw, I have a portable Minidisc recorder that I never use. I > really like it when I *do* use it, but there's one important > thing I really, really like about old-fashioned analog cassettes - > when you turn the player off and then come back later and > turn it back on, you're in the same spot in the recording > where you left off. Does anybody know of a MD player that > emulates that behavior? I'd probably buy it! Yes. My Sony MZ-R500 does! #150. Think most current sony machines do as well. I didn't know until I used it and was pleasantly suprised when I realised. Its also got MDLP which means you can cram four CDs worth onto one MD. MD is great and is a compilation tape compilers dream. I find it much less wasteful than CD-R because you can re-use the disc. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 01:07:49 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT - James/'Later...' >Miles wrote :- I always thought of James as painfully airy and pretentious until LAID..., funny, i thought they went that way after Gavan Whelan left, he had problems...but WHAT a drummer. i'd hardly call a line like 'when you open your mouth, out drops a turd' painfully airy or pretentious! when (Eno as catalyst?)... this is part of my problem with 'later' James stuff or any band he's worked with, to a certain extent. as much as i admire Eno, both as a 'musician/catalyst' and the fact that he'll stick his neck out, it took HIM to get them to think 'differently' about what, and why, they did what they did. it may be a simple argument but he's actually not a member of these bands, no matter how much input he has while he's with them. (you're not going to believe this, but as i've just finished that line, the cassette of the lp i was playing finished and something previously recorded underneath came on after it...yes, Eno 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' and 'Seven Deadly Fins'!!! spooky, i just checked the box and it's not even written on it anywhere...blimey!) Maybe I should join the "Later..." crowd, if I knew exactly who they were. :-) i wish i did too, i'd give them all a couple of Q-Tips... >re: LATER (presumably Jools Holland's TV host gig) affirmative... Since I live in the U.S. and don't have this program available to me, ok, i wasn't aware of this fact... perhaps the show has slid into the safe-for-yuppies mediocrity that inferences here and on other lists suggest. this is difficult because it depends on what you're into. it's a very frustrating experience for me to watch any of them because, invariably, there'll be ONE band in maybe 2 or 3 programmes that i'm really interested in, eg, The Flaming Lips, Pavement, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Baaba Maal and other 'real' World music stuff, even dear old Polly Harvey, but all this feels like lip service by either him or the production team or both. it's full of lifeless 'NU RnB'/soul/jazz-funk/reggae acts or 'safe' crowd pleasers like Paul Weller or Blur.... or in some cases (i suspect), friends of friends of the assistant producer's! yes, there are some nice surprises sometimes, someone you've never heard of or someone you thought would be shit but isn't, but it's rare and doesn't make up for all the dross i have to suffer. But I have fond memories of Jools, as both Squeeze keyboardist and in his brief U.S. stint co-hosting NIGHT MUSIC... didn't know about this. i'm guessing that this was right after the infamous 'you lucky fuckers' incident with 'The Tube' programme in the UK. ...his irreverent attitude grated the show's producers and his priggish, insufferable cohost David Sanborn, leading to the second season being hosted by Sanborn alone (and Sanborn's sax being artificially inserted into most performances that season). christ, this sounds even worse than 'Later...'!!!!!!!! And if my understanding about LATER's content is correct, I'd be pleased as punch to have a network TV show as devoted to music as LATER appears to be. maybe you would, but it makes me feel like a snarling, snotty 15 year-old punk again whenever i see it and i'm 40 next year. 'a joyful gob in the air to ya' ^_^ np - Aladdin Sane - Bowie (as opposed to er...someone else doing it!) ian.s.j. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 01:16:56 +0100 From: Tim Robinson Subject: Re: [idealcopy] [OT] Vinyl Crap! Digital Good! Paul Pietromonaco wrote: > ), rising THD as signal level > drops (100% THD at lowest signal level if you don't dither > insufficient sample rate, insufficient bit depth. Sure, CDs are great > - - I'm not denying that. But, they're not a panacea, either. Sorry Paul I haven't the faintest idea what thats all about. Are you one of these HI-FI buffs? My equipment is all very cheap and cheerful. . I'm currently playing a Squarepusher CD, through my PC via cheap, noisy soundcard thru' a very cheap analogue cable, through a battered old Maplin mixing desk I use for gig (with various knobs missing, loads of background hiss and crackly noisy switches). I've wacked the EQ up and got some headphones on which are held together with masking tape...and it sounds wicked! Don't what the THD signal dither level is...I just know the bass is loud, the beats are crisp and it makes me feel pretty darn funky. So there! > The reason everyone was so enamored of vinyl was primarily due to the > higher resolution of an analog waveform And I thought it was because it had bigger sleeves and smelt nice! :) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 01:45:10 +0100 From: "ian jackson" Subject: [idealcopy] OT - lurking... michael wrote :- and i secretly love texas(everyone start laughing now) awww, man....and it was so cool up until then!!! ^_^ time to start lurking again, methinks (kidding!) on behalf of all 'non-lurking' listees, thanks for the compliments re subject matter, taste, etc... ian.s.j. (the guy who freaked his mates by seriously searching out Alvin Stardust's 'Jealous Mind', under the pretence of recreating early 70's school disco's!!!) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 22:09:30 -0700 From: "Paul Pietromonaco" Subject: Re: [idealcopy] [OT] Vinyl Crap! Digital Good! > Sorry Paul I haven't the faintest idea what thats all about. Are you one > of these HI-FI buffs? Not particularly. I'm actually an Electrical Engineer, with a minor in Physics and another degree in Audio Engineering. Plus, I work as a software tester now, and as a musician, so you can see where my interests lie. (Well, except for the anime part - but I won't get into that! (^_^)) > My equipment is all very cheap and cheerful. > . I'm currently playing a Squarepusher CD, through my PC via cheap, > noisy soundcard thru' a very cheap analogue cable, through a battered > old Maplin mixing desk I use for gig (with various knobs missing, loads > of background hiss and crackly noisy switches). I've wacked the EQ up > and got some headphones on which are held together with masking > tape...and it sounds wicked! Don't what the THD signal dither level > is...I just know the bass is loud, the beats are crisp and it makes me > feel pretty darn funky. So there! > My audio equipment isn't very expensive or exotic. But it is extremely carefully chosen for accuracy in sound reproduction. For example, my main PC audio soundcard for digitizing vinyl to make CDs is an old Turtle Beach Multisound Classic audio card that I found for $5.00 in a bin of random PC cards. I have to run it in a 486, because of the strange architecture of the board. But, it has 20 bit (!) converters that can be calibrated to match your incoming ground level, and it uses a Motorola DSP engine to dynamically convert the 20 bit sound to 16 bit sound for internal PC use. And this is in a card that was released in 1992! To answer your question, the "THD (total harmonic distortion) signal level" concerns audio at low signal levels. If you play loudly recorded CDs, then you won't hear it. But, imagine the last notes of a piano recital fading away to silence in a quiet room - that's where these measurements start to become critical. In a digital system, at the lowest signal level, there is only one bit to describe the audio signal. This would create a square wave upon playback, which would be equivalent to a THD (total harmonic distortion) of 100%. However, most, if not all, digital systems add a small amount of random noise to the system, called dither, to reduce this distortion, and improve the digital playback quality at low signal levels. > > The reason everyone was so enamored of vinyl was primarily due to the > > higher resolution of an analog waveform > > And I thought it was because it had bigger sleeves and smelt nice! :) Well, there's that too. (^_^) Cheers, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 21:51:44 -0700 From: "Paul Pietromonaco" Subject: [OT] Reusable media (was Re: [idealcopy] Re: [OT] Fall Humor) > MD is great and is a compilation tape compilers dream. I find it much > less wasteful than CD-R because you can re-use the disc. Or, you can do what I do and use CD-RW. (^_^) I re-use mine all the time, and they erase in only 2 minutes. I can make CDs, VCDs and Super VCDs on CD-RW. All of my CD (and DVD) players take 'em, but older players may have trouble with the low reflectivity. Cheers, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 04:25:38 EDT From: PaulRabjohn@aol.com Subject: Re: [idealcopy] RE: DVD vs Video totally OT , but i've been really pissed off with the world of VHS in the last couple of days. my 5 yr old Toshiba nicam VCR stopped working and i put it into a repair place to get it fixed. it basically needed a new recording head , quote was #205 (nice). now that cost me about #400 new , and clearly it was going in the dustbin so i went shopping for a new one. i was staggerred how cheap they are now. an equivalent machine is only about #150. but then if you want a 5 year guarantee on it , its an extra #150 (now what does that say for the build quality?)........ i think the conclusion must be that the industry is going towards DVD bigtime. still can't believe the DVD-R is taking so long to get together ; i think the problem is competing formats and fears of another betamax fiasco. p ------------------------------ End of idealcopy-digest V4 #172 *******************************