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Eetu Pellonpaa 
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 Topic: "Lo-fi" appreciation thread
Posted: October 13 2006 at 05:46 |
How many of you can appreciate "poor" sounds?
I very fond of the thrashy sounds on many late 60's and early 70's recordings. One great example would be HAWKWIND's "Space Ritual". The raw sounds are just so cool as you turn the volume high! Also some BBC recordings have very funny sound tone. I have played the BBC sessions of CREAM and JIMI HENRDIX EXPERIENCE with attaching a 50W Bassman Ten combo as an extra loudspeaker, and the soundwall is just terrific! We once tried this thing at our rehearshal room, by attaching a CD player to a 100W Fender loudspeaker, and turning the vol near max made the music to be felt physically!
In 60's recordings I like the way how drums sound, if they are recorded with a bit too high recording level with analog recordes. They distort in a cool way, unlike if the recording is done too loud with digital recorders. We have tried to replicate these sounds in our training room, once we microphoned the drums and added an echo pedal to them, and recorded it with high recording levels. The result was a wonderful storm, sadly as the track is old it wasn't a very great performance musically.
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Sean Trane
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 05:53 |
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There is a fad/fashion in music called Lo-fi where the music is almost purposedly badly recorded in unsuitable places (such as a kitchen sink). I've heard some of the music this is type of genre caters >> generally poor folk singer/songwriter.
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 05:54 |
Poor quality audio kit produces some of the best sounds going. Think of a Hammond organ with the Leslie speaker cranked up well beyond its capabilities. It sounds great. Where would Deep Purple and Uriah Heep have been without it? The same applies to electric guitars, you get the best sounds from a low grade amp being driven too hard.
I remember when I was much younger listening to Radio Luxembourg on long wave radio. Appalling sound quality but it still holds great memories for me. Your brain adapts to the sound and fills in the gaps for you. You don't need perfect audio to appreciate music.
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 06:20 |
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"Your brain adapts to the sound and fills in the gaps for you"
Yes, but you can end up with a headache. That's the case with (poor) digital.
"You don't need perfect audio to appreciate music."
Yes, fortunatly, cause there's always better. High fidelity has virtually no limit.
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Bob Greece
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 06:22 |
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MP3 at 64kbps?!
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Meddler
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 06:27 |
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I love the sound of Lo-fi. It just sounds *great* with certain songs.
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[IMG]http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/amorfous/astro-1.jpg">
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 10:48 |
 oliverstoned wrote:
"Your brain adapts to the sound and fills in the gaps for you"
Yes, but you can end up with a headache. That's the case with (poor) digital.
"You don't need perfect audio to appreciate music."
Yes, fortunatly, cause there's always better. High fidelity has virtually no limit. |
Change the record please  We've heard it all before.
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:03 |
Change for vinyl? OK 
Edited by oliverstoned - October 13 2006 at 11:04
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:06 |
Well vinyl sits well in this thread.
Edited by Heavyfreight - October 13 2006 at 11:14
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:14 |
Or alternatively
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:14 |
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As a sound engineer, you can maybe explain me why all "rock" Cds sound so bad?
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mystic fred
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:17 |
Many years ago (1966) Dad bought us a Pam record player with a Garrard autochanger deck, similar to a Dansette except more expensive - it was tremendously exciting at the time, i used to rush home from school and on went my "All you need is love" and "Strawberry Fields" singles. I heard all my first important music on this, including "Sgt.Pepper", but eventually the lure of stereo technology consigned our old friend to the attic, where it remained until a few years ago - i rediscovered my little gem from yesteryear, had her professionally restored, and now regularly play all my old singles on it again....which sound just like they used to, of course! 
Edited by mystic fred - October 13 2006 at 11:21
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 Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:19 |
I'm not sure that "all" of them do. I expect that the producer puts far too much compression and low frequency and high frequency emphasis on to make them sound louder. You know how rock musicians like everything turned to 11. It might work ok with your instrument amp but never with the PA or mixing desk.
Listen to the CD single of "You Could Be Mine" by GnR and you'll hear a very clear sharp rock sound.
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:39 |
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About 90% of rock Cds are atrocely trafficked as you said...but among the 10% left, no one can compete with the original vynil...here's the sad truth.
You can only quote one single with a good sound.
Edited by oliverstoned - October 13 2006 at 11:39
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Neil
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 11:50 |
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I can quote many more, that was just an example. An awful lot of rock vinyls sound awful as well. Take most of the seventies Blue Oyster Cult recordings; they all seem to have been recorded through a wet sock. Must have been using some worn out old 8 track tape.
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When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory.
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 13 2006 at 14:32 |
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Of course if the master used is poor, the result can't be good, whatever the format.
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Solo
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Posted: October 14 2006 at 03:40 |
There is a huge difference between lo-fi sounds and vintage sounds.
Often times, early 70's/60s "lo fi" is just the gear working the way it did.
I'll let you in on a little secret though; to get the sound of the 70's you need three things
1) A multitrack tape machine made before 1980
2) A recording console made before 1980
3) A reel of tape made before 1980
This is a 1/2" reel of 3M 203. It was made in the early 70's. I was lucky to buy it sealed! Best $40 bucks ever!
And vintage instruments help...  |
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 14 2006 at 05:08 |
The best tapedeck ever (1982/83), the Nakas made reel to reel devices obsolete. 
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: October 14 2006 at 05:39 |
Gold improves sound ... a simple rule for simple minds!  Seriously, I think the designers of these devices watched Goldfinger one time too often! 
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oliverstoned
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Posted: October 14 2006 at 06:07 |
I've got the black one, but it's not the improved version by Mr Nakamichi! 
Edited by oliverstoned - October 14 2006 at 06:08
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"Lo-fi" appreciation thread
