Wow I kind of love the Colorfly C4. I'm gonna guess... $600 U.S.?
― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 14:58 (twelve years ago) link
RRP is 655... euros. £590 on amazon.co.uk
― koogs, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:04 (twelve years ago) link
Colorfly cases look steampunk but the product itself more generic 1970s tech aesthetic, more like what Sony, Panasonic, and Atari had going on during that era:
Early Advent cassette deck, 1971http://urbandwells.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Advent-201.jpg
Early Panasonic VHS VCR, 1977http://retrothing.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/beta.jpg
Atari Video Computer System, 1978http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/atari_2600_1.jpg
A Colorfly would have fit in nicely.
― Lee626, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago) link
that atari is the best thing
― steven fucking tyler (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago) link
and also what most resembles the Colorfly
― Lee626, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:27 (twelve years ago) link
and accidental volume changes whenever you put it in your pocket.
― kmfdotm (ledge), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 14:14 (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
c'mon you know there is a artisan brushed-leather holster accessory for this thing
― , Blogger (schlump), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:28 (twelve years ago) link
Finally, something that will do justice to that six-hour Morton Feldman 24/48k stereo DVD that I own! If it fits on there.
And so glad someone has finally addressed the need for 108dB dynamic range in a portable audio device. I often walk around anechoic chambers wearing an iPod.
― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:41 (twelve years ago) link
also these Marantz HQ mobile cassette decks that I used extensively in the '70s and early '80s for recording my bands:http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/analog-sources/graphics/marantz-pmd430-2
http://www.hifiengine.com/images/model/marantz_pmd420.jpg
These things made you look serious. Sounded pretty good too.
― Lee626, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:43 (twelve years ago) link
better pic:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/marantz_cp_230_104.jpg
― Lee626, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:46 (twelve years ago) link
That's really nice.
― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:48 (twelve years ago) link
unfortunately I traded that in for a suposedly improved Tascam ministudio 4-track cassette that gave you four tracks running the same direction (so only one side of the tape could be used), and all recorded using the DBX compression/expansion technique that gave wow! measured specs with great signal-to-noise ratios and inaudible background noise. But in real use, it subtlely corrupted everything recorded on it, by applying that gawdawful dbx companding algorithm to everything, yielding unnatural sound and weird artifacts - like a singer's voice would suddenly get louder if an instrument came in while she was singing. I'd have rather used Dolby or no NR at all, put up with the limited dynamic range and tape hiss, but had the music intrinsically sound good.
― Lee626, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 15:58 (twelve years ago) link
by serendipity i had to look up this company
http://thebuttkicker.com/
seems real-ish but still mighty snake oily imo
― goole, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
I had the idea a few years ago to make lo-techy looking mp3 players, surmising that it was the only effective way to compete with the iPod since no one was ever going to design a cooler looking nu-techy one than Apple.
― bert yansh (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 16:32 (twelve years ago) link
like a singer's voice would suddenly get louder if an instrument came in while she was singing
AAAHGH this drives me crazy though I feel like I hear it the other way round-- a quiet, steady instrumental accompaniment fluctuating in volume whenever the singer is singing.
The example that comes to mind is one of my favorite songs - 'Triangle Song' by Thin White Rope
― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 17:02 (twelve years ago) link
Ah, so there's no problem with the Colorfly volume, if you replace the humidor lid before you slip it in your waistcoat
http://www.colorfly.eu/images/PRODUCT_c4.jpg
― bendy, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 18:38 (twelve years ago) link
Only $100 more than what I paid for my first iPod...
― skip, Tuesday, 14 August 2012 22:39 (twelve years ago) link
Introducing... audiophile shoes!http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WsE6M_RjBIY/TDKe4bDsfSI/AAAAAAAAbS8/L_9OnPCx67I/s1600/get_smart_shoe_phone.jpg
― no-one seemed to hear him so he leafed through a magazine (snoball), Tuesday, 14 August 2012 22:44 (twelve years ago) link
$10,000 Gold-Braided Vacuum Tech Laces with special mahogany lace-tips to cut negative vibrations
― you ain't Patrice so why you Rushen (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 15 August 2012 09:04 (twelve years ago) link
I sort of love that 70s, next to the drinks cabinet aesthetic
― owenf, Wednesday, 15 August 2012 11:23 (twelve years ago) link
Yes, the "I openly read Playboy" aesthetic
― bert yansh (Hurting 2), Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:15 (twelve years ago) link
via get bent
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=11987&promo=Electronics-Media-Accessories&catid=104
― crüt, Saturday, 1 December 2012 04:12 (eleven years ago) link
SPEEDSNAIL!!! My Accept albums are gonna sound so good coming out of those.
― endless budgie (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 1 December 2012 04:17 (eleven years ago) link
Requires four separate amplifiers per speaker (not included).
hahahahahaha... I love this line so much
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:05 (eleven years ago) link
only 3 grand for the acoustic immersion pod!
http://digital.hammacher.com/Items/11727/11727_1000x1000.jpg
― les rallizes miserables (get bent), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:18 (eleven years ago) link
re: ok, about that very first that very first link on this thread
i mean i will i no way attest to whether or not that very first piece of stupid audio snake oil works, BUT.
as a guy running a p decent home studio in the third world, i can attest that electrical issues absolutely can screw up/degrade the sound of yer stereo signal. i mean, i doubt that outlet thing would make a hell of a difference, but in certain dire electrical situations i could imagine a bit of well placed electrical shielding could help sound quality, perhaps even to the point where you'd actually notice.
please! i'm not defending the usefulness of this particular product per se. but i'm pretty sure some of my (reputable, high end) gear touts it electrical shielding as part of it's awesomeness. and i've def had some gigs, and even studio sessions, all but ruined cause of crappy electrical interference fuckin with our sound
i'm not saying you should rush out and buy that $500 electrical outlet cover, mind. but i wonder what it's made of and if there might be ANY use to it. like, if it was made with a small faraday cage (page?) coated in highly non-conductive ceramic or something?
just a thought. ianaei electronic geeks please feel free to explain why this would be actually be impossible/useless in scientific terms for all of out edification :)
― messiahwannabe, Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:20 (eleven years ago) link
Oh for sure. You just need your equipment isolated or on a real, grounded and isolated circuit. Basically comes down to proper wiring, not audiophile gear. Ground hum is a thing.
― mayor mcpotle (mh), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:28 (eleven years ago) link
xxp wanna buy that pod
― endless budgie (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 1 December 2012 06:12 (eleven years ago) link
Why does it have teeth?
― Eyeball Kicks, Saturday, 1 December 2012 09:25 (eleven years ago) link
The teeth are sound absorbing foam to prevent echos and reflections caused by the chair and speakers being inside a semi-enclosed pod. Although a better solution would be to, er, not have the chair and speakers in a semi-enclosed pod.
― Paul McCartney, the Gary Barlow of The Beatles (snoball), Saturday, 1 December 2012 09:57 (eleven years ago) link
http://the-egg-chair.com/wp-content/uploads/men_in_black_stereo_egg.jpgin stereo...
― Paul McCartney, the Gary Barlow of The Beatles (snoball), Saturday, 1 December 2012 09:58 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think the stuff in this revive qualifies as snake oil. Snake oil is ineffective. The stuff in the revive may be effective. They've just ignored the cost portion of the cost-performance trade-off. The tru-tone duplex covers, however, make no scientific sense. The website says they can provide shielding beyond steel duplex covers. A sheet of steel is pretty conductive. I don't believe that the areas surrounding your wall outlets are the most effective emitters of EM noise in your room anyway.
― Sufjan Gruden (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 1 December 2012 23:55 (eleven years ago) link
the "snail" speaker looks ridiculous. but one can give a scientific argument for the design. The active vs. passive crossover argument is odd to me, though. I'd think that a passive filter has much lower noise limits than a circuit with an active device, which is its own source of noise.
― Sufjan Gruden (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 1 December 2012 23:58 (eleven years ago) link
There probably exists a group of dudes that becomes excited over the idea of using the most amplifiers ever with their snail speakers, though.
― Sufjan Gruden (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 2 December 2012 00:00 (eleven years ago) link
So, uh, this thing called SoundPimp. It doesn't qualify as vanilla snake oil obv, as it very clearly does something audible -- I was just wondering whether greater audiophiles than me have anything to say about it; e.g. whether the idea seems legit or whether it actually does something dubious to the signal for a (claimed) superficially pleasant effect?
The premise, as I understand it, is that the stereo field as heard through earphones is seen as the baseline ideal. However, when using loudspeakers, crosstalk (ie left ear hearing the right channel and right ear hearing the left) confuses the stereo field. This piece of software is supposed to correct for this in some way. (The claim is that it works significantly better the crappier your speakers are. Also, it seems reasonable to assume it works best for recordings aiming to recreate some sort of physical space perhaps.) There's a demo video on the site with samples in normal stereo/treated stereo.
Any thoughts? Anyone used it? Am I gullible for even asking? ;)
Any thoughts?
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 13 December 2012 17:06 (eleven years ago) link
Heh, disregard last line, it fell beneath the editing horizon.
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 13 December 2012 17:07 (eleven years ago) link
yeah i dunno, if you had good speakers and a good amp and good placement of your speakers, how is this even an issue?
i bought an "audio enhancer" thing, this box thing from audioquest and it was kind of a ripoff
― Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 13 December 2012 17:40 (eleven years ago) link
this is a terrible solution to the bad speaker placement 'problem'
― toy_sleigher (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 13 December 2012 18:30 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah fair points; I guess it's about when you don't have good stuff & placement, see my mention of crappy speakers. I read about this thing in a Norwegian tech magazine, where the journo claimed to get notable separation even from a tablet-type device...
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:14 (eleven years ago) link
i dunno, the extreme separation of headphones doesn't really exist in real life anyway
seems like there are a lot of things you could spend money on to make your setup sound better that would be money better spent
― Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
my newer amplifier had a little microphone you hook up and then move to the spots in the room where you'd sit and it'd do some adjustments. kind of neat!
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:23 (eleven years ago) link
damn that's kinda sick, what kind?
― Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:27 (eleven years ago) link
marantz receiver, with audyssey algorithms or whatever: http://www.audyssey.com/audio-technology/category
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:30 (eleven years ago) link
I guess this is the specific page for it. They license it to a handful of receiver manufacturers: http://www.audyssey.com/audio-technology/multeq
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:31 (eleven years ago) link
oh shit algorithms, that's serious stuff haha
did you feel like it made a difference?
― Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
My headphone amp has a crossover switch to GET RID OF the extreme and unnatural separation of headphones and make for a more realistic soundstage. People complain about the extreme stereo separation of Beatles stereo mixes, for example. So this seems like an odd concept to me. But I listen through a nice pair of B&W 685s that are positioned on stands to produce a sweet spot right in the middle of the sofa.
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:35 (eleven years ago) link
I need to rerun it, but yeah, it did do some neato shit
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:38 (eleven years ago) link
(I rearranged my furniture, I didn't change the inherent accoustics of my living space. Yet.)
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
The idea is that instead of one sweet spot in the whole room, it tries to balance at multiple points
The calibration bit is basically it playing different tones, iirc
― mh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
Oh ok like those test tone records and cds they used to sell?
― Andrew WKRP (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
People complain about the extreme stereo separation of Beatles stereo mixes, for example. So this seems like an odd concept to me.
yah I think the whole conceit about that software I mentioned is that it is for music actually recorded in a room with mics a head's-width apart from each other etc, not for more "engineered" stereo images, as surely much more music is.
http://tomross.com/300px-Dummyhead.jpg
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 13 December 2012 20:59 (eleven years ago) link