If you can't hear this then your system isn't audiophile (ft. Audio Phil)
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Wednesday January 31, 2024
David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
A few years back I met a BBC sound engineer and in the course of our conversation told me his go to track for a sound check when setting up a live recording was 'Money for Nothing' by Dire Straits. He reckoned it was well produced and had all of the musical elements he needed. I have to say I'm inclined to agree.
If anyone would like to comment as to some really good music that tests and shows off your hi fi to its best I would love to hear from you.
@mmlatko: I can hear it
@davidmorgen4558: Would You trade Your B & W s for a pair of Vandersteins if you could?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @davidmorgen4558: No thank you. I'll spend my money on a pre-2020 BMW 4-series hardtop convertible.
@joelmorgan9852: even with a razer blackshark v2x running through the v2 usb dac I can hear it
@patthewoodboy: I can hear the movement left to right , I am using headphones on my Fathers sony7025 receiver bought in 1975 , it must be audiophile quality
@drewwilkins9963: Yes, it's prominent on a macbook pro speakers. MORE IMPORTANTLY, Sir,
Please teach me how to mix "youthful wonder" with "grumpy old man" so i can do the same in a decade or so.
@MrSlipstreem: I liked it (or not) and can clearly hear it on a pair of cheapy Gale 3010S bookshelf speakers (used as nearfields) in my bedroom powered by a budget Class D amplifier. Don't judge me!
@bortan6869: I can't tell which comments here are satire and which aren't. One guy even listed his motherboard.
@BradleyBaker: I could heard it on my air pod pros, will test it on my system later today (Parasound preamp/amp; Paradigm speakers).
@johnorourke1636: I love well recorded and reproduced music. I discovered today that I can’t hear much above 10 kilohertz though. I listened for hours today to Spotify via wi fi to a laptop plugged into a mid priced amplifier and some fairly vintage Tannoy dual concentric speakers so I’m not sure if I’m an audiophile or not 😂
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johnorourke1636: Dual concentrics? I dub thee Sir Audiophile!
@johnorourke1636 replies to @johnorourke1636: @@AudioMasterclass
I’m honoured.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johnorourke1636: Indeed. Not merely honored.
@ossiebacchus7110: Hey, I heard it! Took a few listens. So I'm in the club, does that mean funny handshakes now?😊
@christopherward5065: I was listening to the output of my iPad on earbuds the clarinet image was fairly central and moved slightly from that central position. Nothing extreme.
@jaysonlavie603: I can barely perceive this on my near field studio monitors (Kali IN-UNF), even after knowing what to listen for. To me headphones nearly always present an exaggerated, stereo image, and imagine the same would be likely for home cinema speakers ( immersive experience, etc.)
Which setup is presenting the most accurate assessment of the stereo image? Are near field monitors or the headphones/ cinema speakers "wrong"?
@darrenjohnson1299: I hear it a bit on my magnepan lrs+ speakers, but I'm only hearing one swing of notes into the left speaker. Mostly it seems to dance around the middle.
@darrenjohnson1299 replies to @darrenjohnson1299: Not the best hearing though, I suffered a loss in my right ear to the highs.
@voskresenie-: My audio system is fine, I think. The problem is my ears. Or my brain. One of the two (three?). Even with my phone wearing earbuds, when I go to the accessibility settings, turn on mono and shift L/R balance, I don't hear the audio as to the left or to the right until I get below 25% or above 75% (ie halfway between balanced and all the way left/right).
What's kinda interesting is that I also have eye troubles perceiving depth (which is also related to left/right sides working together for spacial awareness). I really think it might be my brain.
@cs-1379: I tried it on a Sony Bluetooth Soundbar (150€) which is 44.1 kHz and 16 bit and can hear it swing. I think its more like are your ears audiophile or not
@ThomasBray-x8v: Instead of buying the track, I found it on Qobuz 96Khz/24 bit. I played it back on my inexpensive computer speakers (Mackie CR-X -- not what I consider audiophile quality) and the wandering around of the clarinet was pretty obvious, although I didn't find it annoying. Then I switched over to the my real studio monitor speakers and it was also there but possibly sounding a bit more musical. So in my opinion this isn't a valid test to determine if a system is audiophile quality or not. Based on what I have heard on my computer system (I have had my studio monitors for over 20 years so I know how their sound translates to other systems), I am pretty sure that when I play it on the big system downstairs it is going to sound like the clarinet player is front and center with the rest of the orchestra sitting behind it. Somehow the title of the album says a lot: The Clarinet as Prima Donna. If that was the intent of the recording engineer, he did a fine job.
@memcdm: I love music and a nice audio system but PLEASE DON'T CALL ME AN AUDIOPHILE. Now the term means "folks who buy snake oil claims and spend ungodly amounts of their money foolishly for performance thay is only in their demented minds."
@johnb6723: I could easily hear the movement of the clarinettist, no problem. On an iPhone 15 pro.
@ss9749: Yes, I could hear it now that I know what I was listening for. I heard it on the last video, but to me it didn't bother me so I didn't look at it as a mistake. I'm using some Focal Elex headphones and an Audioengine DAC3 plugged into my computer USB port.
@miikalaurila: With Sound Blaster AE-9 sound card and HD650 headphones, most of it is a bit to the left for me, but at the ending I feel like every other note is panned to either side. I rather like the effect, since it adds to the emotion of the music like you have previously mentioned.
@miikalaurila replies to @miikalaurila: As an addenum: I don't mean that you liked it, just that it works for me for that reason. I completely understand why you consider this wrong, since on other subjects I feel the same, as in trying to replicate the live experience in best faith effort. But for music, I separate the live experience and recorded experience much more, since I feel nothing can really capture the live experience truthfully enough for me. So I'd rather have the motions of the performer that I can hear through the recording than to capture the audio in an idealistic scenario from a single point in front of every instrument.
@hebectabetpa1767: I listened with my Pioneer SE-MS7BT headphones plugged into laptop (source youtube) and I didn't hear it. I mean I tried couple of times knowing that clarinet should be moving between left and right, but still even knowing what to hear didn't help to hear it :D
@krzysiekczubinski664: Thank you for your video. It made me realise that my B&W 703 weren't in right place as I was experiencing sound coming from the middle all the time. After few tweaks it's all tea and biscuits. 😊😂
@ClumsyMercenary: i used 3 different headphones/earphones, nicehck b70, final audio E500 and AKG K612 pro, and didn't really hear it. they all sound very similar, where the clarinet is at the 11 o'clock and didn't move very much if any. so i think the limiting factor is my tiny dac dongle, which is ibasso dc03 pro.
@KeyToTime: It isn't as dramatic an effect as i expected but i can just about hear it with my sennheiser HD560 ovation II headphones but can't really hear it on my Mission 761 speakers and Rotel amp.
@getfitter928: It took me a while to make my mind up about this video. It may belong on some audiophile website. I personally don't think we need this on YouTube. This can do far more damage to peoples believes than any good will come of it. You come a cross like a very intelligent man, yet you come up with this awful, pointless, soul destroying video. Even you question everything at the end of the video you made. Not everyone can afford expensive stuff, but they maybe happy with what they have. This stupid video, is a perfect way to crush and dampening peoples love of music and what they listen to it on. I have a great sound system and I could hear it just about. The track it's self is a poor example for listening to a stereo image, as it's so fast. listeners of music, please enjoy your music, on what ever it is your playing it on and do not play this track. It is pointless.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @getfitter928: Thank you for your wisdom. I shall take your advice and consider my spirit crushed and never venture to upload to YouTube again. On the other hand, you can just eff off.
@mikaelAedo: I can to hear it on my Audioengine2 desktop speakers and on my MA RX8 main system.
@Soliton19: On my system it wanders between +/- 15 degrees of center
@MrFrobbo: So now I'm listening to classical orchestral pieces and I'm convinced I can hear a piano shifting around spatially. Particularly in Mozart Piano Concerto No21 in C Major London Philharmonic, I can hear the lower notes on the left, the higher on the right, indicating two mics are being used, what do people think, is this common in piano?
@MrFrobbo: 1. Yes I can clearly hear the clarinet wander on my 2-way HiFi.
2. I initially enjoyed it, the emphasis helps visualise the movement, however now at your video 3 surrounding the topic, I do see how this exaggeration could confuse some, but not me. The question is, am I begining to dislike it based on your view of exact reproduction 🤔
@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135: it's clipping a bit on the YouTube one tbh aka sounds a bit Bitcrush aka digital distortion on the highs end
@MetalHead123345: Yes, I got some of Earbuds. Then a headset plus my Stereo. Which is a straight up 720 Is watt r s left, right, that's it 2 channels. and my system in my truck that put some money into and they all do seem to have their own way of impact like you're saying and surround sounds are definitely gotta make it apparent if you got a high quality surround Sound. a nice aftermarket receiver got your. DTS master audio and all that it's gonna really pop out. I really like your videos. Thank you for sharing them.
@johannbogason1662: unsubscribed. way too silly old grifter.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johannbogason1662: This is fun. Calling me names is nothing but entertainment for me. What about refuting my facts, or countering my opinions. Like a person with a brain would?
@johannbogason1662 replies to @johannbogason1662: @@AudioMasterclass Did I hurt your feelings? Shame on me. But you did have fun, right? I have a Yamaha A-S2100 and heard nuffin. Guess I must fork out some more money to be in your class, eh?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johannbogason1662: @@johannbogason1662 If hurting my feelings gives you pleasure, it's saying more about you than it is about me. Anyway, you'll need to try a lot harder than that. Go ahead, it all feeds the algorithm.
@johannbogason1662 replies to @johannbogason1662: @@AudioMasterclass snowflake galore!
@johannbogason1662 replies to @johannbogason1662: @@AudioMasterclass Can you maybe suggest a good "power conditioner" for me, so I can discern these fluctuations?
@williemccraw2073: I really don’t know. It sounds the same to me. I can hear it but it’s not really noticeable. I’m using a vintage amplifier and a set of vintage Zenith floor speakers. I can hear it but it’s not bad enough to make me complain. I also switch the speakers to a set of very nice Yamaha and placed them on my desk. Maybe 2 feet apart and I sat about 4 feet back. I can clearly hear it then but still not bad enough for me to complain
@uhmidk7: I can sort of hear it moving, very subtly and only to my left but that might be my headset. It's a Logitech G432 so it's not bottom of the barrel but it's not a audiophile rig, just a gaming one. Works pretty well for surround sound in games tho, (But only in the horizontal plane)
@Aurionwill: I was thinking it was the little sounds like a horse running, but well I guess my ears are a bad one i didn't notice the movement and use qobuz as source, hiby r6 pro 2 as dap and moondrop para as headphones. But heyyy I enjoy the song n,n thanks !
@oijans: Liking it or not liking it, is not the question. Hearing it or not hearing it, now that is the question.
Thanks for the links. These other two videos made more sense. You might want to consider hooking them up as a trilogy for newbies to your channel like I am. Keep up your good work. It is very entertaining as well as comforting to know I am not alone thinking about audio this way. Though we might disagree on exact representation of a concert hall is the only way to go. I'd like to experience both options. Sometimes I'd like to experience a concert hall and sometimes I'd like to experience a room full of artistic effects that takes me floating all around space. Enjoyment is the key and we're all different and even not always consistent. Looking forward to exploring more of your videos.
@Pleusch: What about the jitter in the track. Am I stupid or what ? Please tell me it drives me nuts.
@baronvonlichtenstein: I recently recorded a song where I only played notes in half on the bass so I could pan 100% left and right. Which is why I called it, Let's Bounce. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AhoGOL5Omc
@madmeister407: My vinyl playback device makes me smile, happy and dance, job done me thinks😁
@richardheumann1887: No, I couldn't hear it on my cheap ass PC system... But I knew that upfront.
@letstrysocialism: I don't have many doubts that my system is "audiophile" level. In fact, it likely sounds better than the average audiophile setup. My room is terrible only in terms of its reverb (I will solve this issue this year), but the mode distribution is quite fortunate (thus the shape and size). I have Neumann KH120A studio monitors in front and a pair of Monolith 12 THX subwoofers, all processing done on my computers, correction, bass management. Surround speakers are Kali Audio IN-8v2's. All speakers are equidistant to the main listening position.
Stereo - effect is obvious, but not too egregious
Surround sound, upmixed with Nugen Halo, the effect becomes outright extreme.
@joekjr2: OK, I found this a month after it was published so, for what it's worth, I hear the clarinet mainly toward the left side of the soundstage, sometimes moving right to left by what would be a meter or so on the stage, with a few notes popping out way on the right. This was a useful experience in that I found my earbuds required a balance change a few decibels to the right, determined by listening in mono. I'll be looking into buying a good pair of headphones.
@4034miguel: I just have a modest HIFI system and the Bach's Oboe d'amore concerto, always make cry, so beautiful it is, when I here from in it. That is what counts, imho.
@thforshaw: I listened to this on what I would deem a "mid-fi" setup: Spotify streaming to a Pixel and Bluetooth'd to a pair of Jabra 85H earbuds. The recording was obviously stereo, as I could hear the backing orchestra on a wide soundstage. From the description in the video, I was expecting to hear wild channel swings, but what I got was the subtle movement of the clarinet's sound around center stage. Yes, it did sound as if the musician was moving his instrument about, but it wasn't nearly as extreme as I was expecting. If I hadn't been told to listen for it, I would not have noticed it.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @thforshaw: You can find my further thoughts on this topic here https://youtu.be/EdDnAnSPQpg and here https://youtu.be/m1VzhiBSv28
@thforshaw replies to @thforshaw: Redid the test today 100% "wired." That is, downloaded a high-quality file (still Spotify, so not lossless) and played it through wired headphones, my 40+ year-old Sennheiser 414s.
I'm not sure if I'm hearing a true difference between yesterday and today, but I did hear a more noticeable 'swing' in the performer's position on the soundstage between 3:45 and 4:00, with minor swings noticed elsewhere.@@AudioMasterclass
@AllAmericanGuyExpert: Ok, so now you may be understanding a concept that my fellow studio engineer and I discussed a long time ago. Both of us are amateurs. What we realized is that our decently-high resolution studio monitors allowed us to hear amazing things. We, however, set it up so we could A-B test it to switch to more modestly-designed, regular speakers. We also would switch to 2 different types of headphones ... $120 ones and $30 ones. Yeah, it made a difference. It boils down to what a typical listened needs ... one who is driving down the road at 70 mph and can't hear any of the frequencies that are masked by the road noise. It's almost like you are finally getting it.
@railgap: Audiophile or non-audiophile are false dichotomies created by this channel host. It's BS. Quality is a continuum, and ad-hoc test like this one prove NOTHING.
@CanoeBoi: You don't need an audiophile sound system to hear it... I can ear it fine on my crappy work headphones. Just leave the audiophile stuff to audiophiles. You're way out of your knowledge spectrum.
@P4nikStudios: Inb4 my equipment is audiophile, but my room isnt XD
@TrainsAndWellbeing: I could definitely hear the issue of rapid transition across the image but noticed something else: on some parts briefly I could hear some notes on different locations of the stereo soundstage. It wasn't like a total out of phase but almost like there ware two clarinets with one between centre and left, with the other between centre and right, so and then it starts panning again; I was wondering if the microphones were picking up with a few degrease of a phase difference at some points. My system does handle centre imagine very accurately so that wouldn't have caused any phase issues.
Mac mini (M1, 2020) connected to Bowers & Wilkins MM-1
@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135 replies to @TrainsAndWellbeing: yeah but I can hear bit of Bitcrushing tbh on the YouTube one
@FilipinaVegana: I hear a couple notes drift over to the right, but otherwise rather centred.
@matthewm3927: This is a great and thought-provoking pair of videos! I agree, music systems should be pleasing and enjoyable, not simply clinical. I’m listening on a Marantz 1060 that my father bought before I was born. I restored and recapped it and paired it with some Klipsch RB-61 IIs. It’s not just pleasing to listen to, but has a tremendous amount of nostalgia and accomplishment tied to it, which makes it more pleasing for me than another setup that may outperform it.
@mickeystewart4504: I can hear it very well, has more bouncing across the full sound stage than Jimi Hendrix Axis Bold as Love introduction.
It is probably the fastest left to right imaging I've heard in awhile, however it does not sound at all correct for the piece and out of place. Great if were a guitar piece.
I have a quality audiophile system and got a full copy of the piece, I listened multiple times with different speakers, however I actually like it there is great passion in her playing.
@tomtarlton6292: I am not a classical music listener nor an audiophile, but just wanted to weigh in with an outside opinion. To me I would say what is "correct" or "incorrect" is simply up to the artist. If the artist listens to a recording and says wow this is or is not what i intended then there's our objective answer, all else is subjective. I think of stereo audio as just another medium for an artist to express themselves. A musician should not be bound to recording their music exactly as it's performed in concert (and vice versa!), just as a painter is not bound to paint a landscape exactly as it exists
@roeland1205: Listening on my Galaxy S23 ultra and heard the panning. It must be an audiophile device then.
@jakobsoegaard1886: Love this video all the i could not hear it …so I do not have an audio file headset
@socialmeaslesinpartnership1252: That's............not the way it really....................is.
It's like this. Book up with your friendly audiophile-gear retailer. You want them to set up a single-ended 300B valve amplifier, two-box CD/DAC, high-sensitivity speakers bi or tri-wired according to.....whatever...... and the best interconnects. This stuff costs serious cash, you're not looking to buy.....you already "have this at home" bullshit. You're actually "considering a speaker purchase", you could ask to A/B planar electrostatics against 96db+ horns - for example. In seeking advice, they may upsell you.
Let 'em!
Take your favourite CDS, stuff you know well. Shostakovich, Mendelsohn, Michael Nyman, Jerry Goldsmith, whatever you really like, enjoy the coffee, hospitality and your music through gear that costs eye-watering money to buy - and a heck of a lot more for the house to put it in. The chances are that - you'll like it.
Don't forget - an eighties CD edition of "Fresh Cream" - the worst digital transfer you'll ever hear - and a van Halen CD, their first with David Lee Roth doing "You Really Got Me" and "Jamie's Crying" on it. A real CD shocker!
Towards close of play, crank the 300B to around 90% and put these CDs on. No valve amps like being cranked to this sort of level or this sort of music much and 300Bs in particular - no chance. No chance whatever. Through speakers that will tell you everything..... a terrible, terrible racket will ensue.
So that's when you say how much you like the stuff but it's no good at volume, the distortion and bass is terrible and for north of £grand......it really should be better than that.
Having loaded up earlier at your local greasy-spoon diner with lambs liver, onion gravy, mash and cabbage, you could possibly have already begun to let go a few room-fillers but no matter if not. You can adjourn to the local mall to enjoy dropping these in the lift and staring at other shoppers.
@jaydoraiswami4762: I’m grateful for this video, thank you Sir! I very much appreciate your work and knowledge.
I discovered that both I and my system are not “audiophile” (pardon my grammar).
Such a relief! Now I can focus on truly enjoying music and not endlessly search for the perfect gear (which I won’t hear anyway).
Ignorance can sometimes be bliss 😊
@AltitudeAudioInnovations: Phil,
I challenge you to reconsider and place greater emphasis on an individuals hearing abilities. When I correct my hearing I get the full stere
I can readily identify the movement and space in all planes (xyz) using the old school apple earbuds with the 1/8" connector on my MBP. Clearly not an audiophile system.
@diegocanale1124: Would be interesting to hear this on a proper loseless file
@psiolence: I stand by my comment on the other video. There is definitely a nasty twinge in the high end (guessing 14khz-ish range) when the clarinetist plays a few of the louder notes and it sounds like a bad recording choice by the engineers to not clean this up, as the rest of the track is smooth sounding Clarinet recording.These twinges stand out to me and make the recording undesirable to me.
@jonjonssen: I couldn't hear any movement in the clarinet but I'm pretty sure I heard someone moving the microphone.
@bill3212: Snob, are you? Who are you to judge upon monotoy by list? I need to some random piece of music on my phone.
You sure for fake
@bryanjones9952: I do not find it annoying. While I can hear the "moving around" maybe it is not as bad because my speakers are only 6ft apart or my sound stage is not that wide?
@akyhne: To me, the clarinet takes almost all the space, from left to right speaker, but the emphasis of each tone jumps from left to right to left etc. Especially in the last third part.
If I'm supposed to hear the clarinet clearly jumping and only being in one spot (point position like a guitar I can point where is), then no.
I've only tested on YouTube, on my TV, via ARC to my Denon surround receiver, and Dali speakers.
EDIT: It's mainly the reverb, that fills the full stage, not so much each tone, that are somewhat easy to pinpoint. But the clarinet reverb is very loud, and obscure each tone.
All that reverb makes it harder.
@rhalleballe: I just listened to the Youtube Video (which of course has heavily compressed audio codec) with a Sennheiser HD650, which is a reasonable earphone and i "can hear it", but i would not hear it if not told to listen carefully. It seems that the higher notes come from more right side and the lower tones more from the left side. But nothing to complain about. Maybe the original recording is more "dividing", but here on Youtube its not very annoying.
@hdrmadness2731: listening on my computer monitors, I have Adam Audio TV5, the stereo imaging is kept mostly directly in front of me, it dances around a small amount, favoring the left speaker. I don't really see it as a huge example of stereo separation. I hear different songs through these speakers where I swear the sound appears to be coming from a side behind me, or nearly directly from the side at times, I think the imaging can be quite good. Perhaps it is not as good as I thought though.
@thorgrimb2416: Good track to show the difference think I will try and get the other half to listen as she swears by cheap Bluetooth in ears and always has a go at me for how many sets I have ie HE400 Fostex 20RPM V-Moda crossfade mk1 for Bluetooth and then IEMs from UE superfi 5 Audeze isine 10, Etymotic ER4 and insists if I want to upgrade I must sell at least one other pair.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @thorgrimb2416: It could be worse for your other half - You could be a guitarist. Can't have too many guitars.
@jntdad: I have two go to reference recordings when I want to check my systems stereo sound staging. One is on vinyl and the other is a CD - both are excellent workout pieces for any kit. my reference pieces are:-
1. The LP is - Peter Appleyards "Per-cus-sive Jazz" with postscript on the cover "Doctored for Super Stereo"
a. Track one side one "The Man With The Golden Arm"
b. Track two side one "The Man Who Got Away"
2. The CD is from the box set "Complete Blue Horizon Box67-69 by Fleetwood Mac" The Pious Bird of Good omen CD track two "Rambling Pony"
These really help me with speaker positioning and in my view would highlight any issues with the system such as crispness / definition or timing between my four sets of speakers .
I would not say the tracks by Peter Appleyard are ones I would just listen to because they are very demanding tracks to listen to with driving rhythms percussive attacks with swift decays being punctuated by contrasting sounds such as trumpets bursting in then fading or bass sax rumbling then crescendoing only to be overtaken by something else all moving through the stereo landscape - deliberate extremes designed to trip up a poor performing system.
The Fleetwood mac Rambling pony is similar but a little less percussive or roving around the sound scape but the recording has just an incredible solid fixed positioning with the largest hardest sound contrast - so crisp and punchy with a constant and even driving drum beat that doesn't waver but clearly demonstrates to the listener the sound is from a real set of drums and although metronome perfect conveys this is a human being creating this sound and dot a drum machine.
Do other subscribers / commenters have similar go to recordings?
@verdeazul333: That clicking sound at the intro of Giorgio Moroder's "From Here To Eternity" (Single Version) is also a good test. Not only does it go from right to left. It actually goes 360 degrees, round and round.
@charlsfrdrck: Young audio guy here.. using tidal on my dell laptop thru a thx onyx DAC into schiit saga pre amp into monoprice monolith 2 channel power amp feeding BW 606s.. perhaps more impressive than the movement of the clarinet is the big room feel of the recording overall.. being able to hear the entire orchestra clearly, especially when i close my eyes, thats whats most important to me.. idk if the clarinet was necessary 'dancing about' the speakers but it definitely has a lot of personality and stands out during this track especially
@numbernine2207: Lmfao!
It's a test of your wallet.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @numbernine2207: True audiophiles have so much money they don't know how to spend it.
@richardhancock6235: Thanks for your video which I have found very helpful and it has improved my digital listening experience by 100%. I have a good HiFi system within my price range. Technics turntable and AMP and Wharfedale Speakers. When listening to vinyl I always get good stereo separation but not so when streaming. I use Apple Music streaming via Bluetooth (your probably smiling now and know what's coming), like many people I had presumed that digital is digital so that's it. Your video got me thinking so I did a bit more research. At first I thought I might need to go out and buy an expensive DAC, but I discovered that I simply needed to change my Apple settings to Hi-Res (ALAC 24-bit/48kHz) and plug my iPhone directly into the AMP, suddenly everything has come alive and the stereo separation is their. I don't know if it's worth investing in a DAC as I'm not sure if my ears will really pick up the difference between 48kHz and 192 kHz. I might ask if I can borrow one to see if it is worth it, but the jump from standard to ALAC 24-bit/48kHz has made a huge difference. THANK YOU!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @richardhancock6235: Congratulations. Going further may not make much of a difference, or perhaps no audible difference at all. But moving up to lossless certainly removes very many doubts.
@cweednz: Heard it aok on my iphone 15 pro, which is stereo. The rapid panning like effect was obvious, even on my phone.
@paulduggan5323: Heard it plain as day
@my_name_les: I use Airpods Gen 2, I consider myself to be a decent audiophile!
@bobhundley9295: Hi - I got nice imaging (Fosi BT20A/Mission 760i SE) I enjoyed the music!
@manitoublack: True Audiophiles love being miserable (I'm convinced.) I love music, I love the way it affects your mood, I love listening to the passion that the artists put into their creations.
I've got a pretty nice system, but the room setup is poor (and cannot be resolved, because I live in a real house with a real family.) But I don't care. Having the music in the home is what matters to me. It's a very rare occasion that I get the opportunity to sit down alone and critically listen and I don't really enjoy it. Rather have a few buddies over and have some good beats cranking in the background, or put on a live concert and enjoy watching it together.
@dalaylahman: Yes, I can hear it and here is explanation. Clarinetist players usually, while playing piece of music, move their instrument left and right (as it is body "singing") then, normally sound scene is changed. Therefore, in some extent it affect also stereo picture while we are listening piece of music. I would add, if producer of music is trying to fix the instrument in one piece, this is boring to listen and missing reality. We want to hear as much as possible real sound? This is a way...
If I am not mistaken, Chesky records for example has one system of recording music which 2 microphones places in the model of humans head trying to recover the music as it is...
@Zickcermacity: I don't want an audiophile system.
I want an ACCURATE system.
@trevwagner666: Using my audio technica ath-m50x and can for sure hear
@martineyles: Presto Music - A nice local company based in my home town, with an actual physical shop there. I've bought sheet music and CDs from them, but never used their online store.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @martineyles: It was the first online store I found when I searched. The site was clearly presented and easy to use so it was perfect for me to demonstrate the purchase.
@thor_86: I used my focal stellia with mojo 2, and I could hear that the image was a bit confusing, and sort of moved a little. Sometimes I wasn't sure if it moved or not, but especially at the end I am sure it moved. I wonder if my experience fits the description "clear as day". Maybe it's just me who is not very audiophile, or maybe the headphones aren't despite it's high price tag and reviewers praise? I dunno😅
@shitmandood: I can’t hear it with my stereo or my headphones. I can hear a stereo sound but no extreme left right of an instrument.
@4034miguel: I heard it. I does not bother me. the melody caught my attention every time and made me forget everything else.
@lacooca: I found you yesterday by accident (thanks to the YT algorithem 👍) and what can I say: I love your way on looking on things and debunk them. I am an engineer and I can totaly relate to nearly 100% you say. Your channels saves a lot of people a lot of money 👌 And I totaly appreciate your language. I am german an can follow you easily ☺️
@josephvanalstyne4049: it moves around in the middle of the soundstage. never far right or far left.
@Punisher9419: With stereo speakers placed either side of me not all that far away I can't hear much movement maybe a little but nothing bad. I've heard other songs though that have it really clear but that was an artistic choice. I don't really think my setup is "audiophile" it's all budget stuff. Fiio E10, Wharfdale Diamond 220's and the Yamaha AS-501. Maybe if I spaced my speakers further apart I would hear it more but they are on my desk.
@Robert-ps8fj: You are rigth as of now my headphone is not audiophile quality headphone....clarity is only decent
@jackl7080: OK I'm not afraid to speak the truth: I can't hear it. The clarinet is stationary. My system is Thiel CS3.7 and Arcam AVR 21.
@22Catch22: Sounds like a very close mic with only a bit of body swing as she played. Of course, i'm listening through a $10 pair of panasonic earbuds.
@JDavidG.700: It sounded like a great clarinetist playing with movement to me, even though I compress the sound to fit my room. If I don't, it can be too much, like way crazy too much.
@ProjectOverseer: I thought Ping Pong stereo died out on classical recordings back in the 80's/90's. Obviously created in the mix by an engineer using plugins or hardware processors thinking he/she is doing something clever (NOT). The original recording needs to be given to a proper engineer to mix and master The stereo sound stage is important with classical recordings, and it certainly adds to the enjoyment on good systems.
Did anyone try listening in mono?
@Cr1ms0nPwnda: I'm in a Chevy Silverado work truck with a base stereo at the moment, I can hear it. It's quite noticeable and even annoying.
@bitegoatie: I hear it, and I don't care - and I am listening on buds of purportedly good quality (not as good as the maker represents, but good enough). Movement of instruments/sound sources in recordings can be interpreted in several ways. I do not especially prejudge what a recording should or should not be in terms of a "sound stage" beyond its avoidance of nauseating effects or inscrutable arrangements of sounds that obscure music or tend to bring bad phase relationships. The rest may be abstract art or an attempt to replicate some listening experience that is not the actual one. I am willing to hear what is being offered and to like or to dislike that for what it is. Why should a concert hall be the paradigm of a listening experience? I do not understand why people insist on taking all or nothing positions on such things, much less why some of them are prepared to spend fortunes that could be put to actually good uses to buy equipment that produces sound that is - in the very best cases - only minimally better than audio crap with price tags that would give "audiophiles" hives.
Don't mistake me. I appreciate good sound. I write and play music, I have enjoyed music my whole life - in person and through electronics of all types. But the whole thing has become much crazier over the years, with conspicuous consumption and points of faith dominating sense and decency.
@chuckmaddison2924: I plugged my Samsung earphones into my Samsung phone and yes I can hear it.
But the way I see it is I'm not an audiophile because my system cost under $ 10000 and to get the room it only cost $ 120000 😅
Seriously, 17 years ago.
@Douglas_Blake_579: Reading some of the responses here brings up a serious question of just how much better than "Mid-Fi" these audiophile systems are...
On my desktop system using Minimus 7 speakers, powered by a Muse T-amp and a cheap DAC the effect was plain as day. A couple of the early notes were even panned hard left and hard right although most of it was mid-left to mid-right.
Now if I can hear that on "antique" $65.00 speakers and a $40.00 amp... what's up with all the people who can't hear it?
Is it their hearing?
Or is it their setup?
Or is it the equipment itself?
@shannonpienaar6863: I'm not sure my system's capability to track panning left and right is a defacto measurement of its "audiophile" status 😂.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @shannonpienaar6863: It's part of it.
@hofy1486: I guess not since I have no way to listen to this on my stereo. Is there a CD or LP?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @hofy1486: Try Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BYBH2PY2?crid=RMSNR3H8OQ82&keywords=the+clarinet+as+prima+donna&sprefix=the+clarinet+as+pri,aps,159&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&language=en_US&sr=8-1&linkCode=gg2&linkId=934dfbd839b76c2d0c773d8961b873ef&tag=davidmellor-20
@jimhamlin6551: Why and how?