Active speaker comparison

[FredM]

What happens when you put a couple enthousiastic audio guys, a mastering engineer and a producer in a recording studio with some impressive active speakers, using the dCS Rossini & clock as the source?

 

Please enjoy this 2+ hour live comparison of:

1. Dutch & Dutch 8C (@11m35)

2. ATC SCM100A (@56m30)

3. Grimm LS1be (@1h44m30)

 

 

 

 

[FredM]

1 hour ago, Kal Rubinson said:

I'm interested but not interested enough to commit to 2 hours.  Is there a precis or summary?

Hi Kal and botrytis, at the end of the session the overall findings where touched just briefly, most likely a summary will appear on Alpha-Audio.net.
 

When you can’t wait, after each track the findings and some direct comparisons between the speakers are made. To get a faster impression, during the last part (while listening at the Grimm’s) a couple comparisons are made. Perhaps 1h52m30 till 2h01m30 is most condensed, just to get a quick impression.

 

I had an entertaining Sunday morning watching the session, when you have the time, just press play and sit back.

[FredM]

32 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Very quick listen to the video, jumping to equivalent bits of music for the three - the ATC stood out, then the Dutch & Dutch; the Grimm was a sorry 3rd, well below the others.

Perhaps a bit too quick...? We typed in parallel, above I mentioned a time slot with some comparisons, just as a rough impression. I guess it’s best to watch the full movie, or wait for the summary.

[FredM]

1 hour ago, Kal Rubinson said:

Thanks for the summary.  I do not think I will ever be in the proper state of mind to sit through this.  I sampled it to confirm.

That tells we’re not alike 😘

 

A recording of 2+ hours does asks some time, but the good thing imho that the viewer is able to decide to press play and remotely listen at the tracks, take note of the findings and comparisons from the ‘panel’ and can even watch the live chat on YouTube. More accessible and transparant, if one chooses 👍. Like we each have our own music taste and sound preference.

[FredM]

31 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

And I agree  ... I've extracted the audio, and aligned them, for a particular selection, in Audacity - the volumes alter through the piece I was looking at, per speaker - a bit more fiddling, and a touch more analysis ... a more careful appraisal, later on ...

Hi Frank, based on your reply, perhaps interesting: just recently Alpha Audio released a Sample Database.

 

https://alpha-audio.net/2020/10/alpha-audio-launches-hifi-sample-database/

 

My guess is that the recordings of the active speakers will be added.

[FredM]

24 minutes ago, Rexp said:

The good news is the recording is good enough to show up some real differences, too bad I don't like the sound overall. Assume they used Qobuz/Tidal and the analogue out of the DAC? 

Yes, the recordings give an impression for playback at home. With the local (your/our) system and room in the chain it’s certainly not ideal, but better then no sonic impression at all. Luckily the panel is there to share their thoughts.

 

As I understand the analogue output is used for all speakers (as the ATC don’t have a digital input). In wonder if there would be differences when a digital signal would have been used for the D&D’s and Grimms. 

 

 

 

 

[FredM]

40 minutes ago, Alpha Audio said:

 

Thanks for posting it. In the description I added an index to make it more easy to find the relevant parts. 

Many thanks for setting up the session and sharing your recordings and your actual listening experience in the room! I can image it did ask for quite some preparation, using the recording studio and collaboration with two professionals. Much appreciated 👍

[FredM]

Here you go, the summary of the event:
 

https://alpha-audio.net/review/triple-test-high-end-studio-monitoren-met-samples-en-video/?fbclid=IwAR0_d1pBDM2sALFxYV5zotS62pUde72LKM_dFwWd6-ZhCvfiHc7vuS6gqu4

I can fully echo the experience with the D&D and Grimms, I listened both side by side at a dealer. Both excellent speakers without a doubt. I went all-in for the LS1be’s 👍, the flow and connection with the music is just stunning. Nice to see the goosebumps and emotion the panel also experienced during the session.

[FredM]

Ah, I meant how the three speaker would compare with each other when the D&D and Grimms are connected using the digital input. (AA explained they wanted to compare apples with apples)