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How to Achieve High Fidelity Sound
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Comments – Audio Quality
- Richard S. Burwen on Hi! I
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I just want to thank you for making this wonderful thing. I hope the email that I sent you gets through. I’ll try to paste it here.
Mr. Burwen:
I was unable to successfully mail this response I filled out on your information form on the website. I will send it this way and try again to submit it digitally. I may call you. You are welcome to call me. Thank you.
Jeffrey
805-975-7721
I have a high-end audio system, which I will describe, and I have very recently gotten involved in high-quality headphone listening, as well (AKG K701). My original intent in trying headphone listening was to save money. I am in my early 60s and semi-retired, and I wanted to move away from the expensive hi-fi involvement. I am loving headphones, but this has had a positive effect contrary to my original goals” It has reinvigorated my use and enjoyment of my main system. My most favorite music is what most people call “Classical”–Baroque, Romantic, symphonic, chamber orchestra, ballets, and so forth. I also like modern female vocalists like Diana Krall and Nora Jones. I have always loved good old Rock and Roll, from ’50s through ’60s and some ’70s, but I have kind of fallen out of touch with modern musical trends over the years.
Music system: Quad ESL 989 electrostatic main speakers paired with a stereo pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers. I have two pairs of mono amps which I alternate depending on whim: Balanced Audio Technology (BAT) VK-60 mono tube amps using the 6C33C-B power triode output tube; and Pass Labs Aleph 60 mono amps, single-ended, pure Class A solid state. My sources are a Muse Model 10 balanced CD player and a VPI HW-19 MK. III analog turntable. I also occasionally use a Yamaha P3 Linear Tracking turntable. (You can see that some of my equipment has been around for awhile.) As you have commented here, I often prefer tubes due to the mellowing or softening effect on upper midrange and treble sounds.
Now, the main thing is, I have looked for something like the Burwen Bobcat my whole audio life. I punctured my left ear drum as a young man, and I have rarely been able to listen to music over 80dB for any length of time since. It gets painful. There are certain frequencies, the upper midrange and lower treble, I believe, that go through my left ear like a 10-penny nail. If I could make small adjustments in sound, or just use your “smoother” program, I might be able to have a much fuller and more dynamic experience with music. Can you help me?
I am a committed Mac user and about to buy a new one. But the newer Macs have the capacity to run Windows. Could your program be run on a Mac that way?
It sounds like you are doing wonderful things for the world of music. Thank you.
Jeffrey Teuber
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Hi Jeffrey,
Nice to hear from you. I received both messages.
Yes, you can use BURWEN BOBCAT products on a new Mac with Windows. I see your list of equipment does not include equalization which I consider very important to getting rid of screech which probably bothers your ear.
Here is my suggestion. Rip your CDs to WMA lossless via the Windows Media Player. I imagine a new Mac has a 24-bit sound card, but you should check. That eliminates the need for an external DAC. Install the BURWEN BOBCAT TONE BALANCER software. It requires the Excel component of Microsoft Office for Windows. You can listen to your LP signal source through the Windows Media Player via the free Line Input program at http://www.chronotron.com/content.php?page=products2 . A CD in WMA lossless format occupies around 330 MB. If you need more storage, buy an external USB drive.
The Bobcat software is made for listening. There are some cheap recording utilities available that allow you to record digital files from internet sources like Instant Replay or whatever goes to your sound card so you can turn your LPs into digital files. Use the computer as your music source for both headphones and speakers.
You may be able to pay for the new software by placing some of your existing equipment including your CD player on Ebay.