Tracy Chapman - New Beginning (a pleasant rediscovery)

Uilleann

Having had this CD in the collection since it's release back in '95, its always been a good listen to my ear, but it has been probably 5 since I gave it a proper start to finish, and maybe 10 since I really payed attention to what was going on in each track.

Fast forward to this past weekend. Mix in a funny need to replace my current 2.1 computer speakers (an old set of Creative T3100's) as they were ok for DVDs, but left me wanting more with my music. After a rather dangerous trip to the local audio store - (Was hoping to spend no more than $3-400...and ended up a hair over $1000!) - I was the proud owner of a new pair of Martin Logan Motion 15's and a Polk Omni A1 Play-Fi amp to drive them. As new speakers need their proper time to play in, it was time for me to dig deep in the old music catalog.

Almost from the first note, I was immediately reminded of how nice the New Beginning recording was. But there was more here that I'd never remembered hearing before...a lot more. Most of the tracks feel simple enough on the surface, but there are levels of detail and 'color' to the sound that I honestly don't ever recall hearing previously.

The opening track 'Heaven's Here on Earth' begins with a perfectly mellow acoustic guitar, understated bass, and simple percussion. What a sense of depth even with just the three instruments. As Tracy's voice layers in, it's solid, front and central, but never at he expense of the staging of the other instruments. When Eric Rigler adds his uilleann pipe chanter at about 1:42 into the track, it made the short hair on my neck stand. Hearing this track on these amazing speakers, It feels like rediscovering an old friend who you'd forgotten just how beautiful she was in so many subtle ways.

Track 3 'Smoke and Ashes' brings back the dulcet bass lines, and pairs them against a piano with a more complete sound from the kit in back. The same magic chemistry happens here as with the first track. But here it's enhanced even further with backing vocals and organ. I find it difficult to listen without just closing my eyes, and smiling. Not being anything but the most crude of budding 'audiophiles', it's difficult to express the sense of what I'm hearing - but I know it's more involving than it ever has been with these speakers and amplifier.

Track 4 'Cold Feet' is much more lyrically/vocally driven. It really highlights Tracy's voice out in front of the rest of the instruments. Though it adds a pedal steel, and much more of Eric's uilleann pipes in the back. On the surface, this track strikes me as deceptively simple. But it has a number of things happening as it goes along. Giving attention to the lyrics alone here is compelling, but the track offers several deeper levels of interest.

Track 8 'Tell it Like it Is' breaks out of the more mellow tone of most of the earlier tracks and adds a rock/funk feel with an exceptional interplay between bass and drums that dances all over the midbass range of the speakers. The drums are clean and tight across the range, and the bass lines buttery smooth. A blusey guitar enters the mix just before 3 minutes in, with a very vocal tonality, playing off of Chapman's smokier tone. It's also the track that invariably gets my wife up and dancing.

Track 9 'Give Me One Reason" is likely the only track most listeners might otherwise be familiar with on the recording. This one doesn't require much description for any listener with a radio in the mid to late 90's. What grabbed me about this track wasn't it's blues driven groove, but the drum kit in particular. I had the speakers and amp working a bit harder than usual as I was getting close to the end of the recommended 72 hour play in period for the new speakers. As the drums enter the track at about a minute in - I was left with the sense that I was standing just a few feet in front of Tracy, and the realism of the kit's sound behind her was just striking in it's clarity, space and realism. Turned back down to modest listening levels, some of that power and presence is muted. But give the amp a little bump and the magic is right there.

Track 11 'I'm Ready' closes the CD. Another slower, vocally driven track, with a subtly complex, but perfectly blended mix. Imaging is again excellent, with musicians each given a discrete part of the stage to occupy both in width and depth. While I know the components of any audio system can add (or all too often detract) from the intended playback the artist and engineer had in mind, I am very happily surprised at the quality of the new speakers and amplifier. The folded ribbon tweeter in particular is a little slice of aural heaven to my ears.

As we know the saying goes: garbage in, garbage out. And the quality of a given recording can illustrate that with an immediacy like few other media. For my personal tastes, I feel that this recording is one of the absolute best I've ever heard. Uncluttered, exceedingly well balanced, and full of articulation and nuance. Full marks to the very high quality of the recording, engineering and mastering of this album. I don't know if this would sound much or indeed any better at 24/96 - but it is one of the good ones, even at 16/44.

I'm very glad to have found it again. If you have it in your collection, and haven't given it a critical listen in the past few years - perhaps it's worth finding again for yourself?

Uilleann

I thought about the 35's as well. Either way, Tracy would approve I have to think! For a small to medium sized room, these little 15's have completely surprised me. I'm even to clearly pick out the 42 Hz tones from The Crystal Method's 'High Roller'. They don't rattle the room, but they're absolutely there - and even surprisingly well balanced given that these are 5 1/4 drivers with a cabinet tuning up closer to 60 I believe.

I don't ted to listen loud, but these can get up there if you push them. I think they do very well in the 60-80 dB range, and can easily jump higher with large transients (the drums in 'Give Me One Reason' are a great example!). I would think the 35's would perform even better than these if you're looking to fill a larger room or want/need a touch more volume. I strongly suggest a live audition of both side by side if at all possible.

For me, I knew these would be with me for at least a decade or two. So I decided it would be worth a little pain now on the cost, for a lot of long term reward. I think I made the right choice for me. Very much liking the Omni A1 amp as well...but have been interested in looking into a small stereo tube...but that may ned to wait another year or so.

Cheers

Brian~

muncybob

OK, I know what I'll be spinning tonight as it has also been a few moons since my last listen.

Uilleann

There's just something about this particular album for me. While I like a lot of her other work, New Beginning really stands out. It's difficult for me to clearly explain why. I find it extremely enjoyable at moderate to medium listening levels (my days of overdone hair metal bands from the 80's are long gone!) where the immediacy and punch of the mix is readily sensed, but without being harsh or wearisome to listen to over and over.

I wonder, for those familiar with this recording, would you happen to have any other suggestions that sound similar in terms of great engineering and mastering (excellent musicianship goes without saying of course, with as enjoyable a sound stage and space as this? My collection is somewhat thin in this genre...well, it's small overall with probably only a couple hundred CDs alltogether. Time to expand!

WLDock

I love this disc as well as the debut disc. Amazing recordings! I always had these as go to reference discs when I tune stereos (car audio days). "Fast Car" and ""Behind the Wall" I've listen to millions of times on all types of car and home systems.

As far as the ML's. GOD would I love to play around with a set of the 60XT's.

Uilleann

WLDock, if you have a chance to listen to the Motion bookshelf series - they're incredible! There is a special kind of magic all wrapped up in the folded ribbon tweeter they use. Even listening to them right next to the large ES floor standing models from ML, I actually found I liked the little speakers more - even though everything (including the salesman said I shouldn't!) I'm hearing shades of Tracy's music here that I honestly don't think I ever have before. They are insanely good. The little Polk Omni A1 amp is surprisingly sharp as well. It sounds best currently over wi-fi, but I think my onboard soundcard isn't up to snuff. Looking at a new Asus Xonar Essence card at some point. But that's down the road a bit.

Cheers!

WLDock

Now that I'm looking for new speakers for the HT I'm thinking about the ML's...checking them out again at BB Magnolia. However, I've been wanting to listen to the Chane Arx speakers with the planer tweeter and SplitGap XBL2 woofer. Some have even said they sound similar to the ML's...the HTShack $1K eval.

Uilleann

Reading over the review thread there at HTS. Very cool stuff - and they're far more adept at describing the sense of musicality and space I heard with these speakers on Tracy's recording. I've not heard of the Chane line before, but if their sound is anything close to the little ML's, they certainly deserve a good listen. I couldn't find much out about their "flat panel tweeter" design in the interwebs, but on the surface it appears to share a somewhat similar pedigree to Martin Logan's folded ribbon. That really is where the magic happens.

Another track that feels right at home with the New Beginnings album I found (again) as I was poking around various audio forums: Jennifer Warne - Way Down Deep. It's got that same simple, but spacious tone. Sounds absolutely stunning - a good track to audition vocals, staging and of course that great drum digs 'way down deep' to give the midbass a solid work out!

WLDock

Yes, I have Jennifer Warnes tracks in my collection. " Famous Blue Raincoat", 'Bird On A Wire", "Joan of Arc", etc. I remember her name would come up often in equipment reviews back in the 90's. So, I picked up some of her stuff to see what all the fuss was about. Great recordings!