Sibilance Poll.....

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pjdami
pjdami Posts: 1,894
edited March 2005 in Troubleshooting
Just wanted to get a feel out there of how you like to listen to music. Lots of different gear out there, wire, tubes, etc. All of which can dramatically alter the sound IMHO.

Sibilance is the ssssssss that one can hear at the end of vocals especially with the female recordings.

So how do you like it?
Paul

edit: let me clarify the choices a little better.

All options should be considered with the tone controls (if any) flat.

Option 1) You like it very warm and laid back; you NEVER hear sibilance regardless of the recording but do realize that you are comprimising some treble w/ the cymbal crashes and hihats.

Option 2) Some brightly recorded cds may have an occasional sibilance to them (like if the singer's mouth is close to the mic); cymbals sound and decay like a live set. Overall, the sibilance is minimal almost nonexistant but overall balance is retained with the treble.

Option 3) You like it bright .. period. Very detailed and you don't mind the sibilance.
Post edited by pjdami on
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Comments

  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited March 2005
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    Don't like it, don't have it. Don't have tone controls to roll it off if it reared it's ugly head either.

    I'd be willing to bet most here don't even notice it, until it is pointed out.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited March 2005
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    Horwible...just Horwible
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
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    Paul,

    I have no issue with sibilance, not that I am paying attention to it in most cases. For me, recording quality, which will determine how many times will I ever play that album again. Thank god that I alter my buying habits to that anal quality of my ears...

    I digress, please carry on.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,522
    edited March 2005
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    No sibilance in my system. I couldn't tolerate that for a hot second.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited March 2005
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    The problem is with singers that lisp. ;)
    Never Forget
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,851
    edited March 2005
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    NO sibilance and no rolled off highs here. I hate it, makes my ears hurt and I refuse to listen to anything with it.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,882
    edited March 2005
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    Never noticed it. I'll listen for it this weekend
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
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    Paul,

    because of you ;) , now I am paying attention more on the sibilance subject.

    Would you like to do a fun long-distance sibilance experiment? I think this would be a fun exercise, I'll be ok if you're not interested. I found a great recording, accoustic, female vocalist, bossanova:

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002S94NY/104-0531179-7903930?v=glance

    It has plenty of sibilance to rear its head in this recording. Then, what we can do is to compare notes where we think sibilances shows. Let me know your thoughts, thanks.

    btw, anyone else who is interested in this non-scientific exercise are welcome too.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited March 2005
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    Ah... Rosssssa Passsssosssss...

    It happens and it's annoying, but if it's omnipresent rather than in the occassional source material... there are system issues to address...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
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    Tour,

    Have you listen to her? I really like her album. Somehow, I am into this bossanova bandwagon with almost all female vocalist: Eden Atwood, Jacintha, Ana Caram, Astrud Gilberto, and Rosa Passos. So far, the best two recordings on this subject are Jacintha and Rosa. I thought Rosa has a better voice quality. This recording is great to showcase your speaker, in terms of clarity and details.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2005
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    Thanks for the responses guys and participating in the poll. The results are what I expected and in the general area which I feel I agree with... a little bit of sibilance is natural.

    I sort of feel that I can eliminate most of the sibilance (perhaps it is just lisping that remains) but just a teeny iddy biddy little bit of it still exists but it is not annoying to me. This occurs not on every word sung but perhaps every tenth word or so. I can hear it on Diana Krall, Cowboy Junkie's Margo, Patricia Barber, etc.

    I can totally eliminate it with a very warm lush sound especially with tube selection but then I feel like I've lost some air and space with the higher treble therefore dulling the overall sound too much.

    So as I read the replies, it appears that perhaps I should have made another category with NO sibiliance yet maintain all the treble? I don't think I've been able to accomplish this. I don't have world class gear, but some pretty nice stuff with several sources in the $1,000 retail category range. I think the key for me is finding a system that sounds balanced regardless of what cd I pick out; be it a brightly recorded cd or a warmer sounding recording.

    Might be a power conditioning thing for me and that PS Audio UPS200 is something on the short list to get.

    I know that this is a highly subjective topic and it has been debated to death over at the audiogon forums. They have even quantified it as "positive" and "negative" sibilance. Crazy hobby I know. What I may be calling sibilance someone else may not even notice. I guess that is why we have Polk gatherings so that everyone is in the same room listening to the same thing at the same time.

    Constant sibilance I find very annoying and unlistenable. An example of gear I had that did that was when I had a Yamaha receiver with the paradigm Studio 40s and a Toshiba DVD player as a source several years ago when I was building the house and couldn't afford anything nicer.

    PT, I'll have to check that cd out. Last one you turned me on, the Gabriella Anders (I think) was a nice find.

    Paul
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
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    I've been on Anders like a cheap suit. But her "Wanting" album still the best, compared to her most recent one "Last Tango in Rio".

    If you like her voice, then I think you will like Rosa too.

    I have her on the 400xi and 15. So, I think we can compare apple and apple.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2005
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    Originally posted by polkatese
    I've been on Anders like a cheap suit. But her "Wanting" album still the best, compared to her most recent one "Last Tango in Rio".

    If you like her voice, then I think you will like Rosa too.

    I have her on the 400xi and 15. So, I think we can compare apple and apple.

    Hey PT. Just wanted to let you know that I'm not ignoring you here. I've got her playing right now. Just swapped out tubes in the Jolida cdp again. The "Wanting" cd is a very good recording. I can hear what I'm talking about just about everytime she says anything with a "s". I guess it is just lisping but I'm not going to go nuts over about it. Sounds good.

    I'll report back later this week after I get these supposedly super cool NOS GE Blackplate 3 mica 5751s in here.
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  • Mjr7531
    Mjr7531 Posts: 856
    edited March 2005
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    I like a certain bit of silibance, I think it gives it a bit of crispness and definition overall to a decent recording.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,102
    edited March 2005
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    A little is ok, but when it *really* drags out...its when I cant even listen to the CD, or I listen to it on my compu system...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2005
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    Originally posted by pjdami
    Hey PT. Just wanted to let you know that I'm not ignoring you here. I've got her playing right now. Just swapped out tubes in the Jolida cdp again. The "Wanting" cd is a very good recording. I can hear what I'm talking about just about everytime she says anything with a "s". I guess it is just lisping but I'm not going to go nuts over about it. Sounds good.

    I'll report back later this week after I get these supposedly super cool NOS GE Blackplate 3 mica 5751s in here.

    no biggie, Paul! have fun with the new tubees!
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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