As a musician and arm-chair producer, I don't think there is a lot of classic Rock music that is produced 'audiophile quality.' I'm always searching. Even searching through my own LP collection as my HiFi system has improved through the years. I got my JBL 590s almost 2 years ago and am nowhere near hearing every LP and CD I own through them.
Tips on making Rock music Sound better?
- Thread starter ClayTune
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- noise rock music vinyl
while others may cite gear changes I would hold off on that for now and focus on getting your rock LPs as clean as you can; I mean really clean deep in the grooves. Rock and pop out sold jazz and classical titles by a large margin, so pressing plants had to crank out volumes of them and do it cheaply. So fast cycle times and plenty calcium carbonate in the PVC resin (used as a processing aid) were the story of the day. Not visible to the naked eye are tons of carbonate particles sitting in the bottom of the groove, and along the groove walls. Get 95% of that removed and your rock vinyl will sound much better.
alteclipsch
Super Member
I'd start with the speakers. The KLH 7101 appears to be a model produced LONG after KLH was KLH in name only. Very little info on them, but their appearance suggests late 80s or early 90s.
The models Five, Six, Twelve, Seventeen, and Twenty Three are some of the ones that made the company what it was back in the 60s and 70s, and they still hold up well after some cheap maintenance. They were made for high fidelity rock. Just my opinion.
The models Five, Six, Twelve, Seventeen, and Twenty Three are some of the ones that made the company what it was back in the 60s and 70s, and they still hold up well after some cheap maintenance. They were made for high fidelity rock. Just my opinion.
I did listen to Synchronicity last night and for sure it's a winner.
You are correct sir, the Police rock hard.
I think Sting might have something to do with why the Police releases were well done. Every group has their particulars and some focus on different areas of concern. Some might work at the talent within the band, while others might focus on the instruments used, and the amps, per say, others might work more in production of the recording and pressings, some might be fanatical in all aspects.
hbucker
Well-Known Member
Speakers voiced for Rock will sound much different than speakers voiced well for Jazz or Classical. The right speaker can greatly help your problem. And I'm one who doesn't think you really need a subwoofer, unless you want one.
An 8-10 band EQ, properly adjusted can help you dial in a sound that will be surprisingly good with your existing speakers.
I'm a Rock guy, so this is not bagging on the genre... But I've found that it's relatively rare for a Rock LP to have an "audiophile" quality sound. So much mixing and compression with these. And then considering the target market these albums were produced for - it was a less discerning group of people. High demand. Just get the product into their hands.
With all this, you can still get very nice sound out of your Rock LPs most of the time. But listen to them with Rock ears and not Jazz ears.
Good luck!
An 8-10 band EQ, properly adjusted can help you dial in a sound that will be surprisingly good with your existing speakers.
I'm a Rock guy, so this is not bagging on the genre... But I've found that it's relatively rare for a Rock LP to have an "audiophile" quality sound. So much mixing and compression with these. And then considering the target market these albums were produced for - it was a less discerning group of people. High demand. Just get the product into their hands.
With all this, you can still get very nice sound out of your Rock LPs most of the time. But listen to them with Rock ears and not Jazz ears.
Good luck!
Klipschorns.
A7s...
Woofers! Not subwoofers. Get a powered sub that's adjustable. The kind that your speakers run through the sub, there is a capacitor in there to block the low bass. You want a sub that's really a woofer, subwoofers are for movies. Some old console stereos had one big woofer and smaller mids and tweets. This is not a new idea. OR get some 3 way speakers with a real midrange. Most under $300 3 ways are really 2 tweeters and a woofer with no real crossover. There is a lot of bass in rock which muddies the midrange. The smaller the speaker the more the cone has to move to reproduce bass notes.
Final_Baton
Well-Known Member
my theory :
if on your vinyl rig those other styles sound fine to you but you find rock is lacking,
it means you have recessed mids on your vinyl rig
particularly around 4kHz (which is where the bite of the guitar resides) but maybe around 1kHz too (which is where the crack of the snare resides).
you could try engaging an EQ and boost 4kHz when you listen to vinyl records,
or try to swap out an element of the vinyl rig chain to try and attain a more evenly balanced sound output.
if on your vinyl rig those other styles sound fine to you but you find rock is lacking,
it means you have recessed mids on your vinyl rig
particularly around 4kHz (which is where the bite of the guitar resides) but maybe around 1kHz too (which is where the crack of the snare resides).
you could try engaging an EQ and boost 4kHz when you listen to vinyl records,
or try to swap out an element of the vinyl rig chain to try and attain a more evenly balanced sound output.
isotopesope
Active Member
I think trying the stock rubber mat would be a worthwhile and free experiment. If it’s a step in the right direction, I’d also suggest trying a Herbie’s mat.
I listen to a very wide variety of genres, including jazz and classical, but I mainly listen to metal and rock. My Herbie’s mat sounds superior to any stock mat, or the cork or felt mats I have tried. though I have never tried acrylic. It sounds so dynamic, clear, and smooth to my ears. Never harsh and never dull.
if you’re considering different speakers, Klipsch are great for rock music, imo. But I’m also a Klipsch fanboi.
I listen to a very wide variety of genres, including jazz and classical, but I mainly listen to metal and rock. My Herbie’s mat sounds superior to any stock mat, or the cork or felt mats I have tried. though I have never tried acrylic. It sounds so dynamic, clear, and smooth to my ears. Never harsh and never dull.
if you’re considering different speakers, Klipsch are great for rock music, imo. But I’m also a Klipsch fanboi.
I have an SL-Q2 with a Nagaoka MP110, fed to a Pas3x pre and out to ST-35 amplifier. Speakers are DIY Fusions (love these speakers). IMO, the week spot is the Nagaoka. To bright for my likes. Same setup with Shure M95ED trounces the Nagaoka. Also run a Thorens TD-320 through same pre and amp, same speakers, but with Grado Gold3,,,bliss to my old ears. FWIW, Lonnie Mack "Strike Like Lightning" is one of my go to albums to really see what a cart can do. I would get rid of the Nagaoka, but dammit, I'm a hoarder.
Odd, how the original post person has never responded. 
I have noticed that’s fairly normal.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
There are plenty of posters who would disagree with you. Also, numerous manufacturers, including some that sell assaults on the state of the art would disagree with you.
First of all, IME (50+ w/Audio) there are few speakers that don't/won't benefit from using a properly dialed in sub woofer. (2 or more is better). Low frequency sounds can be in music and movies. Those of us who measure things, such as in room response know that having flat response to 20Hz is equally efficacious for music and movies.
Actually, many of the auto Eq utilities that are on modern AVR's attempt to set flat response at a specific SPL (frequently 85Hz). Flat response at a given frequency doesn't change for music any more than it does for movies.
There shouldn't be different settings room Eq wise for music or movies. Flat(er) in room response is flat. The type of source doesn't change that.
Punk_oldie
Active Member
Even when it comes to rock it's still not a simple assumption that it needs to be loud and with an emphasis on bass. When I was younger my system was entirely focused on loudness and bass (four speakers, big old Pioneer amp), and when you turned it up you genuinely could hear it from over a mile away across the valley (I know because I sent my brother off on a walk whilst I cranked up the Ramones, he said he turned round and came back not because he couldn't hear it anymore but because he couldn't be bothered walking any further.....)
Anyhow, that system was what you might call visceral, when it was turned up you could feel the beat and the bass in your stomach, but my god it wasn't very subtle. So fast forward 35 years and I still listen to rock, but my system now is a million miles from that, with the emphasis on clarity and faithful reproduction (and yes my amp doesn't have any tone controls). But I'd say I enjoy rock music at least as much now as then, because I really appreciate being able to hear just how brilliantly played and / or well produced it can be. In other words, there's more than one way to listen to and appreciate rock as much as for any other type of music.
Anyhow, that system was what you might call visceral, when it was turned up you could feel the beat and the bass in your stomach, but my god it wasn't very subtle. So fast forward 35 years and I still listen to rock, but my system now is a million miles from that, with the emphasis on clarity and faithful reproduction (and yes my amp doesn't have any tone controls). But I'd say I enjoy rock music at least as much now as then, because I really appreciate being able to hear just how brilliantly played and / or well produced it can be. In other words, there's more than one way to listen to and appreciate rock as much as for any other type of music.