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How to reproduce sound of piano


I currently own a decent rig, Mac MA 2275, AP Sparks, Marantz 8001, Rega Apollo, Benchmark DAC w/ Squeezebox Duet. I love the way it sounds with jazz, voice, orchestral works and also it's decent with chamber music.

But I find when I'm listening to piano solo performances it doesn't quite sound nearly good as the live instrument. This is too bad because I mainly listen to classical piano works. I want to build a new system from scratch dedicated to listen to solo piano works as well as piano conertos.
I don't care for "warmth", "timbre", "soundstage" or other loaded audiophile terms. Just want absolutely accurate piano reproduction as possible.

What qualities should I look for? Analog vs digital source. Solid state vs tube amp? I find my tube amp unable to keep up with technical masters as Pollini or Horowitz. But will going to SS take away from the performces of more romantic pianists like Kempf and Zimerman? As for speakers, I never heard of a speaker capable of reproducing the deep bass of a 9ft+ concert Steinway grand. Are electrostatics way to go? My budget is around $25K USD. Thanks for any feedback.
plaser
detlof
1,899 posts
 
OOps, yes I must repent, being even much much slower than Newbee, I only now realized that Plaser had pictures of his room here! I've always had a mental picture of his "new room" in my head. Considering the room pictured here, I'd fully agree with what Mapman and others had to say and 30hz would indeed do.
So sorry folks, didn't want to be complicated.
Happy listening,
Detlof
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
"-how to make a grand piano sound real in a room that is not big enough for a grand piano."
I know what you're saying Shadorne, but my living room is not big enough for a symphony orchestra.....come to think of it....it's not big enough for the Beatles??!
But it doesn't stop us trying to suspend belief? Isn't that what we're all trying to achieve?
gregm
3,405 posts
 
Dave (Sogood) said
Detlof

I guess I just don't find subwoofers, that complicated an animal to tame.
Actually the complexity Detlof refers to may stem from his use of 2x the product we usually refer to as "sub-woofer" (one as woof, the other as subwoof) AND a super-tweet which enhances the lower register when done right.

Generalising, this set up seems the best so far as things stand (and as far as I can tell, which may not be very far): one "full range" speaker. This will be used to cover, as well as possible, the range between ¬100 - 10kHz give or take some.
THEN, you need to go down & to go up.
Especially if you want to reproduce piano which, in the unlikely event of a good recording, will play percussively from ¬17Hz up there with the dogs if not bats.

IMO Detlof's approach, i.e. to add both an upper tweet is most opportune. I've tried it myself, with outstanding results.
Thereafter the two separate units to deal with the 2-3 bass octaves is an excellent way of dealing with a difficult subject; it seems that Sogood is doing the same thing with his 4x external woof units.

Couldn't such a set up be replicated in a cheaper version?
acoustat6
357 posts
 
Hi Shadorne, Great article that I had not seen before. It helps explain a few thing I have thoughts about. And confirming others.

Bob
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
I have a slightly different perspective on how a piano should sound - from the keyboard. Yes, I play.

I've often found that someone who listens at concerts to a piano on a stage has a very different view of what that piano should sound like than someone who sits and listens in their home, or from someone who (like myself) sits behind the keyboard and plays.

There's so many different recordings of piano with such differing results. My personal favorites tend to be the ones that sound like I hear it when I play. I tend to like recordings by Herbie Hancock, Chic Corea and a few others for this very reason. Others may have different opinions, of course.

Good luck with your quest,
Bob
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