Here's a follow-up for all you folks DYING to know what the deal is with this recording.
So I did some research. Deep web stuff. There's an article on MandolineCafe that has since been edited to not contain the following paragraph, but I pulled a cached version and found this:
"The two sang harmonies into a single vintage RCA 77 ribbon microphone, facing each other, watching for visual cues, and sonically bleeding all over each other's tracks. With no isolation there is no opportunity for overdubbing single parts, or even changing the balance between voices. But "there's a convergence tonally that I think goes hand in hand with us singing in to one microphone", according to Daves. They found a sound that sort of "all mashes together."
This described what I heard very accurately. Everything sort of mashes together. The soundstage doesn't exist...because it's recorded in mono! That makes the listener a single microphone with sounds getting nearer and further, but without a second source it only translates into louder or quieter, without any spatial sense.
I'll chalk this one up to the revealing nature of my Thiel speakers. I should make very clear though, the musicianship on this album is unrivaled. They are INCREDIBLE at what they do. But for recording quality...move on to Nickel Creek or Punch Brothers to hear Chris Thile's true ability.
So I did some research. Deep web stuff. There's an article on MandolineCafe that has since been edited to not contain the following paragraph, but I pulled a cached version and found this:
"The two sang harmonies into a single vintage RCA 77 ribbon microphone, facing each other, watching for visual cues, and sonically bleeding all over each other's tracks. With no isolation there is no opportunity for overdubbing single parts, or even changing the balance between voices. But "there's a convergence tonally that I think goes hand in hand with us singing in to one microphone", according to Daves. They found a sound that sort of "all mashes together."
This described what I heard very accurately. Everything sort of mashes together. The soundstage doesn't exist...because it's recorded in mono! That makes the listener a single microphone with sounds getting nearer and further, but without a second source it only translates into louder or quieter, without any spatial sense.
I'll chalk this one up to the revealing nature of my Thiel speakers. I should make very clear though, the musicianship on this album is unrivaled. They are INCREDIBLE at what they do. But for recording quality...move on to Nickel Creek or Punch Brothers to hear Chris Thile's true ability.