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Hihat Question

Thanks in advance for your opinion-

My system is:

Anthem Integrated 225

Musical Fidelity Cd as Transport

Schiit Modi Multibit

Technics Sl 1200 mk2

Usher Cp6311

Morrow Cables

I like the system overall, plenty of bass, voices sound realistic, highs are not strident, etc.

As a drummer, I love to hear hihats, cymbals, etc. On some systems in the past I’ve heard more of this than through my setup. Most of these setups have been in the past on equipment I perceive is a lower grade than mine.

My question is: 

Should I be hearing most every hihat strike, close? Is hearing these sounds consistently the sound of a revealing system or a ‘tipped up’ presentation that I would likely tire of?

Live music varies to me in this respect, and the music on my my system varies as well. Unfortunately, I’m not able to demo where I live, so I’m interested in your opinion. Fwiw- I hear all a lot more treble in my automobile, but could be due to the euphoric goal of the manufacturer. I’m in my late 50’s, so that may play a part-

On many jazz albums, it’s all there, others not so much.

Sorry for the one post.

Thanks
uncledemp
uncledemp OP
778 posts
 
Good joke! I’d be very skinny if I had to drum for a living!
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
357 posts
 

See also:

What's the difference between a drummer and a pizza?
A pizza will feed a family of four.

How do you make a drummer's car more aerodynamic?
Take the pizza sign off the roof.

What has 3 legs and an asshole?
A drum stool.

Sorry to go OT. @viridian started it!!!

wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I rarely use my Schiit Loki but it's there when I need it, and one thing it does amazingly well is provide a "cymbal" boost with its 8khz pot. On some fave LPs from the 70s there can be some reticence in the high end and the Loki instantly fixes that issue. One beef I've had for years, especially with some fave jazz trios, is the drums are mixed at too low a level (I mix live shows, and for many jazzers it's somehow accepted to not mic live drums at all in cases where everything else is miked, even though recordings by that same group may have hotter drums), and the ridiculous drum mixing choices of recording producers and engineers who think it's "cute" or something to stick some parts of the kit to the far left or right for some sort of stereo feel...resulting in what appears to be a 37 foot wide kit played by a very long armed drummer, or "hey...let's get a guy at the far wall to play that cymbal." Sticking the drum kit in a proper spot in the soundstage always sounds better than otherwise...John Atkinson (I think) made some comment about how he puts a cymbal or some other part of the kit way outside the drum soundstage image because he can, but he shouldn't. Ever.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,911 posts
 
not hucking a broken stick, but I saw some interesting settings on the mid and tweeter level controls in the Vandersteen for sales of late.....
IF they sound right in the near field, then IT is the room, not front end components.
BTW, rush is unlistenable on my TREO CT here in the condo, the carbon tweeter is quite revealing....but I normally take exception to most Rush mixes..there are some where they discover the bass amp has a volume control...but not many...ha. Before ya whack me with the kick drum, I have like 12 Rush albums...perhaps you can recommend a reference analog there ?

sometimes stuff only sounds right on whatever monitor was sued in the mastering process, chasing that will lead to endless frustration..
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,911 posts
 
and I can assure you, certain high end ultra purity speaker and amp designers I talk to are VERY aware of this issue...rumor has it the Vandersteen preamp will have..wait for it.....tone controls...., defeatable and inaudible when not needed, useful as others have pointed out, when we are fixing stuff, in the mix, shall we say...
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