The recordings and mixing are all different and thus will always deliver a different presentation. This can even be heard on the same record. Keep in mind that a small trio is relatively easy to mix vs. a full orchestra with so many more things making sound in a relatively small space. Also, the soundstage for a full orchestra is much larger than your listening space which must "shrink" the stage to fit in your room. Looking forward to hear what others have to say. Cheers
Placing Instrument Separation of Large Ensembles in Recordings
I have noticed that my stereo presents solo piano recordings with more realism and impact than any others. And that’s great but I can’t just listen to piano all of the time. I will say that I have mostly zero objections to other chamber music ensemble recordings, regardless of their instrumentation. But when it comes to orchestral recordings, it seems to be all over the place. Some recordings sound like the orchestra has been divided into blocks and fitted together. So that might entail a block consisting of double basses, tympani and bassoons fitted with a block consisting of cellos, French horns and percussion, etc… In this scenario, it’s hard to differentiate instrument separation within those blocks. Some recordings sound like sections of the orchestra are divided from the center and then segmented outwards. Other recordings sound as though microphone placement is done according to their respective sections, first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, double basses, etc… And to me, this makes the most sense however it’s still sometimes difficult to make out what’s what. So is it my equipment, or is it the quality of the microphones and their placement? I will say that I find some orchestral recordings to be very good in this regard, i.e. mostly 128 cycle DSD downloads. While others make me think of sitting on the DC Beltway during rush hour. (No I don’t live in the District of Columbia). To a large degree, my thought is that this is normal and that different recording techniques will render different results. It’s simple to realize that newer recordings will have a technical advantage over older recordings. Though I have heard early stereo recordings (i.e. RCA Living Stereo) that were remastered and they sounded remarkable. Anyway, I’d appreciate input from others on this matter. Thanks!
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@onhwy61 What you’re saying makes the most sense. I’m just surprised that there is such a difference between how ensembles are mic’d and that recording engineers don’t recognize the lack of separation themselves. |
Achieving instrument separation in recordings of large symphony orchestral performances requires a combination of thoughtful microphone placement and effective mixing techniques. This process will involve understanding how different instruments interact within the frequency spectrum and using EQ to carve out space for each instrument. For example, one can boost certain frequencies while cutting others to minimize overlap and enhance clarity. Also, adding delay or reverb to create sense of space and enhance spatial separation like the other gentleman said, etc... Now it comes down to your system. While your system may not create additional spatial information, it should be capable of preserving and reproducing it satisfactorily in your room. By carefully selecting high-quality recordings with properly captured spatial information, you can play them back on your system and cross-check against video footage (if available) to assess if your system is able to meet the following (but not limited to) aspects:
Keep in mind that spatial separation may be less pronounced in orchestral performances, as many instruments are often playing simultaneously. A great example is the 2024 Grammy Award-winning album Contemporary American Composers, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Riccardo Muti, with renowned recording engineer David Frost. Listening to tracks 3 and 4, and cross-referencing with available video or images, can serve as an excellent benchmark to evaluate your system’s performance.
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You're not supposed to hear individual instruments in orchestral pieces unless they have a solo part. You want to hear the first violins as a group, not individual violins. I believe that what most composers, conductors and engineers are aiming to achieve. Chamber pieces are a different situation. I hope I haven't misunderstood your point. |
I listen exclusively to classical and I am familiar with your streamer. I don’t know the amp and the Orchestral Music is difficult to reproduce. My own system improved when I added DSP and added a sub. The DSP help correct for room modes and the way that you describe the blackness of orchestra reproduction in your system this may be an issue. And Quads are notoriously bass shy speakers so a musical sub will probably help a lot |
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