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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
bander's avatar
bander
496 posts
 
I heard a pair of Audio Note speakers at a dealers'. I wasn't there to audition and it was very brief but I clearly remember how life-like the piano sounded.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Piano is very hard to record so it sounds natural, as Jax2 says. Close-miking gets half of it; miking back gets the other half; using both compromises imaging. If the engineer does get it right, it is, as others say, very hard to reproduce naturally.

My favourite piano system involved SET tube amplification and large horns (Loth-X Polaris). It was the only system I'd ever heard get attack and dynamics nearly right as well as timbre.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Well, if you are going to build a larger, and dedicated sound room, that changes things greatly.

I would build a room at least 16'-20' wide. IMO, anything less is a compromise.

I would also go with double wall construction...lots of bass trapping behind the outer walls.

I would also give the ceiling lots of thought, depending on what type you have to go with?

In a well constructed larger room, you have lots of component/speaker choices at your price level.

Large "fullrange" dipoles would be (my) first choice...(a fresh pair of Apogee fullrage maybe?)

A well designed horn system would be very, very nice (take a look at some of the "Classic Reproductions" systems.)

And of course the "active" ATC's mentioned by Shadorne would be a top choice.

The Beveridge speakers I mentioned above would work fine in the room you are in now (they will play plenty loud in that room)...but they would not be my pick, for large room reproduction.

Dave
newbee
4,757 posts
 
IMHO, apart from the issue of the ability of recording engineers to get it down in the first place, and getting an audio system that could make it sound real (i.e. as it would sound at a live performance) just how large would your room have to be? I think very few of us could afford a house with a room large enuf to accommodate a grand piano, let alone a Bosendorfer or Steinway Concert grand playing something orther than Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at anything like the appropriate volume.

Just imagine Beethoven's Hammerklavier, for example, being played as it was played by Giles, or Mussorgsky's Pictures by Richter, in a 20x30 room (or even larger for that matter). I don't think I could imagine it. :-)

I copped out some years ago even though I probably listen to more classical music for solo piano than anything else. I've learned to focus on the music/performance itself somehow and disconnect the 'audio' connect.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Good points Newbee.

I was at a friends home a while back...checking out his basement refinish job. I had my grand daughter with me, and she spotted his drum set at one end of the room.

She asked him to play them...so he did (he is very good!) That said...the first 15 seconds or so, were more than enough for me.

Dave
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