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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
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
I kind of wonder that day I walked into Keith Yates's main music room and heard someone playing a piano somewhere down a hall. It didn't matter where I moved around the huge room, the piano was down the hall. It might have been played mono.

Stereo piano stretches the piano keys across the speaker plane when recorded that way. It is common enough. The piano is right there in front of me, but I still would like to hear the piano down the hall just the same.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Re mono in the next room or down the hall, I agree, as I indicated on Page 1, BUT its not the same when you listen to mono in the same room from your sweet seat.

With a grand piano in an enclosed space even though the source of the direct sounds are obvious the resonances created by the room surfaces in a live performance will be absent in mono - you will have a small central image and no sense of the acoustic.

Thats why 'in the next room' works so well, IMHO, you get both the 'mono' sound and some room resonance sounds without having to sit in front of the speakers and be distracted by less than the sound of a performance from a prospective that you prefer.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,099 posts
 
Try staying in stereo but moving the speakers closer together than you might otherwise to better represent the actual width of the recorded piano.

Just another idea...
plaser OP
26 posts
 
Well I got a Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer today. I'm having bit difficulty seamlessly incorporating it. I can either turn MA2275 bass control (-12 db at 100hz) down and cross over at 100 hz or just try crossing over at lower frequency ~65 hz. Any suggestions? My first foray into subwoofers and bit over my head. Thanks for all the advices.

The dedicated listening room will be long process and won't happen in the near future so this will do for now.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Plaser,

Velodyne makes the SMS-1 sub controller (X-over, room analyzer w/ calibrated mic and PEq) that is tremendously effective for your needs. App $500-$600 on-line (AudioAdvisor.com and others).

Marty
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