RARITY
This is a very rare CD. only 1,000 were ever produced.
INFAMOUS BECAUSE ...
At a UK hi-fi exhibition some years ago, these were given away free to any visitor [who after hearing it in action in a Harbeth / LFD / Pink T system], wanted it with the suggestion they ask other exhibitors to play just one short track – track #12 on their system.
Visitors told us that most [but not all] exhibitors after this request, and the outcome, point blank refused to do so.
WHAT'S IT FOR?
The CD contains a number of live bass tracks designed to help set up both active and passive subwoofers. Why the vast majority of other sub-woofer set-up discs are essentially useless:
The problem with all other set up CDs is that they have a series of test tone tracks rather than music.
That’s not very clever when you stop to realise that you don’t sit and listen to test tones. You listen to music.
Listening to a series of test tones, one after another, each in isolation is like tasting each of the ingredients of a curry, a cake or a cocktail in isolation – rather than a combination Utterly useless. How could trying each ingredient in a cake – in isolation – intelligently indicate what that cake will taste like when all the ingredients are mixed together? And of course, they can't. That’s why this CD uses music.
UTILITY
What makes these tracks extraordinary is that they were cut absolutely live, direct into the digital recording device. There was no amplification involved!
A selection of fretted and fretless electric and electro-acoustic bass guitars were used. 4, 5 and 6 string versions using finger plucking and a variety of plectrums.
NATURALLY RECORDED - NO COMPRESSION / NO EQ
These tracks are utterly uncompressed. The dynamics are breathtaking. There’s be no post recoding messing about.
- The clarity is maximum.
- The dynamic range is maximum.
- The articulation is peerless.
You can, on a good system, not only feel the thunder from the fingers on the strings and the ‘attack’ of the plectrum against the strings, but the tiniest nuances of the fingers just momentarily touching the wooden bass bodies, the gentle rustle of the fingers adjusting tone controls, human skin brushing against wooden and graphite freeboards. It’s extraordinary.
TUNINGS
During the recording sessions, various tunings were used on the 4, 5 and 6 string basses.
These included, on the six-string: B-E-A-D-G-C
On the 4-string, my notes indicate C-G-D-A
On the 5-string, my notes indicate B-E-A-D-G
A FEW WORDS OF CAUTION
Some of these solo bass tracks not only includes an open bass E string @ 41.20 Hz but I believe an E-1 (normal lower limit of hearing is 20 Hz) @ 20.6 Hz as well as an open A string (55.0 Hz) and open D string (73.5 Hz) and an open G string (no, not that type of g-string) @ 98.00 Hz.
In addition there are complex chords, triads and harmonics that ring out clearly.
All of this means that you should start the CD at a low sound pressure level (low setting on the volume control) and GRADUALLY bring up the volume. As soon as you hear distress in you system either with the bass drivers and or your sub-woofer, immediately reduce the volume.
Neither I or the maker will be help responsible for any consequences of incautious use of this CD.
£25 on a 14 day sale or return basis subject to sensible terms and conditions
Thank you
