Sharing Top Notch, Reference Music Links.....

[tmazz]

I wish I could say I knew it offhand, but I googled Kristina and found out she plays the dorma for the Moscow Philharmonic, which also would explain the Cyrillic comments.

[steve]

Wonderful sounding instruments Nick. Nice and mellow, pure.

Here is a selection with incredible ambience and naturalness of voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvTwbxrylc

cheers

steve

[Nick B]

Wonderful sounding instruments Nick. Nice and mellow, pure.

Here is a selection with incredible ambience and naturalness of voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvTwbxrylc

cheers

steve

Steve,
What a beautiful voice she has! Had not heard of her. She'll turn 23 in June. Found her on Roon and will post the album in our usual Album Reviews section 

[steve]

Wonderful sounding instruments Nick. Nice and mellow, pure.

Here is a selection with incredible ambience and naturalness of voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvTwbxrylc

cheers

steve

Steve,
What a beautiful voice she has! Had not heard of her. She'll turn 23 in June. Found her on Roon and will post the album in our usual Album Reviews section 

Patricia Janeckova is some kind of singer. I posted links of her singing, #224 on page 15 when she was 17. Here she is at 13 years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOy6M_X2MO8

I think one of the aspects that makes her voice so special is that as her voice rises to the high frequencies, she never shrills. Her voice always has that wonderful character. That assessment first came from a reaction video to her singing a doll aria.

cheers

steve

[steve]

This selection is a little different than the others, with a different comparison that I thought was interesting.
Ever notice that some "covers" have a back round that differs in sonic quality from the singer?

A viola plays with a karaoke back round bass. Can you discern the difference in sound quality between
the bass and the viola? An interesting test.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXomvjeiNYs

cheers

steve

[steve]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

[Nick B]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

[steve]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

[Nick B]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

I don't subscribe to YT Premium. When I listen on Qobuz, Tidal and YT, it's on my iPad for fun. Serious listening of Qobuz and Tidal is via Roon on the big rig, as Marty used to say.
I thought Aida's voice a little bit shrill on my iPad compared to Maria's. No I didn't check how old the Maria Callas recording was, but likely very many years ago. The loudness levels appeared to be different as well and Maria's recording quite possibly rolled off at the top. Like you, I listen to very little opera and I've never attended an opera performance in person. A dear couple that I know are quite the opera aficionados and they told me some wonderful stories about attending performances in Italy.

[steve]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

I don't subscribe to YT Premium. When I listen on Qobuz, Tidal and YT, it's on my iPad for fun. Serious listening of Qobuz and Tidal is via Roon on the big rig, as Marty used to say.
I thought Aida's voice a little bit shrill on my iPad compared to Maria's. No I didn't check how old the Maria Callas recording was, but likely very many years ago. The loudness levels appeared to be different as well and Maria's recording quite possibly rolled off at the top. Like you, I listen to very little opera and I've never attended an opera performance in person. A dear couple that I know are quite the opera aficionados and they told me some wonderful stories about attending performances in Italy.

Interesting. I found just the opposite on my system. Probably a different personal preference and/or better description this post. I found Aida's highs to have just slightly more body, slightly more fullness, creating a smoothness so to speak than Maria's throughout. Maria's was known for a dryness, aridity according to some critics. I agree but again it may be personal preference and description.

cheers and all the best.

steve

[Nick B]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

I don't subscribe to YT Premium. When I listen on Qobuz, Tidal and YT, it's on my iPad for fun. Serious listening of Qobuz and Tidal is via Roon on the big rig, as Marty used to say.
I thought Aida's voice a little bit shrill on my iPad compared to Maria's. No I didn't check how old the Maria Callas recording was, but likely very many years ago. The loudness levels appeared to be different as well and Maria's recording quite possibly rolled off at the top. Like you, I listen to very little opera and I've never attended an opera performance in person. A dear couple that I know are quite the opera aficionados and they told me some wonderful stories about attending performances in Italy.

Interesting. I found just the opposite on my system. Probably a different personal preference and/or better description this post. I found Aida's highs to have just slightly more body, slightly more fullness, creating a smoothness so to speak than Maria's throughout. Maria's was known for a dryness, aridity according to some critics. I agree but again it may be personal preference and description.

cheers and all the best.

steve

Steve,
I just listened again and had the same result. Are you listening to these ladies on a portable device or somehow through your system? I am simply playing mine on my iPad
Nick

[steve]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

I don't subscribe to YT Premium. When I listen on Qobuz, Tidal and YT, it's on my iPad for fun. Serious listening of Qobuz and Tidal is via Roon on the big rig, as Marty used to say.
I thought Aida's voice a little bit shrill on my iPad compared to Maria's. No I didn't check how old the Maria Callas recording was, but likely very many years ago. The loudness levels appeared to be different as well and Maria's recording quite possibly rolled off at the top. Like you, I listen to very little opera and I've never attended an opera performance in person. A dear couple that I know are quite the opera aficionados and they told me some wonderful stories about attending performances in Italy.

Interesting. I found just the opposite on my system. Probably a different personal preference and/or better description this post. I found Aida's highs to have just slightly more body, slightly more fullness, creating a smoothness so to speak than Maria's throughout. Maria's was known for a dryness, aridity according to some critics. I agree but again it may be personal preference and description.

cheers and all the best.

steve

Steve,
I just listened again and had the same result. Are you listening to these ladies on a portable device or somehow through your system? I am simply playing mine on my iPad
Nick

Nick, you bring up a very interesting point that I think needs to be addressed, and also the point concerning a general balanced FR response discussed in the RCA Radiotron Designers Handbook.

The difference is that the iPad is not high fidelity and leaves out both the lower registers and highest registers. I played both selections thru my little computer speakers and Aida did sound slightly thinner than Maria on the high notes.

However, when I played both selections thru my reference stereo, Aida had more flesh and venue ambience (lower registers) while Maria's voice was thinner on the higher notes (higher registers) than Aida's. In otherwards, Maria's high notes contain more higher order harmonics than Aida's high notes, which the stereo reveals while the iPad does not. As mentioned earlier, that is why the critics believed that Maria's voice was somewhat dry and aridity, listening live.

Thanks for mentioning the iPad Nick. You bring up an interesting point with regards to frequency response in general, that the RCA Radiotron Designers Handbook, written by 26 RCA engineers, indirectly addresses. Below is the frequency response of the ear, via two graphs. If I may address the general public.

If one limits the lower frequencies of an audio system, as when the volume (spl) is low, then the midrange suchb as voices sound thin. One can either boost the bass (a control), or limit the highs (a control) to produce a more natural voice. In the case of the iPad, both the lows and very highs are reduced for a more balanced midrange, so Maria's higher harmonics of her high notes are limited to some extent. Thus Maria's high notes seemed less strident than Aida's voice which lacks the higher order harmonics.

Hope this answers some general questions.

steve

[Nick B]

Here is a selection that has a voice that seems to compare favorably to Maria's, but without a hint of stride imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNU1pvc2nv4

cheers

steve

Thanks, Steve. I found her on Qobuz

Is there much difference in the musical quality between Qobuz and YT premium?

Here is Maria singing the same selection. Although older recording, I think one can get a sense of Maria's vocal quality stunning. But I like Aida very very much. I am not an opera fan per se, but I find her voice so pleasing and soothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6IXWo_bpg

cheers

steeve

I don't subscribe to YT Premium. When I listen on Qobuz, Tidal and YT, it's on my iPad for fun. Serious listening of Qobuz and Tidal is via Roon on the big rig, as Marty used to say.
I thought Aida's voice a little bit shrill on my iPad compared to Maria's. No I didn't check how old the Maria Callas recording was, but likely very many years ago. The loudness levels appeared to be different as well and Maria's recording quite possibly rolled off at the top. Like you, I listen to very little opera and I've never attended an opera performance in person. A dear couple that I know are quite the opera aficionados and they told me some wonderful stories about attending performances in Italy.

Interesting. I found just the opposite on my system. Probably a different personal preference and/or better description this post. I found Aida's highs to have just slightly more body, slightly more fullness, creating a smoothness so to speak than Maria's throughout. Maria's was known for a dryness, aridity according to some critics. I agree but again it may be personal preference and description.

cheers and all the best.

steve

Steve,
I just listened again and had the same result. Are you listening to these ladies on a portable device or somehow through your system? I am simply playing mine on my iPad
Nick

Nick, you bring up a very interesting point that I think needs to be addressed, and also the point concerning a general balanced FR response discussed in the RCA Radiotron Designers Handbook.

The difference is that the iPad is not high fidelity and leaves out both the lower registers and highest registers. I played both selections thru my little computer speakers and Aida did sound slightly thinner than Maria on the high notes.

However, when I played both selections thru my reference stereo, Aida had more flesh and venue ambience (lower registers) while Maria's voice was thinner on the higher notes (higher registers) than Aida's. In otherwards, Maria's high notes contain more higher order harmonics than Aida's high notes, which the stereo reveals while the iPad does not. As mentioned earlier, that is why the critics believed that Maria's voice was somewhat dry and aridity, listening live.

Thanks for mentioning the iPad Nick. You bring up an interesting point with regards to frequency response in general, that the RCA Radiotron Designers Handbook, written by 26 RCA engineers, indirectly addresses. Below is the frequency response of the ear, via two graphs. If I may address the general public.

If one limits the lower frequencies of an audio system, as when the volume (spl) is low, then the midrange suchb as voices sound thin. One can either boost the bass (a control), or limit the highs (a control) to produce a more natural voice. In the case of the iPad, both the lows and very highs are reduced for a more balanced midrange, so Maria's higher harmonics of her high notes are limited to some extent. Thus Maria's high notes seemed less strident than Aida's voice which lacks the higher order harmonics.

Hope this answers some general questions.

steve

Hi Steve,
Thanks for that explanation. I am traveling a bit today, but when I get home I will search for the two ladies on Roon and play it on the big rig.
Nick

[steve]

Here is a 5 piano piece of a George Gershwin selection that is extremely open, tranparent. Incredible ambience, great dynamics. From top to bottom the pianos should sound incredibly natural and accurate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cJgEJu3ems

cheers

steve

[steve]

Folks, I just had to post this selection. At a 214 to 1 ratio of thumbs up vs thumbs down, I found this lady
fascinating with her ability to create music and singing talent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IhvMO6OZZw

cheers

steve