Hello from Bombay

[prabuddhadg]

Hello,this is Prabuddha from Bombay. I came across this forum while looking for a place to repair an old amp I have. While I did not find a precise answer, I noticed this forum showing up on a number of searches on google. Curious, I took a peek - and now, just can't get out of here.

I have always enjoyed listening to music. When I was a kid, we had a Grundig TK-23 tape recorder, a tube type player that used spool tapes. The player was mono and though its size was just about a foot and a half across and about five inches tall,its sound quality was quite impressive. It was with us for over 20 years with just a couple of valves needing replacement now and then. In fact, all the time we had it, I had no idea that tape heads needed replacement.

Later, over the years, I got other tape players and now, I listen to a Philips DVD player with an Akai amp and Akai graphic equaliser. There is also an Akai Tape deck which is seldom used nowadays. The speakers are Philips floorstanders. The amps are pretty nice, which makes the set up sound nice. I also use an ipod for playback. I like its convenience.

But then I listen mostly to blues, rock and jazz- very little of Western Classical. So, this set up has been OK. Until recently, when the equaliser by-pass button has been playing truant. I tried to dismantle the amp, but there were too many things to remove before I could access the button and clean it. So, I started looking for someone to service this. Its an old piece. So, I am having trouble finding someone who can help. Which led me to google, and to hifivision.com.

I am not an 'audiophile'. I just enjoy listening to music. I even listen on my ipod, though nothing compares with music seeping in loudly through your pores. I find a lot of information and insight floating around on the threads here. So, I am definitely going to learn a lot here. For instance, while I have been looking for an Ipod dock, it was here that I learnt of the Wadia itransport. Look forward to getting to know many of you. Just bear with my silly questions.

Regards,

Prabuddha

 

[venkatcr]

Welcome Prabuddha. Post your questions, and I am sure we will do our best to answer them as well as we can.

Just a piece of advise. Listening to 'Loud' music though headphones or earphones could actually damage your ears in a few years. You will not even notice it, but your capacity to hear will be eroded slowly. Loud noise from head or ear phones can cause both temporary and permanent hearing loss.

Temporary hearing loss can happen after you've been exposed to loud noise for any duration. If you have temporary hearing loss, you won't be able to hear as well as you normally do for a while. You may also have tinnitus (say: tih-neye-tus), which is a medical term for ringing in the ears. Your ears can feel "full," too. Although your hearing frequently returns to normal, the dangerous part is that you can lose it permanently if you listen to loud noise or music over and over again.

If someone is exposed to loud noise over a long period of time, like every day, permanent hearing loss can occur. This means the person's hearing won't ever be as good as it once was. That's why construction workers and factory workers need to wear ear protection. Lawn mowers and power tools, like chainsaws, can also be loud enough to affect a person's ability to hear high-pitched noises. This kind of noise also can cause a person to have tinnitus all the time.

Listening to loud music a lot can cause the same kind of damage, especially if headphones are used. Some famous musicians have lost hearing and developed tinnitus - a real problem for someone who needs to hear to make and enjoy music. That's why now you might notice that some of your favorite musicians wear hearing protection while they're playing.

Sound is transmitted through air as pressure waves. When they enter the ear canal they reverberate and collide with the tympanic membrane, which stretches across one end of the canal. This causes the membrane to bow inwards to a degree depending on the force of the air, which in turn depends on the loudness of the noise. But because sound from an earphone bounces around the ear canal and is partly deflected about the upper body before it reaches the tympanic membrane, the waves picked up by the membrane are different (and more persistent) from those emitted by the earphone, and from those emitted by a external loudspeaker. .

The human threshhold to pain is 120 decibells. When you listen to music it should be restricted to less than 90 decibells. Most personal audio systems including iPOD reach something like 140 decibells at ful volume. Research in France and elsewhere has recommended that the human ear can stand a maximum of 90 decibells for about 2 hours after which it need 'rest'.

 

[prabuddhadg]

Hi Venkatcr. Thanks for the welcome. And about the loud music, you can relax. I am a been there done that kind. I agree with you that loud music, even through headphones, can inflict a lot of damage on one's eardrums. I have heard of Pete Townshend's Tinnitus. My statement was more figurative than anything else.

What I meant was that while headphones give pretty nice sound at comparatively small costs, nothing can beat the feeling of a nice set of speakers sending you the sound of the music not only into your ears, but also your entire body and through the floor. I for one, can feel the music much better through nice big speakers at home than either my ipod or in my car.

Also, I am not really into the current kind of music- trance and house and... I don't even know the names- I mean the music they play mostly at clubs. I am still stuck in that nice old rut of the 70's. So, my kind of music does not really have to be played to rattle all windows.

Thanks anyway for your concern Venkatcr. I understand exactly what you mean.

Regards,

Prabuddha

 

[venkatcr]

An enlightened member!!! You are more than welcome now. I also love 70s and 80s music. Maybe we can exchange notes and I can get to hear some new music I have missed.

What I do for modern music is to use my niece as a 'guinea pig'. She listens to all new songs and then tell me what I would like and should listen to. I have discovered Cutting Chai, Euphoria, Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Brad Baisley, and even Westlife. In turn I have introduced her to musicians such a Pink Floyd, Chris De Burg, Indian fusion, etc. We always shop for music together.

Cheers

 

[prabuddhadg]

Hi Venkatcr. I have been through a few posts on this forum, and one word that does not describe me is 'enlightened'. Anyway, I suppose I shall let that pass for now.

Talking about music, I find it hard to describe my musical preference with one or two examples. I mean I like Jethro Tull, and also Eric Clapton, I like Farida Khanum and also Pink Floyd/ Roger Waters. Though, I notice that recently, I have been leaning a little towards Jazz. Have you heard Jaco Pastorius? I have been listening to a collection for the past fortnight. Enjoying it thoroughly.

 

[venkatcr]

I meant enlightened about the dangers of loud music to your ears. I am not too much into Jazz. The only Jazz I have listened to is Dave Brubeck.

My preferences are light rock (Wings, Pink Floyd, Police, Ace of Base etc), instrumental (Richard Clayderman....), vocalists (Lobo, Jim Reeves, Chris De Burg....), carnatic, and Hindustani. I have recently taken a liking to Japanese music aslo. I am trying to collect all the albums of Kitaro.

Cheers

 

[prabuddhadg]

Kitaro? Never heard the name. Is it the name of a band? Talking of Japanese bands, have you heard of Kodo? Traditional Japanese drums, a little bit of flute and some grunts. Wonderful! Volume ranges from whisper soft to deafening like thunder. I recommend this to everyone who likes to experiment with their music.
Regards,
Prabuddha

 

[Kamal]

Hi Prabuddha, a belated welcome to the forum!
I have an album of Kodo...
Viren( Of Lyrita) who has heard live performances in the US told me that no music system can come anywhere the sheer , visceral impact of the "thunder"created by the Kodo drums,just like the diff in hearing a church organ in full flow vs a recording.
We have a pretty lively thread called "Right now I'm listening to.."
It would be very interesting to read abt your choices of music in that thread, where everyone, incl newer members can browse, get ideas, & enrich their choice of music.

 

[prabuddhadg]

Hi Kamal, thanks for the welcome. I tend to agree with what you have said about the thunder of Kodo drums. Have not heard them live, but still, I could feel the - I like your choice of words- visceral impact of Kodo.

I have been following many threads on this forum. The "Right now I'm listening to" is one. It has been reviving some old memories, making me delve into my old cassette collection.