If It's Too Loud...
Turn it down a notch...
The album was Mob Rules, Ronnie’s second effort as the band’s singer, and it started out great. The bass was there. The drums were there. Ronnie’s voice was centered, but the sound…
Ugh.
The best way I can describe it is Ronnie was singing over a mess of inseparable sound.
I could hear both Tony and Geezer, but there was no separation. Zero.
Was the soundstage wide? You bet it was. But it was a mess.
I’d been gradually bumping up the volume of my system over the last few weeks, mainly because of some added room treatment. I think I was up to around 80 dB.
The thing was, I’d just listened to The Kinks’ Misfits prior to this, and at the same level. Yes, it was loud, but instruments were separated and identifiable. It wasn’t the wall of sound I heard as “Turn Up the Night” gave way to “Voodoo”.
Our “vinyl room” isn’t large, and it’s always been a participant. It’s why I treated the first reflection points and the wall behind the listening position. It was strategic. I handled the mechanics of it all and Mandie handled the aesthetics. It was just two months ago that we tackled the first reflection points with a couple of combination diffusion/absorption panels. The improvement was obvious at the first listen, and it made a slight twist of the volume knob incredibly tempting. That temptation was too much to resist, and day after day I succumbed to it.
And now… this wave of sound.
It was dynamic, that’s for sure, but was it something I could listen to for an extended period? Absolutely not. And this was Black Sabbath. This was a band I adored.
So, I scaled the volume back and sat down.
And there it was. What had been a wave of sonic thunder still had that energy, but now I could hear the air between the instruments. I could now hear Tony, Geezer, and Vinny perfectly.
What I found amazing, and even counterintuitive, is the music was more vibrant and alive at a lower volume. It was spacious. Everything was shifted to the mid-range where my ears really respond, and I’ve found the sweet spot to be around 70 dB in our room. Even a touch below with some records.
I swear, every month a new obsession sneaks up on me to push me in a new direction in my chase for improved sound. This month it’s the perfect volume level, next month will be what? Magic acoustic rocks? Quantum fuses?
I think I’ll go clean some records. No obsession there.
An “Entry-Level” Recommendation
Paul’s bass was clear, present, and commanding. Then John’s voice erupted from the speakers.
“Here come old flat-top, he come grooving up slowly…”
“Respectable” is a good word to describe what I heard. I set my skepticism aside to hear what the turntable I’d just unboxed could deliver.
I’ve stepped away from reviews for the sake of doing them lately. I’ll write and talk with enthusiasm about tweaks or additions to my own setup, but I’ve never felt completely comfortable talking about the pros and cons of something that’s not part of my main listening system and that I don’t know inside and out. There are products I do want to be the first to get my hands on, like a new Record Doctor vacuum machine model. I pass on 98% of requests to check out products, and that number is 100% when it’s a cheap turntable. Nothing against folks who do, but I personally don’t see the point of looking at something I would never recommend.
When I received the email from a company called Qlearsoul, something about their belt-driven turntable, the HiFire X, caught my eye. I must have been feeling charitable. I don’t know. Maybe it was the old-school meters on the front. I’m a sucker for nostalgia. It also wasn’t an all-in-one unit where everything is inside of one box, including the speakers. To top it off, a friend of mine had one of those all-in-one units stop working on her. She and her partner are just beginning their vinyl journey and don’t have a lot to spend on an upgrade. Qlearsoul had said the review unit didn’t need to be sent back. I didn’t have a use for it, but maybe my friend would. It would hopefully be a step up from what they were used to, and they didn’t have the funds for an AT-LP60, AT-LP70, or U-Turn Orbit, which are my usual recommendations for beginners and casual listeners.
So I had an ulterior motive, but I also wasn’t going to let a friend experience something awful.
I am very pleased to say the HiFire X exceeded my expectations, which were admittedly low to begin with.
Setting it up was easy. In the box was a turntable, cover, a pair of passive bookshelf speakers, and speaker wire.
The cartridge is an AT3600L, a very basic unit with a conical stylus that averages around $25. It has a tracking force of 2.5-3.5 grams, which is a bit heavy, and you would be wise to follow the instructions for balancing the tonearm to properly set the tracking force. I’d also recommend spending a few extra bucks on a cheap digital gauge to be sure you don’t exceed the max 3.5 grams.
The HiFire X also allows you to adjust anti-skate, a feature I was happy to see. I didn’t test it using my WallySkater though. It’s too entry-level to worry about those things. Still, it’s good to see it allows for it.
One thing the iPhone generation would appreciate. It lets you connect via Bluetooth to stream music from a separate source. Also, if you fall asleep with a record spinning, it will automatically stop the platter. It won’t return the tonearm to the rest as would a fully automatic unit, but it’s nice to know your stylus won’t be worn to a nub if you go away for an extended vacation after waking up. It will also power down after twenty minutes of inactivity (I did test this).
As I said, I was pleased with the sound. The speakers themselves remind me of the entry-level Edifiers I often recommend. The Edifiers are powered, these aren’t, but the sound similarity remains. If you’re like me and know someone who could use an entry-level system for under $400 that performs as advertised, this is a reasonable option.
Turn out the lights, and the glowing VU meters will bring you right back to the 1970s. If you were born after the year 2000, you’ll get a taste of what it was like for us back then.
Rick’s E-Book Guides
Enjoy your records!
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