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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: The Audiophile Chair posted by Nicholas Renter on July 6, 2009 at 19:26:35:
PHOTO: My ideal listening seating, 2005, minus the matching ottomans
Nicholas Renter,
I agree fully that the audiophile listening chair has been really overlooked- too little considered. I'm one who is very particular about my comfort while listening to music and that includes in the office, at recitals, in the car, concerts, while playing myself (piano, organ, harpsichord, clavichord, and synthesizer), and especially at home. If I'm in an uncomfortable position in even slight ways, or it's too hot or cold, or noisy I find myself really annoyingly distracted from the music. Extraneous noises such as traffic, air conditioning, other people, plus the air quality, and again- the seating- are among the most important contributing factors to critical listening.
Comfort is one of the most important qualities to get right. When it's right I don't notice it at all but if it's wrong, it stays on for the show and constantly reminds me it's wrong. I squirm and crack my neck.
If the concert is one of those rare, transcendent events, nothing will deter me from full enjoyment, but the threshold is low. I cite two examples where comfort really altered my listening experiences. The first is a concert I attended at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in 1989: Chailly> Montreal Symph> Zimmermann> Beethoven Piano Concerti 5 and the second concert: Disney Hall 2007: Salonen > L.A. Phil > Uchida > Mozart Piano Concerti 25 and 27. These are good comparisons because the repetoire is in the same vein, with first class players, and the Disney Hall is supposed to be modeled on the Concertgebouw.
The seats at the Concegebouw are- o were 20 years ago terrible rickety old things, small and too closely spaced (I'm 6'2" and 170 lbs) and as some of you may know the Concertgebouw ("Concert Building") has columns and windows. The hall was, as usual, stuffy as hell. The acoustics there are indeed special. It's odd that it works so well as it is completely a rectangular box with people sitting behind the orchestra- somewhere I'd never want to sit. However, despite the hard narrow seats and sniffling sneezing audience- this was a cold March- I was completely transfixed by the Chailly/ Zimmermann's "Emperor" and the uncomfortable conditions were unnoticed once the music started.
The Disney Hall experience was completely other. I had bought two cheap seats- $63 each which only got us the port side first balcony. The seats were so close to the balcony wall- yes, it is made solid so the audience can see less- that my knees were pressed against it and so narrow that both myself and Puddings' (5'8", 120 lbs) knees were pressed against the wall in front and we had to have our arms folded in front of us while taking turns using the armrest between the seats. It didn't matter that the seat itself was quite comfortable- it just didn't fit! as if this distraction weren't enough, there was a stupid, odd acoustic fault in Disney Hall from this position that I could hear people rattling their programmes and candy wrappers better than than Uchida's Steinway D! Uchida had pushed the piano to the very front edge of the stage for some reason and it had to be that with all the payers a the back, she or Salonen must have been unhappy with the sound. The Steinway was just not penetrating the orchestral texture. In my distraction and discomfort, instead of concentrating on one of my favourites, I kept thinking what the sound would be like if it were a Bosendorfer,..
Actually, all three of my Disney Hall visits have been acoustically disappointing. In future, I plan to bite the $XXX bullet and sit eight rows back in the centre of the orchestra section. I don't know anyone excited about Dismal Hall sound except who's sat around there. Strangely, good sound but distant visuals are to be had way off in the upper back. I guess the rule might be- at Disney just never sit on the sides.
Ideal Listening Sofa: I've designed a number of pieces of furniture over the years, mainly dining tables and desks and in 2005 had a chance to design a sofa intended for audio listening, television machine watching, reading, and napping. .
The sofa in the photo was for a new house client I know well- three previous projects, and for a fairly large room: 52'L X 15' W, X 13 to 17' H. The interesting thing about this room from an acoustic situation is that in plan there are no 90 degree angles- it a trapezoid and the ceiling is sloping from 13' to 17' a the centre with drywalled beams breaking the surface. The client does not like rugs or carpet so it is entirely strip maple flooring. With all the hard surfaces there's a bit of echo, but no dull or null spots anywhere I can find. A Bose multi-speaker system hidden all over the ceiling for TV sound works better than I expected.
My first principle in ideal listening seating is that it has to be a sofa. I actually don't like single chairs for listening -it seems to formal and restrictive. I also like to read in the afternoon lying down on a sofa and fall asleep. In my view, the sofa is one of the most important pieces of house furniture and should be completely versatile.
For listening I like to sit back on a sofa with strong cappuccino- and glasses off which I find adds a significant transparency to the system! and my feet must be up- shoes always off.
The sofa in the photo above is something like my ideal listening, TV watching, reading, napping design solution. This is about 9' long with a shorter two-seater in the right foreground.
This sofa is fairly deep and level- for good napping after reading. It is also important that the arms be low- I hate chairs where I feel I'm propping myself up on high arms. The arms should be really wide and level too. Except dining and office chairs I object to having to be conscious of placing my arm on a very narrow chair arm. Also, for lying down to read, the low arm works with the firm cushion propped against it and this creates a kind of chaise position. I'd note too that I definitely don't like leather for seating except in cars- It seems sticky to the skin and can squeak. I prefer a fairly smooth, thick cloth.
Actually in the photo, the listening chair is the piece just visible in the right foreground- the two seat version- still long enough for napping. For listening there is a matching ottoman- I couldn't find a photo of it- and I would sit to one end with my arm on the side arm of the sofa. I don;t like soft pillows and on this sofa would slump back on one of the firm cushions made in the same mate4rial no glasses, no shoes!-and put my feet up- on the ottoman.
I've listened to music and watched the television machine for quite some time in this position and can say, this is quite close to my ideal listening seating. The change I would consider is to make the seat backs a bit higher.
Yes, as my personal guru Matahatapouricashnakinaconilan once said, "So as your feet are cool / Your head is cool / So shall your Oneness know the coolness of Shiva". So as your buttocks is happy / Your back is happy, and so shall your ears will know the lush warmedess of Sylvania 12AT7WA's".
Cheers,
Bambi B
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Follow Ups
- I agree the listening situation is an important subject ! Here's an ideal ideal listening seat I designed - Bambi B 07/7/0911:34:42 07/7/09 (0)
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