Track 10 adds voice (with solo piano) to the equation, while tracks 11 through 13 provide vocal recordings made at precise distances from the microphone (the 3’, 6’ and 9’ distances on the disc are correct, the 18”, 36” and 72” distances in the notes are not). These tracks offer an invaluable gauge of the system’s depth perspective, leaving no room for confusion or guesswork.
The remaining tracks work on instrumental and vocal resolution, space and air, low-frequency extension and definition, with the final two tracks offering a ‘demonstration’ of all that by now you should have achieved.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
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The approach is thoughtful and carefully structured, the musical examples fantastically revealing and useful. Whether you are setting up from scratch or you want to assess and tweak an existing system, they work like a charm – but the best bit is they work equally well, no matter what approach you actually adopt to speaker set up. What this disc (and its accompanying notes) offers is a unique and powerful tool to add to your set up process. It’s a tool that’s only possible because of the author’s presence at the recording sessions, an opportunity that has been denied all previous, similar offerings. Even the musical selections are a cut above the usual audiophile dross.
That’s not to say it’s perfect; although it’s flaws can be easily solved. I’d love to see full-page versions of those barely legible diagrams, preferably made available as downloadable PDFs. And while they’re about it, why not add a ‘soundstage map’ for each track like the ones that Dave Wilson used to draw way back when he was still reviewing for TAS? Sure, the text might be a shade hokey and it could have used some careful editing (although, Lord knows, I’m the last person to throw stones in THAT direction), but that in no way diminishes its value. Paul McGowan is and ever has been an enthusiast. It’s that enthusiasm that shines through and elevates this project. It get’s an appreciative round of applause from me. I love the fact that it brings objective judgement to the music-based approach. It has also become a key part of my own set up process – and as a reviewer, I spend a lot of time setting or re-setting speakers. If you are serious about sound and you want to either assess or work on the set up of your system, this is an awfully good place to start. Definitely one disc that everybody should have in their collection.
