I agree that Composer thread is circus and like a cult of a specific headphone worshopersI can assume that you don't visit other threads...obviously you didn't visit The Composer thread.
If you had, you would realize that the Immanis thread is open to different opinions, unlike many other threads.
There is nothing unique here...the same goes for any headphones fans.
But do you know what's different and unique about this thread?
It's the thing that the maker of the Immanis/Magna participates, and it's open to discuss/helping on any matter.
I even think sometimes he gives a lot of info/knowledge for free that he shouldn't.
I follow/read a lot of threads and have never seen anything like it.
I noticed something similar with the Schiit thread, but that man is not involved in the same way as Aleksandar.
Instead of noticing something like that, people are willing to spend energy on the negatives, which probably applies to their private lives.
Cheers!
So, I don't know what I wanted to say. You are a CHAMP!
I wasn't against that meme at all.
And I quoted another guy.
I wasn't calling you out at all, frankly I was writing in general.
Cheers!
Well, next time you are over for CJ SG, spend a bit more time with @Aleksandar R. and @Proxima Centauri and their set up.
I personally think it'll be worth it.
Thanks for this beautifully written and insightful analysis of Trevor Pinnock’s Goldberg recording. This goes to the top of my getting to know my Immanis playlist.I listen to the Goldberg variations at least one a week as it were a therapy, usually reaching out to piano versions, of which there are plenty of great ones. The inevitable Gould re-paved the way for this masterwork to the larger audience 70 years ago, and the fuss DG made about the recent release from the Icelandic piano star, Vikingur Ólafsson, shows how strong is the piece still going.
But, this harpsichord version from Trevor Pinnock is very compelling. First of all the tone of the instrument he played was very rich and relatively warm. Then, the choice of tempos, the tasteful use of ornamentation, the selection of what repeats to perform and what to avoid, provide an engaging flow, a momentuous allure to the whole collection, showing its unitary character perhaps even beyond the composer's intentions.
What's so special about harpsichord performances is how clear and effective is the display of the various voices in the composition, making its utter contrapunctual style so cogent that you tend to believe that there is no other way to play it. Here the voices are also coloristically layered by a magisterial use of the double register.
With the Immanis, all the above is portrayed to the utmost level of transparency, articulation, timbral differentiation. The attack and decay structure, even some non-musical detail like mechanical noise of the machine are exposed to an almost hyper-realistic extent, which projects the music directly into your spine.
What an experience
I listen to the Goldberg variations at least one a week as it were a therapy, usually reaching out to piano versions, of which there are plenty of great ones. The inevitable Gould re-paved the way for this masterwork to the larger audience 70 years ago, and the fuss DG made about the recent release from the Icelandic piano star, Vikingur Ólafsson, shows how strong is the piece still going.
But, this harpsichord version from Trevor Pinnock is very compelling. First of all the tone of the instrument he played was very rich and relatively warm. Then, the choice of tempos, the tasteful use of ornamentation, the selection of what repeats to perform and what to avoid, provide an engaging flow, a momentuous allure to the whole collection, showing its unitary character perhaps even beyond the composer's intentions.
What's so special about harpsichord performances is how clear and effective is the display of the various voices in the composition, making its utter contrapunctual style so cogent that you tend to believe that there is no other way to play it. Here the voices are also coloristically layered by a magisterial use of the double register.
With the Immanis, all the above is portrayed to the utmost level of transparency, articulation, timbral differentiation. The attack and decay structure, even some non-musical detail like mechanical noise of the machine are exposed to an almost hyper-realistic extent, which projects the music directly into your spine.
What an experience
I'm wondering if your source gear is part of what's giving you those impressions.. I heard the aperio and thought it had more tonal density compared to the immanis. I still really like the immanis though.One week in with the Immanis I still don't have enough data to write a detailed impression but I wanted to share at least something. As of now the best I can describe the Immanis is comparing it to previous TOTL HPs I've owned.
- Warwick Acoustics Aperio
Best way to describe it is that it is muscled up Aperio. Imagine it decided to get jacked and went to the gym for 2 years and gained 40 kg of muscle. Same insane detail but with tonal density and BASS.
- Hifiman Susvara (OG)
Plain and simple, it is like the Susvara decided to go super saiyan. Everything is much better, detail, bass, treble, mids, you name it. Everything is just BETTER.
I will come back and write a detailed impression but I need way more time with it.
P.S. Against my Spirit Torino Valkyria it is just different, Valkyria is better at some things (If you don't know there are two versions of Valkyria early units and new ones, mine is an early one) I'll get into this in my impression.
FWIW, harpsichord strings are plucked, not hammered. One side effect of this is the player can't vary/control the volume of notes, as with a piano. I love harpsichords, J.S. Bach, and Trevor Pinnock, but somehow have never listened to this particular CD. It's on my queue for later this evening. Thanks for the rec, @simorag !
