High Water Sound | Stereophile
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Jeffrey Catalano of High Water Sound talks horns, tubes, and LPs with Stereophile writer Herb Reichert. Filmed May 2017 in New York, NY.
High Water Sound: www.highwaterso...
Read the written blog post here: po.st/V1Ef98
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These Stereophile features from 2017-2018 were really terrific. I wish the channel would continue producing this kind of content.
Yes! Almost certainly Jana Dagdagan behind the camera. What a soulful team. ❤
I met my first father-in-law in 1963. He was an avid audiophile and was impatient all through the family dinner to show off his audio equipment. This was the dinner meant to introduce me to my future wife's family. His wife kept saying "Herb, leave the boy alone, let him eat his Belgian endives. Let me give you more brisket, Adrian. Is that your name?" Finally he got me down the tile floored basement that had wooden walls (knotty pine was big then). He had Scott, Sherwood, Bogen equipment. Names I never heard of. I was a Bach and bebop lover at the time (still am) and listened on a Philco or Emerson 'high-fi' set. That was the best I could buy; I didn't know anything else existed. He sat me in a dining room chair at a certain spot in the room and said "Listen to this." And I did listen. It was the sound of antique trains thundering through the walls followed by ping pong balls jumping from one side of the room to the other. That's one reason I never became an audio fanatic; but I'm still listening to Bach and Be-bop - but on the low end of high end equipment that I haven't altered in ten years. I'm happy as a pig in ordure.
That’s a great perspective to have. I wonder if you ever enjoyed any actual music through that gear, the names of which I know, but not their pedigrees. The acoustics must have been interesting.
I always make a point of listening to Jeffreys systems at the audio shows & the sound is always spectacular no matter what equipment he is showing or how bad the room is. His knowledge of music & records is truly special, he really is one of the good guys in the business & a great host, keep up the great work Jeffrey!!!!
Jeff is a super nice guy and has the best equipment I've ever heard. I'll be a customer for life.
I have known Jeff for about 9 years now. Happily own an upgraded Raven AC for those years as well. It continues to be the heart of my audio set up. Haven't been to his place in a long time. So long in fact that it was under total construction with all of those beautifully stored records sitting on the floor at the time. Imagine that chaos!? Wonderful video Jeff. Hope to make it up to hear those wonderful smaller Hornings soon.
Outstanding nice room....beautiful collection of audio gear and vinyl.
I admire this mans collection.However we common folk cannot even hope to secure this level of audio bliss. We may get close, but it's unlikely that I'll ever be able to afford anything this man has. I am 72 and I am starting rather late in life with being an audiophile. I agree with this fellow that tubes do transmit the soul of music. I currently have two tube amps and just acquired two Dahlquist DQ 20 speakers which I plan on restoring and doing necessary upgrades. It's a start.
You can easily get better sound than his system with only $5K in used equipment...and $1K extra in room acoustics....
Agreed. I just picked up a preowned Audio Research integrated and it's the best I have heard up to this point. Used is the best way to go. Most people that buy higher end equipment tend to treat and maintain it well. If I see something that looks abused, I pass on it.
U R NOT ME, I think that U R CLUELESS
duh...u r dumb....
U r are also upset that someone can spend 1/10 of what you spent on equipment, while having their system better than yours, lol!
I love it, looks like a fun room. Don't listen to all the 'real audio experts' who just want to spit venom instead of just appreciating another man's life.
" Don't listen to all the 'real audio experts' "
I don't think he's in any danger of doing that, don't worry
Im an Audiophile. I have a Topping Headphone Amp and a set of AKG K702's. Sounds fantastic. I love the friendship and interaction between these 2 guys and their passion for audio. I know they are both enthusiasts but I do not believe you have to spend $1000s on equipment just to get good audio sound. There is nothing wrong with solid state. Jeffery admits that this is what he does. Good luck to him and his happiness. So there is no need to hate.
$1000s? Do you realize there are hundreds of thousands dollars worth of equipment in this room? For equipment that is at best esoteric? This is just complete non-sense and this is exactly why people are freaking out in the comments.
idiot
I do not see the need for contrition either you can get good sound for $45. And thats by use of semiconductor junctions.
akg sounds sucks (( I have akg top headphones! and its sucks like scissors in your head, not worth the money for this pieces of shit
@@Abraxus34 what model?
Met Jeff at XPONA 2019. Really nice and easy-going guy. We shared same interest in music and played some records.
Amazing equipment and a passion for what he loves. Really interesting conversation.
Such a nice apartment. With or without records its wonderful.
Minus the some of the numbnut comments I totally enjoyed this video. Great room...Great Vacuum Tube equipment and Great love of audio by two nice gentleman.
He missing the Audio Technica LP-60 USB. Other than that, looks solid.
lololol
...🙄😂😂🤣🤣🤣😅😅😅
😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
“It doesn’t make music!” I love this guy. “That’s the last place I want to be!”.........awesome........just awesome.........
Best music video I have seen in years..............all or most other audiophiles are sound performance lovers ever analyzing and comparing their sound machines ............without the soul !
A lot of great recordings made on SSL consoles and pressed on vinyl, guys..
What a breathtaking collection. I have to agree about Hunky Dory too.
What a clean and beautiful place ! Tubes rule !
This is such a wonderful video, in so many ways. High Water Sound seems like a place I'd love to spend a lot of time in, should I ever visit New York.
Videos like this is where Stereophile should appoint much more of its time.
This is hands down ...THE KING OF GEAR AND RECORDS
Yes! Hunky Dory! One of my very favorite albums! This guys has amazing taste!
Jeff is such a lovely person and introduced me to a lot of great music.
This is an amazing setup, collection and music space. It is interesting that some folks will go high end on the equipment but then don’t utilize any acoustical treatments such as diffusers or sound suppression at all to manage echoes etc. I think without this, you are going to be hit or miss with the sound wave alignment depending on where you stand in the room.
Yeah you haters can offer your criticisms, but the High Water space is an absolute beauty in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in NY
"I don't buy stacks of records" says the guy with more records than anyone else in a 500 mile radius.
I have the Kenwood KD-40R turntable and about 7 records, one being brand new old stock. I love the sound of it and I'm so happy with it
The dude is a rep and this is his passion, so it makes sense to me. I am not an audiophile, but that is some wild gear!
Loving Herb on camera!
Beautiful. Guy is living the dream.
I’ve got those same speakers hooked up to my Crosley cruiser. Sounds incredible.
I admit it: I'm jealous! There's at least $500,000 in ultra-premium gear in a very cool loft. However, I would definitely upgrade the couch and throw some art on the walls.
too untidy for me you dont need 3 of everything he is a little mad me thinks...
Very nice setup. Amazing record collection!
Great guy with amazing taste in music and equipment.
Wow what an collection and what an nice gear he has in that room
Just a dream to own it all
a not "an" collection. jackass.
I like seeing old tube electronics of any kind and vintage audio equipment is cool as hell to me. If I was to get into the hobby it wouldn't be for enjoying the highest quality audio possible though. I think it's kind of just like a niche preference of nostalgic sounds. There is some music I'd prefer to hear on old tape decks.
Mr. Catalano really gets HiFi, tubes, horns and turntables.
We need more videos of crazy systems on this channel.
Great Jeffrey. Lovely interview.
Thanks Graham!
I'm as much in awe of all that gear as the next music lover, but do people realise that there is probably more expensive and over the top equipment in that place than was used in the studios that were used to record the music on all that vinyl.
Without a doubt... That's what I never understood...
What a beautiful space to listen to music in.
I LIKE THAT YOU'RE SPORTIN' WOOD 👍👍👍
This interview makes me want to give a tube pre or amp a try. Always had solid state because I don’t want noise with a turntable. But, I guess if you have the proper equipment, noise may be a non-issue. I know their is no way I would use solid state for a guitar amp. A tube amp sounds so good with guitar. Very nice interview and to see where this gentleman is today from that fisher equipment and he is happy. Thanks.
Herb Reichert is my favourite audio wacko.
Are you aware of his articles in the Sound Practices magazine from the 1990s? Great audio writer!
Here i am watching with lil bluetooth speaker 😂
I think audiophiles (at this level anyway) are more in love with the equipment than they are with the music . At some point you must admit it's a little extreme and over the top . Bottom line can the human ear really detect the subtle changes you are paying dearly for , but as a fan of cool audio as well (not quite at this level) i'm impressed .
Man I love everything! I could hang out with these guys and spin some records... Very nice
Seems like really nice guys
Good for him. More power -- get what you like, not what others say you should like. Great-looking system!
I think the "Ghost" are the multiple echoes in that room.
This is one of my favorite interviews. Herb, "Eddie" is at his best in this one. He comprises his passion for audio replication with his artistic compositional direction as a writer. During this review, Jeffery expresses his preference for analog media in terms that seem to be amazing , but very abstract and undefinable from a quantitative perspective. I believe I understand what Jeffery is try to describe. Despite the fact that digital creates a good relative approximation of an analog reference signal, it is still not an exact replication of it.( It never includes the harmonic overtones, which pushes the limits of the sample beyond the 44.1 KHz range.)
When he states that he doesn't feels "ghosts running through his soul" , _ in a digital recording , I begin to wonder if there is not a time element, some relativistic quality, or in-definable quality that is captured in an analog recording , but gets discarded in a CD copy of an analog recording. It's just a thought, I am sure it would be difficult to prove experimentally.
I love vinyl records for the history and older technology. I enjoy playing them, gently handling them, having them. But if you digitized any record and played it back, I would never know the difference. Maybe I just don't have the ear for it (maybe? trust me, I don't), or maybe there is no difference. I guess what I'm saying is a digital copy can fill my soul just as well as a vinyl record can, but CD's aren't much to look at. It's the physical vinyl record itself that I enjoy.
Lovely stuff
I can't believe my eyes as he put the record to the turntable while it is turning.
Herb's words at 12.27, whispered in awe: 'solid copper...aahg!' You gotta love the man.
Agree with him regarding analog/tubes.
I didn't see one 8-track tape in his collection. Can't be a true audiofile without a few 8-tracks.
Records & speakers ...
Yeaaa.. I been hoarding these all my life too ...
stunning view wow
simply in love with this collection
I love the meters!
I love solid states vintage receivers
I just got Jay-Z's new album on victrolla wax. It's awesome! Crackly as hell! Victrollas are making a big comeback!
Just needs some mo giant woofers son! Or turn up the Beats™
You guys are so gay lmao
Hunky Dory is a damn fine choice. Great vid.
This is such an amazing collection of audio equipment but I can't believe that these guys are ok with the echo in that room. How can they overcome that echo with all of those hard surfaces. I'm guessing that doing a minimal amount of softening that room might let you get SOME of your money's worth in listening in it.
Oh my digging those horns
'When they were dragging wagons to south and west, they never had digital/solid state' - I bet you a million dollars, if they'd have had those things, they would have been on the wagons and used, and you'd be saying 'listen to how amazingly warm that sounds' ...
If your premise was correct and I would be loving the warm digital sound in the way back machine, then wouldn't it follow I would be basking within the bits of today? Just not "MY" thing.
I know the tube amps are best for guitar, so it makes sense that it would translate the same for other forms of music.
I we love to visit this place and get lost on stories and sound.
I would love to listen.
Great video, awesome perspective, insane gear. Salute guys!
This man is my Hero! Is he a rock star?
that's a low bar to set for a hero
Love this video!
Hung onto every-word these guys said
So I did buy Hunky Dory after watching this. It’s a good record. I probably not in my favorite hundred though.
So did I
Another great video. Keep up the great work!
Kid: Look, my mom just bought me these new Beats headphones! I've never heard anything better than these.
Me: Hold my beer......
I would love to have an hour in that room.
There is a rug on the floor, all that "reflective" brick "downstream" of the speakers has been extensively TEXTURED so it's literally as far from "flat" and "reflective" as any "interior wall" can be, there is also "acoustic insulation" in the form of boards forming a "dropped ceiling" strung "sideways" along and under what is probably a poured concrete ceiling/floor above and possibly steel support beams/girders and sheeting supporting it and it looks like there may be some kind of cloth netting or material of some kind also up there over/around those boards strung across the "top of the room" which are also "spaced out" and kind of haphazardly and sloppily so they don't form any kind of "flat" and "reflective" surface and actually are probably SHIELDING what WOULD BE a flat and reflective surface ABOVE. Then there's the THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF VINYL/WOOD/CARDBOARD IN THOSE GIANT SHELVES FULL OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RECORDS. Nothing REFLECTIVE ABOUT THAT. Don't hear much ECHO from their own voices as they're standing there in the "middle" of the room talking to each other "face to face" several feet away from each other and talking pretty damned loud, either. In fact, that room sounds pretty "dead" to me UNTIL they go to the far end of the room PAST the speakers and are talking about and looking at the turntables. There's some echo there but thats to be expected with the bare floor and glass windows and "flat" brick walls in that part of the room where they haven't been "textured" but even THERE for an old warehouse or whatever it is with brick walls and hardwood floors and those large windows and a couple of old "audiophiles" loudly talking to each other so the "high-end" built-in microphone on the digital camcorder used to record the "HD" video and audio we're seeing here gets everything picked up.
And of course any "audio expert" who thinks you don't WANT some ECHO AND REVERB in "reproduced" music and that MOST mixing/producing involves ADDING "echo" and "reverb" and "distortion" to the DEAD FLAT MONO "SOUND" THAT COMES FROM EACH "MONO" SPEAKER/TRACK/CHANNEL IN A RECORDING STUDIO OR FROM EACH MIC ONSTAGE SOUNDS LIKE THE ACTUAL VOICES/INSTRUMENTS OF THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES AS THE MUSIC IS MADE. OR AT LEAST WOULD IF WE WERE IN THE STUDIO/AUDIENCE AND WERE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FOR ALL THE "NOISES" FROM THE INSTRUMENTS AND VOICES COMING OUT "UNPLUGGED" AND "A CAPELLA" HAD ENOUGH TIME AND DISTANCE TO "MIX" BEFORE THEY REACHED OUR EARS. Because the reality is that GOOD "ACOUSTICS" ARE NOT "DEAD" AND THESE "EXPERTS" TALKING SHIT" ARE CONFUSING THE "QUIET ROOMS" AND "SOUNDPROOF ROOMS" THEY'VE SEEN ON TV OR IN MOVIES OR ELSEWHERE WITH ACTUAL WELL-DESIGNED AND "ENGINEERED" RECORDING STUDIO "SPACE" WHICH IS ACTUALLY VERY REFLECTIVE IN SOME ASPECTS TO MAKE SURE AS MUCH OF THE SOUND FROM THE INSTRUMENTS/SINGERS GETS FOCUSED INTO THE MICROPHONES INCLUDING NATURAL AND "BUILT-IN" ECHO AND REVERB THAT CAN'T BE "REPRODUCED" IN THE "PRODUCTION ROOM" ON A "BOARD" UNLESS THERE ARE SOME NATURAL ":LEVELS" FROM WHICH TO WORK AND EVEN "SAMPLE" THESE DAYS.
They also don't have a freaking clue that "music" is only "music to our ears" when we're "distant" from it or it's being mixed and amplified and played back to us as we're playing/singing it. Because if you're really in a band/choir/orchestra and particularly are SINGING what sounds like a beautiful harmonic and melodic "symphony" from the AUDIENCE SEATS IF THE PERFORMANCE IS "UNPLUGGED" OR AFTER COMING THROUGH THE SOUND BOARD AND BEING MIXED AND BLASTED OUT OVER SPEAKERS SO "FRONT ROW SEATS" ARE ANYTHING BUT SHIT FOR LISTENING TO A PERFORMANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE LITERALLY TOO CLOSE TO THE ARTISTS FOR ALL THOSE DIFFERENT SOUNDS TO "MIX" BEFORE THEY GET TO THEIR AUDIENCE'S EARS AND THEIR "STEREO HEARING" WOULDN'T BE WITH "HALF THE SOUND" ON ONE SIDE OF THEIR HEAD AND HALF ON THE OTHER WITH A BAND/ORCHESTRA/SYMPHONY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM WHEN THEY'RE FRONT ROW CENTER.
A whole bunch of "audiophile" experts on "acoustics" here talking shit about this guy and his "space" apparently didn't bother to Google "High Water Sound". That "dumbass" with the "horrible space" isn't jsut an 'audiophile". His BUSINESS is selling and setting up that high-end hardware he's got there in his "apartment" and since he mentioned he's been doing it for 18 years and most "professionals" in that business and their "high end audio stores/businesses" are either VERY successful and have been for a long time which is very few of them or are "startups" and are nothing but lucky if they've been in business even five years and PROFITABLY with the business paying for itself rather than it being a "hobby business" they use as a tax writeoff for their other actually successful businesses or a way to keep spending the interest from their trust funds or their "investments" or just to have a place to go hide the fuck out and get away from the old lady and would rather go broke than go home and are doing an excellent job of the former or have already "succeeded" entirely there.
You can't hear the reverb when they're standing talking in the middle of the room? What are you listening on?? 😂
What are you talking about re: Supravox?! Of course they are still in business. I bought field coil drivers from them in 2015 and they are still in business in 2018, and today!
I am a musician and Audiophile I also listen to horn based speakers but I am not so simple-minded as to limit myself to a certain source or certain amplification. I own a DAC and if your an Audiophile and living in today's world you have to how else are you going to listen to new music that is not released on vinyl and only available in digital If you are a true lover of music and you care about the sound then you will have to own both
If I am listening to some Wes Montgomery who played through tube amps in an era before solid state existed then I want to use my DIY built 300b tube amp. If I am listening to Deep Purple who used all solid-state amplification and recorded with solid state gear in the solid state era then I want to use solid state amplification. Fact is some stuff I listen to does not sound good on tube gear and some does not sound good on solid state gear.
How about Blue Note Records they were one of the first to use digital microphones in the 80's I have plenty of Blue Note artist from that era on vinyl and they all sound amazing imagine that digital and analog working together to make beautiful music.
Fact is tube & solid state both sound good sometimes one is better suited than the other you just need to have the common sense to figure it all out.
And use your brain when it comes to speakers I have heard speakers that cost more than my house and was not impressed then I have heard speakers that cost $3000.00 that sound amazing. To be honest, the very best speakers I have heard are DIY I just built a Daniel Hertz M7 clone using the exact same driver's and horn lens and crossover for under $2000.00 and retail the M7 is $25.000.00 a pair.
And what is ultimately more important listening to music or what you listen to music with? I would rather have a conversation with someone that cares more about the music than the gear.
The guy in this video is an Audio snob an elitist that thinks his way is superior to others aka people like me. But if you notice this guys biggest speaker his 1400 pound baby has a solid state amp built in to drive the 18" bass drivers why? Because tube amps are high impedance which means low damping factor resulting in terrible muddy slow unrealistic bass and if you want realistic tight articulate bass you need solid state amplification.
If you listen from 8.00min his huge 1400 pound speakers have a 1200 watt class A/B analog amplifier funny he says analog amplifier seeing as there is no such thing as a digital amplifier also funny he has to have solid state amps for bass duties after just throwing solid state under the bus at the beginning of the video.
You seem very angry. I heard a guy telling us he likes what he likes and other people can like what they like.
Beautiful man 🙏
I’m a year older are you👀 I’m playing Mr Bowie’s Hunky Dory.
“Don’t believe in yourself, don’t deceive with belief, knowledge comes with deaths release”
Yes, I have a pair of Snell Type AIII's and I collect, not sheet music, but LP's! Also, tubes rule! I have a pair of KLH Nines driven by a pair of Futterman H3aa's - and TWO pairs of original Quads (that I can drive with a Futterman Harvard Music stereo amp)! Lest I forget, more than a dozen turntables and assorted tonearms and cartridges. For me, the soul of music resides in ANALOG recording and playback!
Dream room!
You missed an opportunity to ask for a sonic overview of those turn tables.
12:27 - "Solid copper... yeehh..." - That's what I imagine the typical copper thief sounds like.
So those Cessaro speakers have solid state amps powering the subs.....after all that tube talk?
One doesn't have anything to do with the other.
The Liszts do not have a subwoofer. They have a proper bass horn. The amp at the back powers 2 x 12" drivers that fire down the bass horn which exits below the Supervox driver. The amp module that powers the bass horn has every possible adjustment so it can be perfectly dialled in to match the other 3 drivers which are driven from your own power amplifier. The bass horn amplifier is driven from a second set of preamp outputs. The bass horn works from 80Hz to about 30Hz so the solid state amplifier is absolutely the perfect driving solution. Tube amps can be used to power the rest of the speaker where they work best.
Thanks for adding specifics on the Liszt, Graham. When I watched the video and was not being totally self conscious, I realized I said 18" bass drivers instead of 12"s. Not sure where that came from except maybe, nerves.
so basically... after all the talk of tubes and how much he dislikes SS he goes and still has a SS amp in his speakers even though horns are extremely efficient and perfectly fine to be powered by tubes. damn this guy is so snake oiled. high end audio companies love him. solid copper platter on the turn table? sure that is useful and not just bumping up the profit margins.
An incredible collection of gear but i worry about the room layout and acoustics. The room definitely requires some treatment as it sounds very reflective on the video. The pillar in front of the speakers is a big issue for me.
It's always weird how a lot of these systems they focus so much money into the gear but little or none on the acoustics.
That guy is a philosophical monster. He blew my mind with his analogies. I want to be at his house.
You Don't want to turn on the CD player, is appropriate.
You want to know why?
I was having the same problem.
SO I got out Metallica's CD an Electric Guitar and guitar amplifier and I tuned my 1988 Pioneer CD stereo system to THE real original sound.
The pioneer was missing some Mid and high treble when compared to THE real original sound.
The middle EQ of a 5 per side EQ needed to be boosted with a setting of 2.
The treble needed 1 boost on its EQ.
Hard to imagine a room with less wife-acceptance-factor! He's got a point with Hunky Dory though, great album, and really suits vinyl.
Antoine P
I don't think that's a problem for this guy..........
Ha ha, yeah, I came to that conclusion as well. But hey, I'm only jealous. Cool Moto-Guzzi t-shirt too.
Antoine P this room would be less of a woman repellent than the guy who’s apartment is full of action figures!
Everybody apparently had a case of Hatorade before watching this video and pissed it all out in comment form.
how does he remember all the vinyls on these shelves
I'm part way there. I have a Victor Orthophonic and the two Paramount sets :D
when they talk the room is tinny
This room sure doesn't seem very acoustically sound.
it isn't. these folks live in their own deluded world
You can't tell that from listening thru your pc.
If you don't get it, it's cool. There are many who do.
It sure isn't, but this guy seems to know what he likes. So maybe he likes it that way. Sound is all preference, you can throw science at it all you want and say this is the perfect setup in the perfect room and one person may love it and another may not. Even if this guy is just crazy blind with tubes it doesn't matter it's his.
@@10WA Perfect
Awesome interview and space but i am a little confused. is this his personal listening room, museum or is this equipment for sale? I sure hope he has all this equipment well insured.
Lovely room wish i got to see the amps more..
People send money on all types of things, this person has sent his money on his passion. So I buy $1 records and got three turntables and setup all over the House. 5 and counting. I go vintage and look for used bargains that’s my budget.
5:23 I love it when someone says "You can't deny it"...just watch me! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I have a Fisher 500C and its not bad.Have Audio Research too.
《I buy, "THEEE RECORD"》.
Love it!
Me too.
I also would grab "Hunky dory".
Thanks.
Good day, great personal and intimate interview with Jeffrey. I have one question, after watching several videos, I am noticing that there seem to be more than one pair of speakers in a listening space. I was under the impression that was not a good idea in that the non powered speakers would somehow react to the sound waves from the powered speakers and somehow mess up the sound. Will you share your opinion on that?
Thanks again
Dane
You are correct. The way the equipment was displayed was for maximum eye candy for the video.
Anything in the room can add resonance. I think that old canard is mostly BS.
You are probably right but you can short the drivers when not in use but mainly there is no way this guy is going to be moving these things around. Not without an atomic ceiling crane.