EASCA’s competition division provides a platform for all sound-quality fans in Europe.

Hifi is always an illusion. An illusion that attempts your imagination making your eyes see what you are listening to. You can help your imagination by closing your eyes

EASCA’s competition division provides a platform for all sound-quality fans in Europe.

Although this CD is designed for judging a car-stereo-system, it is also a very helpful tool for your home stereo. But it is not only a tool, because tools are for working. It is a collection of some very fine Stockfisch tracks, designed for your audiophile pleasure. It is needed to define some categories. We define: Sub bass within the frequencies 0 – 45 Hz Bass from 45 – 120 Hz Fundament from 120 – 250 Hz The mids from 250 Hz to 3 kHz The high frequencies from 3 kHz on In the first part we evaluate the tonality and distortion of the separate categories. A soundsystem can make several mistakes. Wrong coloration of the signal is a very common one. Sara K. on Track 6 just has to sound mostly warm, perhaps a bit smoky sometimes, but never light or harsh. Also it can be that a narrowbanded peak (or decay) unnaturalizes the soundsource. Also the distortions are examined here The next part is the overall spectral balance. We evaluate the harmonious interaction between the above defined categories. If narrowbanded mistakes within one category are counted within the tonality because they have conducted to a loss of that they also have to be considered here – cause it is a mistake with two effects. Do not bother if you are a victim of this, you can improve two mistakes with one correction ;-) The next part is staging. We judge the width, height, front and depth as well as the focus. The width means on one hand the absolute spread from left to right, on the other the correct relations along the stagewidth. Focus also combines two properties. First the system must be able to let you locate the acoustic source exactly. The next thing is, that the source must have correct dimensions. A flute is mostly smaller than a contrabass ;-) Depth can be judged by the differentiation into the room and front is judged by the distance of the stage from the driver position. The height is a quite difficult discipline for stereo systems. To set the middle of the scene at eye level is one not so challenging part. But spreading it up and down to prevent the stage from being flat without influencing the focus negative is not so easy. Two very important quality characteristics for a sound system to sound naturally and authentic are their dynamic abilities. Nature is unbeatable in dynamic. Ever listened to a woodpecker hitting on a tree or a rhino trampling through the shrub? The noises are raising fast, clear cut and containing finest vibrating details as well as tremulous attacks. Dynamic is therefore divided into acute and rough dynamic. Let us come to the tracks: Track 1 Left-right Test This Track can be used to check if you have wired your speakers correct. It also can be used to have a first look on the stage width. Track 2 Phase-test. First part is in phase, it sounds normal and is filling the room. Second part is out of phase, it sounds thin and gets a bit lost in the room, compared to the in-phase part. Track 3 Chris Jones – No sanctuary here This track is dominated by a well defined darksome bassline. It reaches from even from the sub bass into the bass section. Track 4 Steve Strauss – Youngstown Especially the deep sounding drum should be considered for judging. It is playing right in sub bass range and like track 3 should never overwhelm the scene, Steve Strauss’ voice and his guitar has always to be clearly audible. For the acute dynamic you can attend to the noises that come from the strings and are quickly changing. It should not sound like something undefinite but like a guitar string. Track 5 Allan Taylor and Chris Jones – The Tennessee Waltz For this track we gratefully received a picture from Stockfisch that was taken while recording. Notice the positions of Chris Jones (left) and Allan Taylor. And have a look at the different distances of the singers to the microphones. Are you’re eyes “hearing” the scene as it is seen on the picture by the microphones? Chris Jones has no direct microphone to his mouth, so his voice resounds a bit. Allan Taylor sits quite nearer to a microphone, his voice is more direct. Also the work of his hand on the fretboard can be easily heared. The soundholes are rather pointing to one microphone. So the two guitars are sounding mainly from center. Perhaps you can hear Chris Jones moving his head at 00:32 to 00:35. The according baseline should be always audible and reaches from subbass to the fundamental tone. Again it is never overwhelming the scene, also it never dominates the guitar of Allan Taylor. Track 6 Sara K. – I can’t stand the rain Sara K.s’ voice is reaching from fundamental to higher mids, the guitar from base to mids. Sara sings with a warm and variable, here and there a bit smoky voice, sometimes forming the sound with her mouth. This should be transported by the sound-system. She should be "nailed" at the center of the soundstage. This should be in height of the view area. Listen to this track again with higher sound pressure level for rough dynamic and decide wether the sound suffers or it is just louder. Track 7 Eugene Ruffolo - Beyond Love With this track you can especially listen to the high frequency notes played by the guitar. They are fine resoluted, transparent and easily waving out. Track 8 Steve Strauss – Closer Like in track 7 you can judge the higher frequencies and again the acute dynamic. With a good system you recognize the corns moving in the maraca and hitting against the wall. Especially in the beginning you can “feel” Steve hitting his guitar, while he is playing alone. With good dynamic the act of hitting is reproduced very authentic and seems to be within reach. Track 9 Ewen Carruthers - Amber Room Here we have a very warm and smooth bass accompaniment. The origin is not really to locate, the sounds just there. At 03:26 starts a female voice which is soft pronounced and clearly audible. Track 10 Bassface swing trio - Embraceable you The three members of Bassface swing trio are playing together since 2003. They mostly want to play traditional swing music. All three are playing in a very skilled way, they really celebrate the music they are playing, they never sound strained, always easy and free. Their second record they do together with Guenter Pauler of Stockfisch. The three instruments contrabass, piano and percussion provide many fine details you can discover in the sound, especially at the percussion. It all sounds naturally and exactly defined. The instruments must have correct sizes. The piano sounds from mid right, percussion is centered in the background with contrabass in front of it. The record is taken in a basement room with strong walls. The dimensions is like a small club, you can or should be able to hear this. Track 11 Blue chamber quartet - Childrens’ song 12&16 At this track you mainly listen to distortions, every tonal range is concerned in this track. Also you can listen to noises in the car that are affected by the sound reproduction Track 12 Gergely Bogányi – Nocturne Es-Dur op.9 Nr. 2 The grand piano is well defined also by resolution, transparency and attack. It becomes living by fullfilling our demands to dynamic skills. Also listen to this track at higher SPL to judge wether the systems can handle all the dynamic at this level. Track 13 Center-Test. The piano chordal is a pure mono signal. This is a simple, but very effective tool for setting the time delay. The chordal should be in the absolute center position of the front windshield, between the rear mirror and dashboard. Tracks 14 to 17 These are pure sinus tones for exact volume adjustments of the amplifier channels.   Track 18 Pink Noise