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Hihat Question

Thanks in advance for your opinion-

My system is:

Anthem Integrated 225

Musical Fidelity Cd as Transport

Schiit Modi Multibit

Technics Sl 1200 mk2

Usher Cp6311

Morrow Cables

I like the system overall, plenty of bass, voices sound realistic, highs are not strident, etc.

As a drummer, I love to hear hihats, cymbals, etc. On some systems in the past I’ve heard more of this than through my setup. Most of these setups have been in the past on equipment I perceive is a lower grade than mine.

My question is: 

Should I be hearing most every hihat strike, close? Is hearing these sounds consistently the sound of a revealing system or a ‘tipped up’ presentation that I would likely tire of?

Live music varies to me in this respect, and the music on my my system varies as well. Unfortunately, I’m not able to demo where I live, so I’m interested in your opinion. Fwiw- I hear all a lot more treble in my automobile, but could be due to the euphoric goal of the manufacturer. I’m in my late 50’s, so that may play a part-

On many jazz albums, it’s all there, others not so much.

Sorry for the one post.

Thanks
uncledemp
uncledemp OP
277 posts
 
Thanks everybody. I’ll check those recordings out in the next few days. 

The Patricia Barber (A Fortnight in France) disc I own sounds great, drums and all.

I’ll gut check my speaker positioning and listening distance as well to insure I’m not sacrificing treble detail for bass, etc.

Also, I have some various cables to experiment with, nothing exotic, but at least different.

Thanks again for your thoughtful comments and guidance.

Kind regards-
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,333 posts
 
You need a great tube preamp with the right tube. Anthem is good but the hihat will be buried in most mixes because most pop/rock producers feel that a hi-hat is an irritant. Jazz, reggae, funk and disco will have more hi-hat because it fits those genres well.

I am a drummer and I use a McIntosh C2600 with a 12AX7 RCA Long Black Plate from about 1957 in the line stage. This particular tube has the magic you need. I can hear hi-hat detail on everything with this setup.

The hi-hat tends to get buried in rock and pop as there is a lot going on in the mid range with vocals and a couple of guitars. Stuart Copeland’s work with The Police is a rare example where the hi-hat isn’t buried.

The trick with a tube is that it adds harmonics. The hi-hat overtones like most cymbals are not related to the fundamental (they don’t have a pitch or tone). The tube if chosen correctly will add a bit of harmonic overtones to the hi-hat. It is amazing but your ear will hear the fundamental more clearly when you get just a little extra harmonic overtones.

I probably shouldn’t share this trick - it was like a trade secret of Doug Sax at Sheffield Labs. Listen to his remaster of Toys in the Attic and compare it to the original! Doug’s brother built his tube preamplifier.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
2,164 posts
 
i can hear the beginings of the AFB..audiogon forum band...

I call dibs on the board...probably have to fight ieales for it...
maybe I can just be the roadie..ha
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
My Infinity Monitors with Walsh tweeters sounded astonishingly real with cymbals and high hats! Same for my Walsh Sound Cylinders!
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
98 posts
 

Can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting a drummer....(another drummer here).

I too faced the same issue as you. I wanted more detail and was struggling to obtain it from my Vandersteen 2ce Sig II’s. The answer for me was to change speaker.

I auditioned Paradigm 75F (too bright and boomy at the same time); Focal 936 (very warm but where’s the detail?; Tekton Electron (slightly more detailed than the Vandersteen but had other issues for me); Triton One (again boomy, sounded like it would be a good home theatre speaker), and a few others that escape me at the moment.

Ultimately I settled on the Kef R7. Plently of detail. Perhaps slightly recessed in the mid-range. I find it to be a very forgiving speaker. I now have access to Rush and Journey recordings which I could never play on the Vandersteens.

I believe the vast majority of sound you hear is influenced by your choice of speaker. You can play around on the margins with different cables and amps; but in the end it’s hard to make up for a speaker that lacks the qualities you're looking for.

-Joe

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