Decca recordings and crossfeed

I´ve been busy rippin a 50 CD box set with Decca recordings and while listening to few I notived that the soundstage was totally comfused. It sounded just like massive phase problems. When I turned the crossfeed off all that disappered.

Anyone having experienced the same?

Any explanation?

Chain looks like this: Computer source with jRiver in wav format->PS Audio Directstream DAC->Grace m920 used as amp only -> Fostex TH00

cheers
Ferrum

 

Which set was this? The black and white box with mostly classical stuff?

 

No, mine is blue and red with only classical stuff

Also I want to clarify that the croosfeed I used was in the Grace amp

Ferrum

 

I don't know if that box includes the "Decca Tree" era recording method. If it does, that might have something to do with it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decca_tree

 

Sure, I know that most was recorded with the Decca tree but why do the sound get all confused when I use crossfeed?

Ferrum

 

It would take someone smarter about such things than I to answer that question, @Ferrum . I was speculating that since Decca used a different technique for capturing the sound of an orchestra with microphones, with their "Decca Sound", maybe it would respond differently to cross-feed.

"Decca Sound" has to do with phase relations among other things. Just a thought.

 

You're basically overlapping two stereo processing effects... you'll get all sorts of weirdness when that happens. The recording and processing method already mixes channels across into each other. Then your crossfeed does it again. Think of it like you're making a recording of something and putting a lot of reverb/echo into it, then play it back in a very resonant room. You're just gonna get a mess out of it.

 

The Decca early stereo recordings have been praised by audiophiles for 40-50 years, and are still highly priced, if you can find original lp pressings. (Their medium period recordings -say, w Solti in Chicago- were not directly bad either). Massive phase problem? Sounds strange! I believe the only time Decca recordings had "phase problems" it was rather intentional: Their small "Phase 4" series, in which they experimented with multi-miking/close-up-miking of orchestras. It could sound funny/impressive, but I think most buyers did not want it, because it meant throwing away the classical hi-fi ideal: Attempting to give a concert-hall illusion. For all i know the P4 stuff may be brought to sound more natural by some kind of processing, as that mentioned by Ferrum.

 

Sorry for the late answer, been away for a few days.

Thanks, thats probably it. Happily its easily resolved, I just switch off the crossfeed and all is well.

PS I do like the sound these Decca recording, they range from 1961 to 2004 but they all sound just fine.

cheers
Ferrum