Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hey Ed:

> It is a real art to make effective compromises in such designs. I
> have nothing but respect for the people who do it, even at
> relatively modest price points. Sound staging is a delicate
> enterprise, easily lost. I've heard vaunted seven speaker setups
> that couldn't hold a candle to an electronically and acoustically
> sophisticated stereo system. 

Yeah, a great example of this would be car systems that would crank about 
145-150 db and just about disable the occupant inside during the SPL contest 
that another person would be outside to open the door and turn the sound down 
(I've seen this!).  BUT, the bass would be all you could hear.  I would 
rather enjoy the systems I build than listen to that.  See, with good 
hearing, people have more functional tolerance for a not-so-well designed 
system because their hearing can compensate for it and pull out the sounds 
that ought to be "more there," even though it's not that comfortable.  Me, 
I'm limited by my hearing, which means I need a sound environment that is 
very attuned to my hearing loss, in a very controlled manner.  Like I need an 
EQ to cut certain frequency spikes that my hearing aids generate and to boost 
certain frequency holes that my hearing aids or my hearing has trouble with.  
The sound stage, low-midrange and above, has to be strengthened beyond what 
most people can tolerate so that it sounds right or balanced for me.

Stereo equipment is something I have played with for about 20 years, so I've 
had time to play with some interesting stuff, even though they were not 
totally high-end stuff, but better than run-of-the-mill stuff.

> Steph, you've certainly been able to overcome many of the limits in
> your hearing. You certainly put to good use what you have. It's
> inspirational, really.

Well, thank you for your words.  I worked hard to build up the world of sound 
I live in.  I keep doing it, because every five years, I get new hearing aids 
which are much better than the previous ones.  It's like a few weeks ago, I 
learned that when you use a paper towel to clean the counter top, even if 
it's wet, it makes a very soft, high-pitched scratching sound.  Before that, 
I never knew that existed, that people heard that every time they wiped down 
a counter with paper towels.  Another one that's really freaky is those 
build-it-yourself furniture that comes in a box and you put it together 
yourself.  Remember those long hex-indented screws you put in with allen 
wrenches?  I knew for years that they would make a squeaking sound when you 
made the final turns in the screws.  What I didn't know what that these 
screws, when you first turn them in, make a hissing, scratching sound, until 
they start squeaking towards the end.   That happened within the last two 
months when I was helping someone.  I was absolutely flabbergasted, and I 
just sat there, wondering what was happening, given that I've already had 
these hearing aids for over two years now.  I then realized that maybe my 
sensitivity was coming back (because I'm practicing drums again, with my 
drumcorp sensitivity to timing) and being pushed even further because my 
hearing aids are better than the previous ones I had.  I'll have to see what 
else happens in the next few years.

Stephanie