Nothing As It Seems

Here are our MD John Carroll’s notes from his most recent listening session. Enjoy his Test Track Attack.

Track: Nothing as it Seems

Artist: Pearl Jam

Album: Binaural

Not all test tracks are about hearing the type of wax used on the body of the instrument! Some tracks give insight into the artist or band. 'Nothing as it Seems' captures the dark mood that seems to haunt on a daily basis. Played on my little system in our TV room at home through the MOON ACE and streamed from Qobuz, a blanket of deep, dark bass fills the room. The connection between the musicians shows that they truly feel each other in the making of this track. The opening guitar riffs hook you in, followed by the continued strum of the acoustic. Vedder’s voice, a house favourite, evolved during the making of the Binaural album, finding a new depth.

In system judgment terms, this track exposes any lack of texture capability while being totally unforgiving to bass overhang in the loudspeakers. Only amplifiers with a clean top end and an expressive, super-wide soundstage will pull you into this track. Any lack of transparency will cloud the performance. Things can be improved with the addition of the new Nordost Red Dawn 3 loudspeaker cable without sacrificing depth and weight.

If all comes together, as the track says, it will sound like “a whisper through a megaphone.” If anything is lacking in the system, it will follow the other lyrics: “a scratching voice all alone.”

Consider moving your loudspeakers further into the room and sitting a little closer to enjoy the all-involving aspect of this track.