Search - Various Artists :: Crackling Fire

Get the Marshmallows!

David Kleist | 01/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The "Relax with..." series of Environments is the largest entry into the Ambient Backgrounds field which I've seen in the last few years. Piggybacking on the success of the original Syntonic Research, Inc.'s series from the early '70's and Rykodisc's Atmosphere Collection (to name only two major ventures), this NY-state-based series is large (about 50 titles so far); is half "music enhanced," half "pure"; is disarmingly inexpensive...features some of the worst-written and least informative liner notes I've ever seen (one incorrectly using lie/lay); and is variable in quality from disc to disc. Amazingly, however, most of the discs are rather good-much better than any of the comparably-priced CDs I've tried."Crackling Fire" sounds like the real thing. It is more environmentally friendly than a real fireplace, and it costs a lot less. If you use it as a sleep aid, it actually gives one a "toasty" feeling with its crackles, pops, and ongoing, low-level whooshing. I could imagine a higher quality set of audio dynamics, but they'd cost lots more. This is fine, fun, and recommended."

Not too Thrilled with this CD

Calamity Jane | 07/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"What is supposed to be a crackling fire sounds more like bacon sizzling in a skillet. It took lots of imagination to replace that bacon-image with a crackling campfire.



Another poster mentioned an irritating background "roar". Mine has it too and it's very annoying. It sounds like wind blowing during a winter storm.



To make things worse, every few minutes there's a clanking noise. It's supposed to be someone poking at the fire until the firewood falls onto the hot coals. It sounds more like a camp stove falling apart.



So, instead of a crackling fire warming a cool October's eve, I envision breakfast being cooked on a rickety Coleman stove during a raging blizzard.



Not that this is a bad thing, but it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I give the disc 3 stars for creating some interesting and delightful confusion."

Very Disappointed

Dorothy L. Lawson | Roanoke, VA USA | 01/19/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I listed to the demo on line, liked it, and ordered the CD. VERY disappointed in it. Has a roaring sound that sounds like a waterfall, not a fire, and, in my opinion, was far from realistic. The roaring sound was louder than the crackling. I would return it but shipping costs more than the CD."