I have always understood "flat" to mean that if there are tone controls on your amp, leave them centred - no promotion and no restriction of high, mid or low frequency.
It used to be said that if you were using them, your gear was sub-standard. You come to realise what a load of bollocks that theory is when you move your set-up to a different room or install acoustic treatments and it suddenly comes to life. Or when you take into account, the differences in quality of some productions and recordings.
Late last year, I bought a Loki to augment the bass in my system which uses various valve amps with no tone controls. To a lesser extent, I also needed to tame the occasionally harsh high ends on some albums. I enjoyed the effect it had on some recordings.
More recently, I moved to a different room and found I needed the Loki less often.
After an external power supply grid issue, I bought a power conditioner that also delivers a constant voltage. I no longer need the Loki at all.
It seems that apart from now being in a more sympathetic room, a clean and constant power supply to the amp, Dac and server was the missing ingredient in my system. I now have a more substantial bottom end as well as a more refined high end.
It used to be said that if you were using them, your gear was sub-standard. You come to realise what a load of bollocks that theory is when you move your set-up to a different room or install acoustic treatments and it suddenly comes to life. Or when you take into account, the differences in quality of some productions and recordings.
Late last year, I bought a Loki to augment the bass in my system which uses various valve amps with no tone controls. To a lesser extent, I also needed to tame the occasionally harsh high ends on some albums. I enjoyed the effect it had on some recordings.
More recently, I moved to a different room and found I needed the Loki less often.
After an external power supply grid issue, I bought a power conditioner that also delivers a constant voltage. I no longer need the Loki at all.
It seems that apart from now being in a more sympathetic room, a clean and constant power supply to the amp, Dac and server was the missing ingredient in my system. I now have a more substantial bottom end as well as a more refined high end.