2. digital
  3. 993659468

"Pace", it's importance for enjoyment?

The English press have used the term of "pace" to identify
what, I think, is a very important quality in the enjoyment
of an audio device. I have never had speakers, wires or
amplification have as much impact on this feeling of "pace"
(or I should say, lack of it)
as digital source components seem to have. Is this part
of where high-rez..SACD and DVD-A..provide an imporvement
over redbook? Too often I have had high-end cd players and
DACs provide detail..but lack the ability to let me enjoy
the listening. If there is any one thing I can point to
in vinyl vs. redbook, it is that quality of "pace". What
are your thoughts?
whatjd

Showing 2 responses by caterham1700

caterham1700
271 posts
 
Hey Dan,

Tell us if you think PRat is BS in a week or so.
*wink*

Best,
Ken
caterham1700
271 posts
 


There seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding of the terms & definitions of PRaT and the the source and causes of poor PRaT. Good PRaT is not something added to music reproduction but rather something that is easily lost by choices in component design and application.Very few manufactures truley have addressed the temporal qualities of musical reproduction until recent times.The field is still relatively new and incompletely understood as much is co-dependant on human responses to timing anomolies.
PRaT is NOT frequency/tonal dependant but a function of accurate and unambigious timing and temporal cues.
Music is based on frequency and amplitude over time.Variations and deviation from absolute timing precision affects note shape(attack/sustain/decay+amplitude) and rhythmic landmarks thus the forward motion & progression of music as well as subtlties of expression and emotion(microdynamics).
The anomolies in devices/systems with poor temporal reproduction are(amoungst other *problems*) often circuit design related as well as having inadequate power reserves & poor regulation, confused earthing,overspecing of components(saturation/capacitance/eddy of circuit paths/also see OTA cable thread) and resonant time smear.
-----------------------------------------------------------
www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?23
---------------------------------------------------------
The address above leads you to an early article by Martin Colloms from Stereophile ,Nov.92.That's less than a decade ago and was breaking new ground when the article was written.
The articles intent seems to be an attempt at identifying and defining the characteristics that are now accepted as the PRAT(pace, rhythm and timing)audio philosophy.Some portions of the article are a bit disjointed, and inarticulate in retrospect as Colloms was covering fresh and largely unexplored ground.It's still one of the best I've come across tho, and far better than I can articulate.
Give it a read.
Best,
Ken
More to discover