What is meant exactly by the description 'more musical'?


Once in awhile, I hear the term 'this amp is more musical' for some amps. To describe sound, I know there is 'imaging' and 'sound stage'. What exactly is meant by 'more musical' when used to describe amp?

dman777

Showing 1 response by mikelavigne

some amps are about the sound; meaning you are more aware of pieces of the sound....bass.....detail.....high frequencies.....maybe impact and aggressive beat. it might sound very clean and even scrubbed a little. note decay can be clipped. certain electronic music is complimented by this presentation. these amps strangle the music to a degree. clinical.

a few amps are about the event, the intensions and artistry of the performers, the vibe of the venue, and immersion into the rich tone and textures of the nuance and feeling of the musical energy. the beat might not be as impactful, but it carries you along more into the essence. these amps get out of the way of the music. musical.

there is more to these things than amplifiers, there is the context of the speakers, room and system....and the type of music and quality of the source.

but amps do play a big role. this is not a tube<->solid state thing. but it is related to simplicity of circuitry and keeping the processing to a minimum. zero negative feedback helps. efficient speakers help. a great first watt helps. the music can’t be held back.

some amps can be musical, but too colored to be effective with all types or scales of music. but that might your preference. personally i want an amp to sound like music, and not have any sameness of coloration i have to listen through.