What makes the Bloom around instruments . . .

Thanks for all of the responses. It makes sense.

Since it appears that it's a product of either my AC, Spectron or both, that's where I'll start to look.

It can't be the Wadia S7i since the bloom was there with the Pass but not with the Spectron.

Chuck

Rob (Rtn1) posted this to my system accidently and has asked me to move his thoughts to this post, if some of you don't know Rob, he is one of the ultimate audiophiles on Audiogon.

"Hi Chuck,

If one deconstructs a single note played on an acoustic instrument, such as piano/violin/cello, the concept of bloom can be better understood. As the musician transfers mechanical energy into the instrument, the body goes from rest to vibration. This transition is the leading edge of a note. The note will then reach its peak, and evolves depending upon how much energy was used. The evolution is due to individual parts of the instrument interacting with one another, to reinforce or cancel the vibration. This results in a complexity of sound and hue that is still part of the main vibration. Next, the instrument will come to rest, and the note will decay and fill the space of the hall.

The brain processes all this information and passes judgment as to whether it sounds ‘real’. If the leading edge or decay is too short, or if the evolution is too simplistic, the result is mechanical, analytical, fatiguing, etched. If it does not have the correct decay, the result is the dreaded black background. If the leading edge or trail is too long, the result is syrupy, hazy, boring. If these elements are correct, the sound is natural, and has a paradoxical detail. The detail is a sense of roundedness, texture, depth, and a floating sensation. Because the brain perceives the sound as natural and right, it has more agreeable detail compared to the analytic sound described above.

What is the basis of this natural sound? As others have surmised, part of it is recorded and part of it is introduced by components and cabling. I no longer understand the concepts of neutral, colored, distorted, etc. The goal is to have a sound that is real and right. Just as with a great dish, it takes many ingredients.

You are correct that the Pass XA.5 has this element. That is why I believe this amp is so special. I do think there are other ways there.

1) Tubed preamp ($$$$): Lots of good choices out there. Less if you wish to run balanced, which I recommend because of the Wadia. I believe this is the most important missing piece in your system. I also am convinced that at a volume level <90, the Wadia suffers from lack of detail and dynamics.
2) Jade Audio Cables ($$): JD uses fine gauge, multistranded gold and silver wire to create this bloom. His cables are all about that natural bloom, and I have yet to hear a IC or SC that does this better. His cables are close to adding a tubed preamp, with none of that syrupy mid, rolled treble, or muted bass.
3) NVS Sound Power Cables ($$$): Nathan is using some very special wire and techniques to create this decay and sense of space. You should speak with him and describe what you need.
4) HiFi Tuning Gold Fuses ($): I tried the silver fuses, and they were mechanical. The gold ones are just right in my system.

Best of luck on your new obsession. This element has been my obsession for the past year."

Chuck

Thanks to everyone! Now my heads spinning trying to explain my thoughts about what the Bloom is to me.

I have a soundstage that is detailed, wide, deep and layered. I think that the Bloom that I'm wanting is the glow or highlighting around each instrument. It does seem to be highlighted by a blacker void around it, which brings out even more minute aspects of the tones, making it more realistic sounding.

It sounds like you've all got me seeing that the most important ingredient is lowering the background even more to let the micro pieces show themselves first. Then maybe enhancing it further if I need to with either mods or upgrades.

Thanks again to everyone!
Chuck

Bob,

You're right about my setup. The only difference between the Pass and the Spectron system was just the amps, everything else was the same.

As far as the Spectron goes, I've not heard another amp that has matched it. My personal list of the high-end amps that I've had in my system over time is:

1. Krell
2. Musical Fidelity
3. Herron
4. Karan
5. Burmester
6. BAT
7. Pass
8. Spectron

These are some pretty heavy hitters, but you're right about something more important. Because I've played music all of my life, I'm used to picking songs apart instrument by instrument as if I'm learning them.

I enjoy hearing what each musician is adding to the song rather than sitting back and just enjoying the song. That's what I couldn't stand about the Pass, I knew that there is an organ in Dire Straits "Industrial Disease", but with the Pass, it was washed out.

I know that if I played the organ in that song, I'd want people to hear what I contributed to the song. I don't think that I'm alone in my listening preference, and I also realize that many people want to just enjoy the song as a whole.

Given my listening preference, if I have to give up the Bloom in order to keep the detail, I'm much more comfortable doing that and knowing that it was my choice. I was just hoping that there was a way to have my cake and eat it too, and I'll do as much as I can to get there, if it's a place that I can get to.

Chuck

I guess that a more specific explaination is in order here. It seems that there's a lot of confusion with what I said or how I said it.

In my system, with my Wadia S7i directly feeding the Pass XA30.5 via $5,000.00 interconnects, then out to my $15,000.00 custom modified speakers and Duelund outboard crossovers via $6,500.00 speaker cables, the Pass XA30.5 was heavily bloated whereas the Spectron Musician III Mk2 was precise.

The XA30.5 had a strong bass and good high frequency extension, BUT, the instrument that was so prominent that it was masking everything else was the drums.

I said that the organ was masked and I couldn't hear it because I play keyboards. I know that the organ is in the song. But the organ was not the only thing missing or covered over by the drums. The quiet guitar parts at the end of the song were also unheard. Everything besides the drums was a lot quieter and covered up due to the drums being so prominent.

The only time that I heard the Bloom is during quiet or non-complex passages. During complex passages the drums were smacking my head against the wall.

Also, I don't listen at very loud volumes. I'm in a 10' x 12.5' room with the speakers 4' from my ears. I have the dip switches on the Wadia set to attenuate the output by -18 db so that I can open up the Wadia's volume to the recommended level without blowing my ears out.

I'm not saying anything against the Pass other than what it was doing in my system in my room.

Chuck

Bryon,

No absolutely nothing else changed other than removing the Spectron and puting the Pass in its place.

I don't disagree with you, my result with the XA30.5 seems to be contary to everyone else in the whole world, look how the reviewers rave about it and the awards it's getting. My question really didn't have anything to do with the quality of the XA30.5, only the Bloom that I got from it.

It probably would have been best if I hadn't mentioned the amp. I did it, not thinking, because that's where I had the Bloom and I really liked that part of the sound.

All that I'm searching for is to have that Bloom added to everything that I'm getting right now from the Spectron, if that is possible.

I'm very fortunate to have arrived where I really enjoy sitting down with my system and listening to my music.

I've gotten here with the help and guidance of Roger Cullen (Irish65), Peter Israelson (formerly of Star Sound and the engineer who upgraded my speakers and built my crossovers) and Craig Hampel (an associate of Geoff Poor of BAT and the designer of the Running Springs HZ Crown Jewel power cord and owner of CH Acoustic).

The Bloom would be the cherry on top of my fully decked out hot fudge sundae.

Chuck

Byron,

I didn't think that you were. There had been a lot of posts talking about the XA30.5 and I was trying to clarify to everyone that in no way was I referring to the XA30.5 as anything other than having that magical Bloom that I really liked and want to have again.

I think that I unintentionally led some posters off of the question that I was asking about the Bloom by mentioning the XA30.5 by name.

Chuck