I believe I experienced great PRAT for the first time


Pace, Rhythm and Timing - I've often heard about it, mainly in the context of certain turntables, but I don't think I've really experienced it in a highly satisfactory way until today when I mounted my new Soundsmith Hyperion, an upgrade from my Sussorro. Halfway through side two of Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium, it suddenly dawned on me that there was more going on than improvements in clarity, detail, neutrality, bass punch and other rather specific traits that I've until this point used to refer to what I'm hearing. For the first time in the 30 years I've had this album, I was struck by a sense of flow, ease, relaxation, and my feet were tapping! Yes, this must be it. I connected with the music at a higher level just now, something new to me. Get all the details correct, and the PRAT appears in front of you. So, this was nothing to do with the fact that my turntable runs at the correct speed with low W/F, as it was performing well at that before. I had assumed that's what PRAT meant. Perhaps it means that too, in a speed stability sense.

earthtones

Without meaning to be snide, I believe finding PRAT unexpectedly is like finding the face of Jesus on a Lay's potato chip. 

as the saying goes - 'some folks got rythm’

OTOH I guess some people just don’t get it..

I greatly enjoyed this discussion. I moved up to a Sussurro about a year ago, and it was a real revelation. Fun to think what a Hyperion could bring. But first, other aspects of my system will need some attention. 

I don't remember ever hearing good music, live or recorded, when I didn't hear PRAT. 

Pesky, in response to your rhetorical question, i dunno. DO Rega turntables produce PRAT, in fact? You suppose they do, but that’s an opinion to which you’re entitled.