the founder of Linn discussing the philosophic origins of his LP12 turntable
Was it the Thorens TD-150 that Linn knocked off? 😂😂
What exactly is PRaT???
Ok, it’s like this thing and is associated with “toe tapping” and such. I confess, I don’t get it. Apparently companies like Linn and Naim get it, and I don’t and find it a bit frustrating. What am I missing? I’m a drummer and am as sensitive as anyone to timing and beats, so why don’t I perceive this PRaT thing that many of you obviously do and prize as it occurs in stereo systems? When I read many Brit reviews a lot of attention goes to “rhythm” and “timing” and it’s useless to me and I just don’t get it. If someone can give me a concrete example of what the hell I’m not getting I’d sincerely be most appreciative. To be clear, enough people I greatly respect consider it a thing so objectively speaking it’s either something I can’t hear or maybe just don’t care about — or both. Can someone finally define this “thing” for me cause I seriously wanna learn something I clearly don’t know or understand.
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@atmasphere Hey Ralph thanks so much for at least trying to explain what the hell I’m missing. I get that a system needs to be fast enough to reproduce music effectively, but I just don’t get it. It’s not a “thing” for me I guess. Tone. Imaging. Soundstage. Yeah, I get all that. But pace, rhythm, and timing? No. I’ll hear plodding bass if it’s overdone and slow, but that’s just not what I hear with most systems. This “toe tapping” thing is just totally lost on me, and I guess I’m just missing it or don’t hear that way. Linn and Naim can do their “thing” but I’ll never, ever own Linn speakers because they sound like nasally ass to me. But that’s just me. |
@soix If its fast, it must not be bright. If its detailed, again that should not be in tandem with brightness. IOW you're making progress when its both smooth and detailed at the same time. The goal of the system is the music, such that you don't concern yourself about the sound of the system. |
OP, Just because you don’t get it now, does not mean you will not over time. It took me decades. Then suddenly the lightbulb popped on.
I was in Dallas about twenty years ago. I went to this dealer / home… hobby gone wild. The entire house was completely crammed with high end gear. In the downstairs listening room he had a set of Sound Lab Millennium-1 Electrostatic Loudspeakers. They were powered by a Viva tube amp… 4wpc (?). He said, I know this is ridiculous… but listen to this. It was all midrange and some flabby bass. It brought tears to my eyes… immediately, I have never heard anything so beautiful, emotionally evocative in my life. I was completely shaken and emotionally drained when I left. I really didn’t know what to make of it. I couldn’t consider buying into that system… nor was he trying necessarily to sell that sound… he was overwhelmed, as was I by the emotional connection. There was no detail… no treble… the bass was absurd. I tucked the experience into my memory. It wasn’t for another ten years when I had this epiphany that my main system had become sterile and lifeless (a true “Reference” system) that it all came together. Different experiences with certain systems that had varying degrees of PRaT… I got it! One of those lightning bolt experiences. After that, I could detect it nearly instantly and its degree. For me it was the most difficult parameter to “get”, now one of the absolutely most important. Keep at it. Starting this thread shows your curiosity. There is a long Stereophile article in the 90’s, lots of technical descriptions… did not do a bit of good for me. But trying to sense what that thing is that is making you want to tap your foot is the thing you want to pursue. Not by narrowly focusing, but by the gestalt of the sound. Good luck. |
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