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What makes the Bloom around instruments . . .

I recently tried a Pass XA30.5 amp in place of my Spectron Musician III Mk 2.

In my particular system, the Spectron outclassed the Pass in every category except one: that magical Bloom surrounding each instrument and vocal entity.

I really liked that Bloom and I would like to understand how and why it's there because it is something very special and I'd really like to have it again in addition to everything the Spectron brings.

Thanks,
Chuck
krell_man
Post removed 
fas42
58 posts
 
Elizabeth, I agree with your comments generally, except that I would say the amplifiers are not able to process the fine signal properly because of weaknesses, or problems, in the amplifier and its interaction with other components. Eliminate those weaknesses, and the amp will do its job fine.

And "general background haze" is just one of the audible indicators of, or ways of describing the unpleasant, low level distortion that seems to afflict most systems.

Frank
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
I always thought that "bloom" was associated with tubed amps and not digital (Spectron) or ss (Pass) amps. Its my undertanding that when tube amps distort they produce even order harmonic distortion which is percieved by most people as pleasant and musical- bloom?. When ss and I believe digital amps distort, however, they produce odd order harmonics that most people percieve as unpleasant and unmusical-grain?. I think Nelson Pass would try to reduce odd order harmonic distortion in his amp designs. But I doubt if he would, or could, introduce even order distortion to them. But I wouldn't put it Passt him(sorry but pun, unfortunately, is intended).
hifihvn
943 posts
 
I would say that it has to be captured in the recording too.An amp can't make it if it isn't there,in the recording.With a good recording,then the amp and speakers and rest of the system has to be able to reproduce it.Over the decades in this hobby,my big complaint is the recordings.I listen to music that I don't really like at times,because they did such a great job of capturing it.There's nothing more disappointing to me than buying some new music I heard on the radio or somewhere,and get a bad recording.It just happened to many times.I think it would be great if these engineers that do a great job at this,would start a school for other recording engineers,so they could learn how to do a better job at mike placement,and whatever else it takes to get it done right.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
11,190 posts
 
Kell_man,
I get that same 'bloom' you refer to when I use my Burson integrated. I don't feel it's distortion but the amps ability to pick up that last bit of info off the recording, intact, and sending it along to you speakers. That bloom is specific, and independent of everything else on the recording so it can't be distortion since its image and placement specific and nothing else is displaying it.
A very well regulated power supply can be the answer or if you believe what Burson says (and I do), being an all discreet design of high quality doesn't hurt.
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