What makes the Bloom around instruments . . .

Frogman's description of bloom and the sound of real instruments in a real performance is awesome. Great stuff!!! I'd just like to add that these qualities are rarely present in a studio recording. It does not have to be "live" recording but if the recording is built up instrument by instrument in a conventional studio with all its acoustic treatments, its unlikely to be present. IMO, this is one of the ways that most people can immediately distinguish between a live performance and a reproduction, even when heard from some distance away.

Bloom cannot accurately describe a drum or cymbal's.So it can't be used for all instruments.

I also agree with Frogman's description at the global level. Composer's such as Scriabin and Bruckner reveled in the sonic soup.

Now, here comes the controversial part. While resolving low-level detail is part of it (and I've gone off the deep-end to achieve this), the components are a big piece as well. I say controversial because terms such as neutral and colored are like audio philosophy and religion.

In my experience, if one takes a highly conductive, low gauge wire to transmit power or signal, the result can be sterile, a black background, and an artificial leading edge with truncated decay. For some reason, fine-gauge, multi-stranded conductors of silver, gold, and platinum just sounds real. I will admit that this is altering the signal, but the means justify the ends. Same with tubes, because if you can create a real and intoxicating sound with juicy and dimensional detail, then a system will satisfy on an emotional level.

While trying to nullify weakness by combining different components can be a slippery slope with potential dead ends, combining strengths will open new possibilities.

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 have never heard an effect like this with the XA30.5. I don't doubt what you are hearing, but I'm wondering if there's some kind of unhappy interaction between the amp and outboard crossovers/speakers that's resulting in a skewed frequency response.

On the other hand, when I think of drums overpowering other parts of a recording, I usually associate that with room modes. But presumably you would hear the same room modes with the Spectron amp, so I don't know what to think. I assume you did not change the position of the speakers when you changed amps.

Bryon

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