Does your system have jump?

Good morning Stehno-
I'm all for a truce and clarification of any misunderstandings. It seems that when somebody puts a label on someone else's opinion, it's taking a shot at that belief and, intentions aside, putting that belief down. As far as using longevity and experience as a validation for advice, I'm 52 and music listening and audio started for me seriously when I was about 15. So, when I state that the equipment is less important to me than the music, I mean it. Truck, transistor or clock radios, it doesn't matter, although my home systems are preferences. If it doen't make me and my family dance, allow us to sing along or set a mood, then I've got my priorites screwed up because I have to do "serious " listening on "serious" equipment for enjoyment. I always read your posts and usually learn something useful and I expect to continue to do so. I can be serious (reluctanly), but I'm allergic to REALLY serious. ;))

Some systems can not jump no matter what. A typical stereo is washed out in comparison to the real thing having only a fraction of the dynamic range found in live music.

To me this is what is meant by jump.

It is hard to find the proper words to describe these effects and I think we should try to answer posts in the spirit and respect to the original poster and their intents and stop the squabbles.

Mt10425, Elizabeth is correct as I did jump on you. I am sorry for that.

Thanks for your kind words and for not responding in like manner.

As for defining 'jump', Philjolet seems pretty accurate and I think I stated something like that in my previous post above.

I would define 'jump' as having everything to do with the macro-dynmaic reproduction of music, but with some serious weight behind the punches.

-IMO

While my view is not definitive by any means, the notion of jump can be characterized as the ability of the system to convey the dynamic swings of the music. Thus one might construe the system as possessing the characteristic of jump in that it is able to transmit such qualities inherent in recordings. The problem of language of course is that people infer different meanings based on reference to varying experiences and value sets. There is a great book on jazz that describes this kind of music as that which has a "swinging feeling." Now who knows what exactly constitutes swinging? Yet perhaps we might say that we know it when we hear it.

For me the preamp has always been the weak link. I journeyed through many preamps and realize one, I prefer tube amps and two, overall synergy is best left untouched once one finds a happy equilibrium. As for what others have said, I like Rowland preamps for their timbral accuracy but the sound was a bit constrained dynamically.

As for music, it happens regardless of the system which is being used but in this hobby of audiophiliacs the question is not whether my boom box or iPod has jump but whether the object of our lavish attention is able to capture and convey this inherent aspect of music. If you read Aaron Copeland's primer on music, he observes that before anything came rhythm and I agree.