What is meant exactly by the description 'more musical'?


Once in awhile, I hear the term 'this amp is more musical' for some amps. To describe sound, I know there is 'imaging' and 'sound stage'. What exactly is meant by 'more musical' when used to describe amp?

dman777

IMO, the term more musical refers to the overall presentation of a given work.

The pacing, smoothness, dynamics, harmonics etc. - everything one would hear with live music.  Some amplifiers may sound very quiet with no distortion, but they lack the "soul" of live music...very analytical.  Other amps sound very warm and overly smooth and veiled.

It is a rare amplifier or piece of audio gear that balances the extreme to find the nirvana which is "musical".

 

My summary of this thread is that the term ’musical’ is not a good term to describe sound or equipment characteristics. It appears to have multiple different means to different people.  

 

My summary of this thread is that the term ’musical’ is not a good term to describe sound or equipment characteristics. It appears to have multiple different means to different people.  

Absolutely.  Like quite a few of the adjectives and adverbs "we" use to describe the sound we hear.  Back in '99 I found a dealer who had a used SLP90 and I took it home to audition in place of the B&K digital HT preamp I had in front of a couple of ARC VTM120s . . . something about what it did for the sound I was hearing grabbed me immediately and grabbed me hard, but I was, and still am, unable to articulate in words what it was.  "More musical" is honestly the best that I, personally, can come up with.

The good musical system makes me emotional like tap my feet, make me sing, imagine what a singer intends with the music, etc.

The good sound system makes me awe to the sound.

The great audio system should satisfy both aspects of sounds. Alex/WTA

The term "musical" cannot be defined as an opinion...

"musicality" is a concept defined with parameters under controls in experiments analysing statistical set of subjective perceptions classed in different categories..

After this set of experiments, we can using various concepts pertaining to acoustics have an idea about what will be experienced as musical by most people and what will not be so perceived ...

I modified my own speakers according to acoustic principles not according to my taste... ( even if my speakers before my modifications were not my "taste" at all )

 

read here as an example how is created with acoustic analysis : the MDQAS algorythm...

This does not means that the evaluation of what is "musical" is not the prerogative of the human subject, it means that we are all more similar which one another than different in relation with what will appear as "musical" in Acoustics...The acoustician even know why this is so for the human ears/brain ...

 

 

 

 

 

Now it is the same in architectural acoustics, which is an art based science existing for millenias...

For millenias from caveman building room in the rock to experiment sacred sound and singing to monasteries and Church to great Hall, any acoustician know what could be a "musical" room and what cannot ever be a musical room ......

The only one here who dont know what means objectively the "musical" concept and acoustic experience is the passive consumers in awe in front of always costlier proposed gear and who says picking one of them almost by chance : "it is my taste , i pick it and it is the more musical FOR ME " This customers wrote here that musicality is a taste and can only be defined by variation and relativity, then negating all psychoacoustics experience assembled in a science for millenias...

The Greek hemispheric theater had a stupendous acoustic, and it was the result of "science" and of the art of the architect-priest ....It was not the result of taste ... I hope some will get it ... 😊

Audio experience is not about "taste" but about the way we set hundred of objective parameters right especially acoustical one ...

For sure prefering a horn speaker or a small box one is a questions of specific needs more than specific taste even if taste is implied because horn dont sound as small box speakers, but using this fact to claim, that the concept of "musicality" or what is musical experience , using this fact to claim it is all about taste is complete ignorance of what is acoustics and reflect consumers conditioned mind focussing on gear piece and price tags and justifying their own choice by their taste in a vicious circle ; ignoring then all objective acoustics parameters necessary to OPTIMIZE their choice , horn or small box, nevermind what is their choice(taste) ... ...

Audio is based on these optimizing parameters and concepts not on "TASTES" save for sellers marketing practices aiming at the ignorant consumers ...

 

When we speak about "musicality" , taste there is yes for sure , but it is not about taste...

 

«When i spoke about love i dont speak about my taste for my wife »-- Groucho Marx🤓