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.  

soix

Pace is the speed, rhythm is the repetitive beat, timing is the emphasis. Music, stand-up comedy, the stage, film, writing--success in these crafts is largely defined by these three simple but discrete elements.

@dogearedaudio +1. Alec Guinness, Anthony Hopkins IMHO made you want to listen to them and convincing because of the way they used Prat to express their lines.

 

How do you listen to pace and rhythm? Forget about it.

@jayctoy You don’t listen to it like detail imaging etc. You feel it.

 

Didn't someone say music is comprised of 2 things, rhythm and melody?

 

A please define for me what "imaging" and "3D soundstage" mean.  In relation to what?  And why are they important?

@dogearedaudio  Really?  Seriously???  Why are you even here if you don’t get these simple concepts?  

@cdc , Sure, I've mentioned it before so it's not like it's some secret. 

My integrated is the Technics SU-G700M2 with the matching  SL-G700 SACD player. My speakers are the Revival Audio Atalante 3 monitors w/matching stands. My cabling consists of Darwin Audio speaker cables and interconnects and the power cords are a mix of TWL and Zu Audio with a Audioquest Niagara 1200 power and conditioner/surge protector. I also use IsoAcoustic Oreas under the integrated and SACD player and I have an old Marantz ST6000 tuner that is now quite satisfying to listen to thanks to the aforementioned. 

As usual, YMMV but for me, I'm quite content until I win the lottery and dig deeper for the bigger Atalante 5 speakers to use in a bigger, dedicated place. Hope that helps to point the way or at least give an idea of what can work.

All the best,
Nonoise