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

@gbmcleod  As I mentioned, I’m a drummer so I not only know the beat, I’m the one who keeps it so the dancers know where it is and I still don’t get how PRaT translates (or doesn’t) to an audio system.  Sorry but your analogy doesn’t translate to me at all, but neither has anyone else’s for that matter so it remains a mystery to me. 

@soix After four pages of discussion, I am pretty sure Agoners can’t help you with this, unless they are a Buddhist monk or a licensed psychologist.  Hopefully you will continue keeping the beat as you play and listen to music - Happy New Year.

kn

After four pages of discussion, I am pretty sure Agoners can’t help you with this, unless they are a Buddhist monk or a licensed psychologist.

@knownothing I agree. Nothing anyone has said here has helped or made any sense to me whatsoever — I just don’t get it, but that’s ok. At this point I’m thinking it’d take a direct A/B comparison between good and bad PRaT systems to get it through my head cause words ain’t cutting it and this seems more like a “feel” thing that needs to be heard to be understood. Anyway, in the meantime I guess I’ll just be like those who say they can’t hear a difference between streamers and go forward in happy ignorance. 😜