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Silky and soft highs: product of coloration?

Hi folks this is a bit controversial topic. I know some amplifiers (and some very expensive ones too!) have a very silky and soft presentation of the (upper) treble. I'm wondering if this silky presentation can be considered as a hallmark of quality for amplifiers or rather a sort of coloration that makes the upper treble soft and "pretty". In my opinion I can divide amplifiers in two groups: one group (the largest) with "ordinary" treble response (not very pretty) and the other group that consists of only a handful of amplifiers (both solid state and tube) with a refined and silky treble. The contenders within this last group are alas too expensive for mere mortals. This brings me to another question: is such a refined and silky treble only to be had with megabuck amplifiers?
I consider the Anne-Sophie Mutter recording "Carmen Fantasie" as the ultimate test recording for treble sweetness. If the amplifier sounds just "ordinary" with this recording (especially where the violin plays in the upper register) then the amplifier is not "refined" enough.

Chris
dazzdax
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Jaybo, you mean the other way around? Grainy violins that turn silky smooth through amplifier? Either way, violins in real life do have a certain graininess and texture but also bloom and airiness, which are altogether difficult to reproduce.

Chris
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
yes thats what i meant
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Just last week end we were at Catalina Island for a Spring break with my daughters and wife. On Monday Lakewood, Colorado High School band played some Jazz, Classical and wind ensemble music for nearly two hours. I ditched ( actually sent them on a boat ride) my family and sat about 10-12 ft away the whole time. First violins were literally in front of me when some score called for 5 of them, at a time, to get up and kinda boogie, classical style - aggressive style playing and sound was thinnish, airy, stringy- nothing silky about it.
But at times during slow movements certain playing technique did call for gentle strokes that did produce some silkishly thin sounds.

So I think silky sound do exist on certain play technique- May be someone who plays the instrument can chime in here.

BTW, this was a good refresher course for my ears to get equalized with unamplified live acoustic music.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
I'm not impressed with most violin recordings...to far away sounding, or...to strident, in mass. I do have some good solo violin recordings.

I'll guess, that it must be very hard to capture that instrument correctly on a recording.

Silky is fine, when intended, "soft highs" is not (unless the intent was to place you at 50ft away).

Dave
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Dave, with "soft" I don't mean low level audibility but "not scratchy or edgy". Silky is about grainless and smooth sound.
Nil, I know violins can sound aggressive in real life, but there is always this "energy" and bloom even with aggressive playing. Not thin, scratchy or threadbare "noise".

Chris
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