Ultra high resolution

04-23-08: Mrtennis said:
"... "high resolution" does not match the experience of listening to live unamplified music."

By definition, the higher the resolution, the closer to the live experience. You're saying the opposite. High resolution is superior to low resolution.

I think your desire for euphonic coloration is being confused for accuracy. Those colorations are not desireable for many of us (most?). I hear and make live music almost every day and also want the highest resolution possible in my system. High resolution does NOT include harshness, but is as close to the actual performance as possible.

Dave

I think it is all of the above and talent and experience of the designer. It helps a lot if he has extensive live music listening experience. Every parts is and should be 'costed' not soley parts quality/price but how it works in his current design as a whole.

I don't think there are only two amplifier brands out there w/ UHR. There are several or could be many (Small brands are sometime overlooked)

Once you have UHR amp, it comes down to how good is your source and preamp. Otherwise, garbage in UHRed garbage out!

With that said I agree w/ Mr Tennis's take on UHR. I like my music to sound natural and 'simple' (no exaggerated harmonics and details- which many well touted UHR system produces). Live music is not complicated- sound characteristics wise)

I have another stupid question: do some amplifier designers introduce deliberately some kind of noise (some kind of analog dither) so there is an apparent enhanced resolution?

Chris

hi chris:

more noise reduces focus and the level of resolution, it may mask low level musical information.

dither is sometimes used as a technique in the design of digital hardware.

hi dave:

many stereo systems seem more focused and have more clarity than live unamplified music.

consider the concert hall.

unless you sit very near the stage, there is a blending affect occuring with greater distance from the stage.

that is, sitting near the rear of a concert hall, with many bodies in fron of you changes the perception of treble frequencies. one is likely to hear an ensemble of violins rather than be able to pick out or count a number of individual violinists. there will be an attenuation of high frequencies. such a situation is not consistent with "high resolution". i have never heard anyone use the term "high resolution" to describe an orchestral performance.

unless you are performing in an orchestra, the term "high resolution" is not representative of what an audience member experiences at a concert hall.

rather,"medium resolution" is probably more appropriate.