Ultra high resolution

music can be therapeutic. there are different reasons for listening to music and many purposes for owning a stereo system.

i sometimes think a stereo system can help relive tension or put someone to sleep, as well as help to lower blood pressure. too much intensity and complexity--all of the stimulation that is generated when listening to music as if you are on stage or in rows one to 5, is not always conducive to satisfying the psychological needs of some listeners. someone's breath and other sonic artifacts are not music.

Is any of you familiar with a poweramp that has ultra high resolution (without sounding overly aggressive)? If you do, could you specify which amp you have in mind? In my opinion 95% of all amps (tubes or solid state) don't have this ultra high resolution. So this is a very rare breed indeed.

Chris

Dazzdax, under the right conditions the Nuforce Ref 9 SE V2 amps should easily fit into this ultra high resolution category.

Mrtennis, for a lover of music there is nothing so therapeutic as a playback system that comes infinitely closer to the live event. Anything less brings frustration and anxiety which is counter to being therapeutic.

If one had such a system and they wanted to relax, they would simply listen to the appropriate music that suited their mood. Rather than swap out (downgrade) cables or components to strip away resolution, dynamics, intensities, etc..

-IMO (I am a Nuforce dealer)

I just cut/pasted this from a thread Mrtennis started a while back in the "digital" forum: (i like a dull, veiled, laid,back, boring sound capable of putting me to sleep. i hate treble and i don't like detail. i like subtractive coloration to such an extent that all recordings sound the same. you can talk about detail, neutrality all day long.if you don't tap your foot, it doesn't matter. i want to relax, not bothered by detail or dynamics. veil the sound and cut off the highs. darkness and dullsville is my motto, by choice. thick caramel syrup makes me happy) My purpose IS NOT to indicate there's anything wrong with his listening tastes in his personal listening environment. That is no one's business, but his own. What's interesting is how he seems to enjoy trying to convince others that his love for a lack of reality is correct. Stehno- I completely concur that those conditions generate anxiety and frustration. I've said it before though: If we all had the same tastes, this would be a really boring world.

04-28-08: Dazzdax said:
"Is any of you familiar with a poweramp that has ultra high resolution (without sounding overly aggressive)? If you do, could you specify which amp you have in mind? In my opinion 95% of all amps (tubes or solid state) don't have this ultra high resolution. So this is a very rare breed indeed."

Chris, the Jeff Rowland Design Group Continuum 500 integrated amp will meet your goal, as will several others.

HOWEVER, I'm worried that you may not have your speakers properly set. The very best equipment will "shout" at you if you haven't set it up to minimize intermodulation distortion. IM distortion from the speakers is due to conflict between the two speakers (assuming a 2-channel set up) and/or the speakers and the room.

See my Review of the Sumiko Master Set. Also Guidocorona mentions it recently in his review of either the Rowland Capri or set up of his Vienna Acoustic Mahlers. After a Master Set you'll find yourself listening around 10 dB higher and the system stress will drop 100%, better than if you spent another 10-grand on equipment.

So, do a speaker set first, then consider upgrading your equipment.

Dave