"Breathing" of the air

'Air' is one of those things that, IMO, all audiophiles think that they are talking the same meaning, when I think you will find that there are several predominate meanings.

For me, 'air' is the ability of speed in a system, in a way that allows for good high frequency detail without harshness. This allows for the reproduction of subtle high frequency cues , part of the harmonic structure of the instrument(s), but also the higher frequency ambient cues that are part of the instrument(s) location and reverberant field in the soundstage.

Systems or equipment that lack this ability can sound either dark or bright; 'air' is not a function of simple tonality. Generally though if the system is bright, it will seem so while at the same time not seeming to have much extention on top.

I would not take my comments as the last word on this subject and I'm interested to see others opinions on the matter.

Chris,

Great topic. I have wondered about the subject myself. A lot.

My all Zanden system for one. Driving my Dunlvay Vs is almost perfect match. Almost always from top to bottom I can hear 'Air' around instruments and voices. Just like you would if you were to listen, carefully, to live sounds. You can't 'pin' this to one equipment. Although Amps certainly is big factor. Prior to My Zanden 9600 amps, I was using MBL 9008As monos and there was air but not the right amount and or not from top to bottom. Now I think I have the perfect combination. Eerily life like. More so with Zanden digital source than my analog set ups. No etched sound at all. (I almost wish at times to get some etchiness;-))

It is interesting that Shadorne mentions Air around 7 to 12khz. Waht about the Air content below 7 khz. There certainly is lot of air moved at low freqs- low, mid and high bass and even lower to mid mids. To generate sound you have to have air at all freqs- air content varying depending on freqs. Just last night I was listening to this huge drum (avearge human size Taiko drum!) sound from Japanese artist 'KODO' . The sound was just mesmerizing. Air seemed to emnate at the drum and and propel surprisingly quickly at the listening positions with vibrations felt all over without boominess. Gotta be lot of air movement. I was going to start a new thread on this subject to clear the air (;-)) regarding : what is the freq of this associated air from top to bottom freq sounds. Characteristics, harmonics, etc. May be some one can throw more light on this...

I have heard this on two systems .

The best example was while I was demoing some speaker and amp combo's . I then went into the dealers "premier" room with one of the same CD's . That is when I heard it . I asked the dealer what made the difference and he stated that "it is the software ." I didn't know what it meant and could not ask him as he was with another customer at the time .

That setup was some big Cary tube monoblocks , top of the line Cary CDP and preamp feeding Nola's flagship speaker .
The other one was a Krell integrated feeding a pair of Martin Logan's . I don't remeber the accompanying equipment . But talk about the you are there sensation !

It may be interesting to note that neither room was a primo setup . There were no room treatments , all four walls were loaded with equipment and the listening position was in the middle of the carpeted room . But the sound was amazing and , unfortunatly , out of my fiscal ability .

As mentioned above , I think that first the equipment has to be synergistic and then the recording must contain the 'air'. I mention the recording because only one of the tunes , that I tried , from the CD gave me the 'air'. A second and third tune did not . Also , this same song on another one of my system combinations , would put the singer at your feet while the band was behind the speakers and the venue noise was behind the listening position .

Good luck .

Been there,done that got the T-Shirt.Experienced the "breathing" with a REF 3 a Cary V12 and Innersound stats,now I am famaliar with the term"air around the instruments"
When I rotated the REF out of my system the air went with it.That's what I love about the REF it was the only pre I have owned that could do that.

I'll tend to agree with Shandorne on the idea that IMD is what destroys the "air". I think this "etch" in the 7-12K (pick your own numbers here) is mistaken by many to initially be detail but after prolonged exposure the enjoyment just isn't there. When the etch is removed (reducing imd??) suddenly the air appears and everything relaxes. Maybe rather than "Air" i'll chose the phrase "sense of space" I like a big sound that gives me a feel for the space involved. Some people call it 3D sound others holographic and i think they all relate back to the same type of sound. This isn't a simple frequency response thing which leads me to look at the IMD as a possible culprit.

dave