Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="audioholic" data-source="post: 5243863" data-attributes="member: 549629">This is a common misconception about &#039;playing flat&#039;. The idea isn&#039;t that your stereo plays music flat/monotone/whatever. The idea is, if given a signal that has equal amplitude at every frequency, the stereo will reproduce this signal via having exactly the same output level at every frequency. This is not to say your system will play music &#039;flat&#039;, obviously not as the music&#039;s signal is not flat.The idea is/was that if your system can play pink noise with exactly the same output at every frequency, then the stereo has no frequency anomalies that would interfere with accurately reproducing the (non-flat) signal of a song. IOW, if a system can display a &#039;flat&#039; frequency response given a &#039;flat&#039; signal, that means it has no peaks or dips on frequency response at any level.People generally dont like the sound of a system tuned &#039;flat&#039; and state that it is due to losses in dynamics. This is a misconception. There is no reason why a system tuned to play &#039;flat&#039; cannot also exhibit excellent dynamics. Its trying to equate to unrelated topics as equal. Dynamics have to do with extreme changes in amplitude of the signal, very rapidly. This is a function of many things, including &#039;headroom&#039; of the amplifier(s) and charging system. But it is NOT a function of a system that can or cannot play pink noise &#039;flat&#039;. Unrelated topics.That&#039;s the misconception. The truth is people prefer music that has exaggerated midbass, artificially dynamic vocals, or bass-heavy output depending on the material, etc etc etc. So we adjust our sound processors accordingly. Accuracy versus perception... they are not the same thing.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="audioholic, post: 5243863, member: 549629"] This is a common misconception about 'playing flat'. The idea isn't that your stereo plays music flat/monotone/whatever. The idea is, if given a signal that has equal amplitude at every frequency, the stereo will reproduce this signal via having exactly the same output level at every frequency. This is not to say your system will play music 'flat', obviously not as the music's signal is not flat. The idea is/was that if your system can play pink noise with exactly the same output at every frequency, then the stereo has no frequency anomalies that would interfere with accurately reproducing the (non-flat) signal of a song. IOW, if a system can display a 'flat' frequency response given a 'flat' signal, that means it has no peaks or dips on frequency response at any level. People generally dont like the sound of a system tuned 'flat' and state that it is due to losses in dynamics. This is a misconception. There is no reason why a system tuned to play 'flat' cannot also exhibit excellent dynamics. Its trying to equate to unrelated topics as equal. Dynamics have to do with extreme changes in amplitude of the signal, very rapidly. This is a function of many things, including 'headroom' of the amplifier(s) and charging system. But it is NOT a function of a system that can or cannot play pink noise 'flat'. Unrelated topics. That's the misconception. The truth is people prefer music that has exaggerated midbass, artificially dynamic vocals, or bass-heavy output depending on the material, etc etc etc. So we adjust our sound processors accordingly. Accuracy versus perception... they are not the same thing. [/QUOTE]

Verification