Can you tell original file from tube amp record? - test

Which file is the original and which do you prefer

  • Apricot is the original file

    Votes: 7 46.7%

  • Avocado is the original file

    Votes: 5 33.3%

  • I prefer Apricot by listening

    Votes: 7 46.7%

  • I prefer Avocado by listening

    Votes: 7 46.7%
  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .
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#105
Not all the overtones that make up the timbre are harmonic. My feeling against harmonic distortion in reproduction is that it can add to dissonance due to the non harmonic scale. It can also change timbre.

I may be wrong, it's all very subjective, I would argue even what constitutes dissonance is subjective
 
Last edited:
#112
Harmonics

About harmonics, I just read what Hugh Dean (AKSA) wrote:

The Blomley Class B amplifier

I have found that a linear, decreasing harmonic profile sounds very natural, but measures badly.

If H2 starts at -90dB, and increasing orders drop by 10dB finishing with H5 at -120dB, the sound is very clean but cannot be criticised. OTOH, if H2 starts around -68dB, with increasing orders dropping 10dB and finishing with H5 at -98dB the sound is markedly warm, natural and rich.

While we recognise a 'sound effects box' it is difficult to ignore such an amplifier, it sounds wonderful, not the same as a tube amp (with it's typical H2 starting around -45dB) but not dissimilar. All this indicates subtle, unexpected psychoacoustics, almost the negation of the zero THD yore we all look for.

...The final comment concerns feedback, which in global fb amps create corrections to corrections, out to higher orders. Something seems to happen beyond about 35dB of global fb where the front to back, 'depth of image', seems to shrink, giving only 2D stereo image.
Click to expand...
 
#119
scottjoplin said:
Not all the overtones that make up the timbre are harmonic. My feeling against harmonic distortion in reproduction is that it can add to dissonance due to the non harmonic scale. It can also change timbre.

I may be wrong, it's all very subjective, I would argue even what constitutes dissonance is subjective
Click to expand...

Most overtones are harmonic. A string or pipe, covers most instruments, vibrates at fractions of the length. Full length, fundamental, 1/2 length second harmonic, 1/3 lenght 3rd harmonic, etc. so it's a physical relationship. Non harmonic scale is used so different key signatures sound different ( the chords ), not just in pitch. The spacing between notes ( in frequency) changes for different keys. But each note in the chord has harmonics that are multiples of the fudamental. So harmonic distortion does not add new freq on most instruments. Drums and cymbals are a different story.
 
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