Sure. Most of us do.
However, let's be honest: we don't know what these words mean in objective terms when it comes to describing sound. Just read one of the typical "HiFi" review magazines... it's usually really hard to understand what they are saying about the sound, because the terminology is just not well defined. In fact, I can't think of many adjectives that really pertain to sound quality and can therefore be used in an objective way (I can think of "loud" and "distorted", but that's about it for the moment... I guess there are a few more).
In objective terms, a "warm" amplifier is an amplifier at a high temperature. Along these lines, using "warm" to describe sound quality in an objective way would imply a high temperature of the sound, which is of course nonsense. Nevertheless, "warm" is used all the time to describe sound quality, and we all know it means something (but we're not always sure what, or different people might not think of the same thing).
Given the lack of objective terminology to describe sound quality, some engineers like to say they don't know the meaning of "warm sound", and they are probably just being honest. Still, I feel that's a poor excuse to not at least try to figure out what someones desire for "warm sound" might mean in terms of electronic or acoustic engineering -- understanding the needs of a "customer" is the first step in setting up the design targets.
Once one has a phono preamplifier with the desired properties, whatever those may be, one could use an inverse RIAA network to be able to use it as a buffer as well. If the interfacing between the cartridge and the preamplifier has an important impact on the sound, a lossy inductor may be required between the inverse RIAA network and the preamplifier.
Good post, and I'm being a bit too formal here I guess.
But, translating someone's requirements into tech terms needs the requester to be up to speed in those tech terms.
I've been working in software development and there you often have a similar situation.
Very often the customer cannot translate what he wants into software technical or even logical terms.
So, often I had to tell the customer what he wanted 😎
Jan
But, translating someone's requirements into tech terms needs the requester to be up to speed in those tech terms.
I've been working in software development and there you often have a similar situation.
Very often the customer cannot translate what he wants into software technical or even logical terms.
So, often I had to tell the customer what he wanted 😎
Jan
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The wife of a good friend of mine was very active on line.
She operated by the motto:
"Before you speak, ask yourself: is it true? is it necessary? is it kind?"
To my chagrin I must admit I'm not very good at it myself, although I do try.
Jan
Seems like the real reason for making these three topics that now merged into one was simply to make fun or show off how ignoring the rules is done while launching a very debatable subjectively subjective subject ....
No feedback from the topic's author so why we'd even bother with it unless it's a natural gossip choice?
No feedback from the topic's author so why we'd even bother with it unless it's a natural gossip choice?
Some think including 2H results in a more pleasing result.
Easily done on a side channel composed of a push-push doubler mixed in with the main channel
at the desired level to get the desired result. It that doesn't help simply use it as a guitar pedal.😀
If not sure how push-push works, consult your RF buddy.👍
Easily done on a side channel composed of a push-push doubler mixed in with the main channel
at the desired level to get the desired result. It that doesn't help simply use it as a guitar pedal.😀
If not sure how push-push works, consult your RF buddy.👍
The OP asked a simple question and, without fail, gets another lecture about subjective and objective terms. And we all know what he means but some people are on a horse too high to indulge him. Such is the life of this hobby.
What you suggest "does" work,in fact WAY too well, the effect being so much overboard that it´s used only as a Guitar effects pedal.
In fact, a Bass Guitar one, go figure 😉
Enter the (Gibson) Maestro Brass Master, used to great effect by Yes Bass player Chris Squire:
They do it "by the book" , literally:
- Q4 is a gain stage.
- Q5 is a cathodyne type "phase splitter", getting 2 same level opposite phase signals in Emitter and Collector.
- Those signals feed a diode bridge (Germanium preferred) for "by the book" full wave rectification and frequency doubling.
- centertapped T1 removes the DC component created by rectification (clever guys 😉 ) and leaves only harmonics,so many of them that sound was compared to that of a (harmonics rich) saxophone (hence the "Brass" labels on controls).
As extra controls to increase usefulness you could vary amount of harmonics introduced, split it into 2 "voices" using Twin T notch filters, etc. , but those are besides the basic voltage doubling effect.
A problem was that diodes in bridge were not biased, so had a ton of inherent "crossover distortion", transformer was a cheesy transistor radio type, etc.
My own version was fully done in OpAmps, including "perfect rectifiers"(diodes included in NFB loop) to avoid crossover "jump", mixing out of phase signals with an Op Amp circuit, etc.
Sold very well, back in the day, when Progressive Rock was a thing.
Actually, I sincerely do not know.
Does he mean the early 1960s 'romantic tube amp' sound of let's say a stock Dyna PAS2 preamp? Or the sound of a Scott 222 integrated amp, the kind with the push pull 6BQ5 outputs and tone controls? (Those were really nice, in that 1960s sort of way.)
A bit of underdamped, tubby (flabby?) bass (but in a good way)?
A little boost of the mid frequencies (presence)?
Somewhat rolled off high frequencies but with that 'tinkly' thing going on?
Or does he mean the sound of old school single-ended amps from the 1990s, like the 'Flesh and Blood' SE 300B amp? Or perhaps a simple SE 2A3 amp, with the AC-heated filaments injecting some hum to modulate the audio signal?
Or does he mean the sound I remember from my youth, like the sound of a pair of Large Advent speakers with one of those giant 1970s Pioneer receivers driving them?
Maybe the sound of an early 1970s Marantz 2230 receiver whose power amp's outputs were capacitor coupled to the speakers? That's a 'warm' sound.
Or does he mean the 'warm and liquid' that became the thing in the 1980s, as exemplified by the sound of those big push-pull 6550A ARC and Conrad-Johnson amps? (I never liked the sound from those.)
Really, what exactly does 'warm and liquid sound' actually mean?
OK, I'll answer that to the best of my ability.
1) Somewhat underdamped ('flabby') bass response. Woolly, gooey, syrupy, etc. Perhaps every so slightly accentuated in the 150Hz to 200Hz region.
2) Slightly rolled off high frequencies from around 5kHz to 10kHz. Let's say down -0.5dB across that range.
3) Smooth, but perhaps somewhat 'muddled' mid frequencies. The opposite of 'detailed' or 'etched' (remember 'etched'?). Slight bit of intermodulation distortion?
4) Some dynamic compression as the program gets louder. Keeps things sounding 'smooth'.
Everyone is free to disagree with me.
Now you try.
Old tube amps often have loudness control, could that have something to do with it?
I didn't want to get into this complex debate but I think you put in the 1000.
at least that's what I imagine when I read his messages and his wishes.
I have two or three devices that fit this description well.
Stop being obtuse. I guarantee they want the sound of a large wooden hifi system that everyone owned at one point.
Not sure about that....looks more like an asymmetrical clipper who's harmonics are leveled filtered and/or added to the main signal.
I can't clearly guess what is that effect doing here:
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I just wanted to say that is an amazing post. Translating the sound a musician has in his/her head into microfarads, millihenries and ohms is a real talent. Wow, when you described the basic recipe, that really resonated with me. You just nailed the heck out of it.
I'll tell you... Back in the 1990s, when I was actively playing, I used to do a lot of pickup gigs that paid little money but could be with really fine musicians. I'd take a cab to and from the gig. A lot of the young cats were doing this. (Still do, I'm sure.) It was painful to lug around my Fender Deluxe Reverb. ... If you could design a 50-watt amp head that has that 'tubeyness' and slight bit of compression to its clean sound, just like you described, I swear the jazz players would go nuts for it. But yes, I know... The jazz players are a tiny minority of guitar players. It's the country and rock players who buy all the amps (and guitars, and effects pedals, etc.).
Anyhow, I just didn't want to let the opportunity slip to let you know that you really nailed it here. Much, much respect.
Well, what exactly is that then? Many grew up with a large wooden Zenith or Motorola solid-state console with a record changer and all that in it. Those often came with a big TV built in too. Is that what we mean by 'warm and liquid'?
Wow. Obtuse.
Like this? Complete with 8-track?
OK, let me try to nail this down.
When I read this:
I imagine this:
But others might think this...
Or even this:
You see what I mean?
When I read this:
I imagine this:
But others might think this...
Or even this:
You see what I mean?
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Yes, exactly. Go into anyone's home in the 60s and 70s and more often than not you'd find one. People grew up hearing the tone from these things and they want that nostalgia back.
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