Difference between warm and bright stereo amplifier
- Thread starter soumen
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corElement
Well-Known Member
The spectrum of Audible sound is from 20hz till 20khz.
Decibels are the "amount" or "unit" of measuring the value of sound
Our hearing is able to derive audible changes APPROX every 3 db.
When 20hz-20khz is 0db it is flat or neutral. This is a mathematical value but to our ears it is the apex of sound and in a way, an illusion. Just like the word perfection or normal. Because normal varies for everyone.
To put it generally
Warm is when the curve or slope of sound of the speaker or amp, by default is more than 0db towards 20hz.
Bright sound is when the curve or slope of sound of the speaker or amp by default is more towards 20khz and beyond.
HOWEVER the majority of human hearing and vocals do not occur towards either 20hz 20khz but is much more like 100hz-10khz
Many materials emit different types of warm or bright.
For example a paper based material by nature is smooth, soft, gentle, relaxed, textured.
While a metal based material is accurate, sharp, precise, rigid, strong
The fine balancing of various factors and materials and their configuration give birth to different brands and choices in the audio world and determines that company's consumer base.
For example klipsch in contemporary times are an american favourite when it comes to home theatres because their speakers are often excellent performers in movie related content but that does not mean they suck at music either.
It's a matter of taste, preference, budget, choice and practicality.
Decibels are the "amount" or "unit" of measuring the value of sound
Our hearing is able to derive audible changes APPROX every 3 db.
When 20hz-20khz is 0db it is flat or neutral. This is a mathematical value but to our ears it is the apex of sound and in a way, an illusion. Just like the word perfection or normal. Because normal varies for everyone.
To put it generally
Warm is when the curve or slope of sound of the speaker or amp, by default is more than 0db towards 20hz.
Bright sound is when the curve or slope of sound of the speaker or amp by default is more towards 20khz and beyond.
HOWEVER the majority of human hearing and vocals do not occur towards either 20hz 20khz but is much more like 100hz-10khz
Many materials emit different types of warm or bright.
For example a paper based material by nature is smooth, soft, gentle, relaxed, textured.
While a metal based material is accurate, sharp, precise, rigid, strong
The fine balancing of various factors and materials and their configuration give birth to different brands and choices in the audio world and determines that company's consumer base.
For example klipsch in contemporary times are an american favourite when it comes to home theatres because their speakers are often excellent performers in movie related content but that does not mean they suck at music either.
It's a matter of taste, preference, budget, choice and practicality.
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Hi Soumen,
To make things simpler for you, a warm sounding amplifier could mean that the sound signature of the amplifier could have very mild (rolled-off) trebles/highs and sweet sounding mid-range and low (bass) frequencies. Usually for continuous audio listening warm sounding amplifiers are preferred as they do not cause ear fatigue. A very commonly known such amplifier is NAD, which many listeners find warm. Tube amplifiers also have a warm signature.
In contrast to this, any amplifier which has sharp high frequencies and has a forward and attacking sound can be assumed to be a bright sounding amp. Mostly listeners feel that bright or forward sounding amplifiers could cause ear fatigue. Badly recorded songs/bootlegs could even sound harsher on such amplifiers.
As per my listening experiences, there could be two things that one should look out for before one decides whether an amplifier could be called a bright amplifier :
1. Many amplifiers, straight out of the box, may sound bright as there is no burn in of the components. (Have no intention here to start a debate on whether burn is a myth, but I have felt the sound signature changes after around 100 hours of usage)
2. Many speakers which demand a high current, when fed with low current from the amplifier, may sound sibilant when volume is cranked up from the amplifier. (Sibilant would in a very crude explanation mean that some of the high notes (trebles) may end sounding like a tssssssssssss tsssssssssss sort of a sound. This could cause fatigue to the ears and may leave the listener to deduce that the amplifier could be bright sounding.) I would request the audio gurus here to correct me on this point if I am wrong...
And whether an amplifier is bright or not, may completely depend upon one's personal tastes, appetite for low or high frequencies and also majorly upon the synergy of the complete audio chain. The biggest debate on whether an amp is bright sounding or not in the recent times, that I have read about has been about the Yamaha A-S500. I personally use that amplifier and can vouch for the fact that out of the box this one is bright sounding but the sound becomes a lot smoother after 100 hours of usage.
Hope my crude explanation was somewhat useful to you....
To make things simpler for you, a warm sounding amplifier could mean that the sound signature of the amplifier could have very mild (rolled-off) trebles/highs and sweet sounding mid-range and low (bass) frequencies. Usually for continuous audio listening warm sounding amplifiers are preferred as they do not cause ear fatigue. A very commonly known such amplifier is NAD, which many listeners find warm. Tube amplifiers also have a warm signature.
In contrast to this, any amplifier which has sharp high frequencies and has a forward and attacking sound can be assumed to be a bright sounding amp. Mostly listeners feel that bright or forward sounding amplifiers could cause ear fatigue. Badly recorded songs/bootlegs could even sound harsher on such amplifiers.
As per my listening experiences, there could be two things that one should look out for before one decides whether an amplifier could be called a bright amplifier :
1. Many amplifiers, straight out of the box, may sound bright as there is no burn in of the components. (Have no intention here to start a debate on whether burn is a myth, but I have felt the sound signature changes after around 100 hours of usage)
2. Many speakers which demand a high current, when fed with low current from the amplifier, may sound sibilant when volume is cranked up from the amplifier. (Sibilant would in a very crude explanation mean that some of the high notes (trebles) may end sounding like a tssssssssssss tsssssssssss sort of a sound. This could cause fatigue to the ears and may leave the listener to deduce that the amplifier could be bright sounding.) I would request the audio gurus here to correct me on this point if I am wrong...
And whether an amplifier is bright or not, may completely depend upon one's personal tastes, appetite for low or high frequencies and also majorly upon the synergy of the complete audio chain. The biggest debate on whether an amp is bright sounding or not in the recent times, that I have read about has been about the Yamaha A-S500. I personally use that amplifier and can vouch for the fact that out of the box this one is bright sounding but the sound becomes a lot smoother after 100 hours of usage.
Hope my crude explanation was somewhat useful to you....
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square_wave
Well-Known Member
A high-end cost no object amplifier will convey all the warmth and dynamic transients in music. It will sound natural.
A low budget warm amplifier will try to emulate the warmth in the high end amplifier by design tweaks but will end up sounding rolled off in dynamics and detail due to cost and design constraints. It will sound false.
A low budget bright amplifier will try to emulate the dynamic transients in the high end amplifier by design tweaks but will end up sounding bright and tinny due to cost and design constraints. It will sound false.
A low budget warm amplifier will try to emulate the warmth in the high end amplifier by design tweaks but will end up sounding rolled off in dynamics and detail due to cost and design constraints. It will sound false.
A low budget bright amplifier will try to emulate the dynamic transients in the high end amplifier by design tweaks but will end up sounding bright and tinny due to cost and design constraints. It will sound false.
ukjeyaraj
Well-Known Member
Can someone name some amplifier for each category which most others (if not everyone) will agree?
tirthankar
Active Member
Among ones I have heard..
warm - NAD
warm side of neutral - Musical Fidelity, Arcam, Sugden, most class A amps
neutral - hotly debatable. I feel quads like 306 and 606 mk2 are pretty neutral. Obviously there are others I have not heard.
bright side of neutral - Creek, Cambridge Audio.
Bright - Marantz, Cyrus, Rotel
When you mover to power amps, the sound signature will very much be decided by the preamp used. Similarly for integrated amps having inputs for the power amp section, you can get different signature using different preamps.
warm - NAD
warm side of neutral - Musical Fidelity, Arcam, Sugden, most class A amps
neutral - hotly debatable. I feel quads like 306 and 606 mk2 are pretty neutral. Obviously there are others I have not heard.
bright side of neutral - Creek, Cambridge Audio.
Bright - Marantz, Cyrus, Rotel
When you mover to power amps, the sound signature will very much be decided by the preamp used. Similarly for integrated amps having inputs for the power amp section, you can get different signature using different preamps.
prosenjit
New Member
I am a newbie.what I am getting
bass lovers and for movie tracks----avr+speaker that sound warm
vocal,treble and music lovers----avr+speaker that sound bright...
am I correct?
bass lovers and for movie tracks----avr+speaker that sound warm
vocal,treble and music lovers----avr+speaker that sound bright...
am I correct?
I am a newbie.what I am getting
bass lovers and for movie tracks----avr+speaker that sound warm
vocal,treble and music lovers----avr+speaker that sound bright...
am I correct?
No.
There is no such correlation.
Some people like everything bright and over-clear with excessive sibilance - whether in movies or in music - bright for such people.
Some people like everything subdued - warm for such people.
For the bass lovers - you require a sub woofer. Warm and bright doesn't do anything.
alankar1977
Member
well said....
aks07
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aks07
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aks07
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rajiv...lol
aks07
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With due apologies to the thread starter!
I hope the young lads (and lassies - if any) don't get wild on us uncles
square_wave
Well-Known Member
@ AKS07,
Good one
Good one
Record Player
Well-Known Member
Thanks. A learning for me as well
rohitmusic
Well-Known Member
bright stereo amplifier
Nice one!I am waiting for "neutral" pic
Tubes glowing is an amazing sight no matter what!
It seems to be a good idea to keep entire chain as neutral as possible without adding any coloration. In this case one component may be used to color the sound. So the system takes color of this one component.
I personally feel each component adding its own unique color signature is not a good idea. There needs to be at least some components that are completely transparent and neutral.
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
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