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Smooth treble

What is in fact a "smooth and refined treble"? Is that synonymous with treble roll off? Psycho acoustically an extreme smooth and refined treble can present itself like if there is less high frequency extension paradoxically. This is what one actually hears in the concert hall! In the concert hall one hears less "treble" than in the home (with your super high end rig). How can one get this smooth and refined high frequencies without severe treble roll off?
In my experience the older and more mature an audiophile gets, the more he/she wants a very natural sounding (overly refined) treble (not the bright, brilliant and super transparent treble many people want when they are making the transition from "mid fi" to "high end" audio) . Do you agree with this?

Chris
dazzdax
fpeel
446 posts
 

The word "smooth" can be appropriately applied to all the senses and a variety of perceptions as well. There are 15 adjectives for "smooth" listed in my dictionary and a number could apply here. One specifically fits this discussion: "not harsh to the ear, as sound."

So it is a proper descriptive word for highs with a quality that is non-grating and appealing. I also found "free from harshness, sharpness, or bite" to be a good fit.

How about we discuss the meaning of "is" instead?
rleff
1,065 posts
 
chris; are you running your soundlab or a different speaker now?
if still the soundlab are you happy with the high frequency presentation of them?
just wondering
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
In my book 'smooth' is two things- a lack of high frequency emphasis (however we are not talking about anything being rolled off), and a lack of odd-ordered harmonics, which is the source of 'jagged' sound that others here have referred to.

Odd-ordered harmonic content is often described as 'hard', 'brittle', 'harsh', 'clinical', sometimes 'overly detailed' (which is impossible if there is no brightness) and now 'jagged'.

You can have smooth and a lack of detail, but in my book when a change in the system causes smoothness and **increased** detail, then you are on to something. The smoother, the more detailed without losing speed, the closer you will be to the recording itself.
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Rleff, yes I still have the Soundlabs. I know this is the amplifier section, but which speaker has smoother highs: Soundlab A-1 or Apogee fullrange ribbon? Why I'm asking this question? If one of the two speakers has more silkier and "smoother" highs then it is superior to the other or this treble presentation should be an inherent flaw in the design (so it is "inferior" to the other). I don't understand frankly why the ribbon should sound different than the electrostatic speaker and vice versa.

Chris
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,333 posts
 
Ralph has a good point. Non musical added harmonics would not be smooth (Amp xover distortion - clipping etc.) Jitter would also not be smooth. The musically unrelated stuff (just like non musical driver resonance) is generally harsh or "etched" sounding. A hypercompressed recording will sound rough too.
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