Holographic imaging


Hi folks, is the so called holographic imaging with many tube amplifiers an artifact? With solid state one only hears "holographic imaging" if that is in the recording, but with many tube amps you can hear it all the time. So solid state fails in this department? Or are those tube amps not telling the truth?

Chris
dazzdax
Mapman,

The Doppler effect in amplifiers is not actually a different problem than the one "solved" by NFB. It is the root of the problem that NFB cannot fix by design.

NFB is a servo system that only works for steady state sine waves. Not for complex music.

Even if you use massive amounts of NFB - you cannot remove Doppler. It is the wrong tool.

Regards,

Roger
Sounds like a common theme is low distortion is good for holography and each company/designer has their own ways of dealing with the distortions they care about most.

Each approach has up and downsides. Which is best? Who knows and who cares.

If your getting good "holography" on your system, then whoever designed your amp is probably doing a good job of dealing with distortion in a manner that delivers positive results effectly.

Nothing new here. There is seldom ever a single approach to anything that has all the benefits and none of the disadvantages. So I wouldn't lose any sleep wondering who does it best. Just listen and judge for oneself...what else is needed?
I owned a Hitachi Class G receiver once back in the 70's when I lived in a dorm and wanted high power in a small package. It had some good attributes but for whatever its worth I would say low distortion and holography were not this piece's strength compared to most every other piece I have ever owned..
>> 09-25-08: Atmasphere Tbg, sorry, but, **there is no doppler effect in an amplifier**! If a designer of a 'holographic processor' tells you something like that, turn around and run as hard as you can!

Atmasphere, with all due respect.

I know I have mentioned this until I'm blue in the face - but here it goes again for clarity.

A - There IS Doppler in amplifiers - just not to the best of your knowledge.

B - H-CAT is not a processer,generator,gimmick, or something that "alters" the original recording and therefore creates distortion. It on the other hand is the only method of amplifying that deals with the real problem of where distortion comes from. Doppler distortion is the SEED of harmonic distortion. Harmonic distortion is the result of Doppler distortion that has been allowed to get out of control. If you can detect and correct Doppler errors in real time - you cannot generate harmonics.

Regards,

Roger
If one says: "Wow, your amplifier sounds very holographic and 3D, far more holographic than my amplifier, which sounds a bit flat" --> then this mean that the holographic sounding amplifier sucks? Sometimes I'm confused about this issue. If "holographic" or "3D" sound is an artifact, then an amplifier should sound "flat", because that is closer to the truth (and the truth is far more "flat" than many audiophiles are accustomed to)?

Chris (member Flat Sound Society)