Well, to chime in, I like Shadorne's two cents and Athmasphere's definition, because my idea of "air" is closely related to what I would call the "aura" around instruments being played, which is so evident in live music and rather difficult to reproduce properly at home, even with the "right" recordings.
"Breathing" of the air
Hi folks, I would like to ask you the following. With some audiophile set ups I'm able to hear what I call "breathing" of the air, as if the air surrounding voices and instruments is a living entity, as if one is capable of hearing individual air molecules, if you know what I mean. Are you familiar with this phenomenon? Is this quality inherent to some amplifiers or speakers? Can you mention set ups that have these characteristics?
Chris
Chris
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- 55 posts total
"BTW - added "air" from manipulation of the recording by the playback system or harmonic resonance or reverb etc. can be pleasant too. So more "air" can also be used to describe equipment that adds its own signature to the recording." Agree. I think you can easily be able to discern if this is indeed a manipulation or truer to recording sound, by listening to other cues- lIke fast and quick transients do have air but won't linger on too long vs slower and gentle notes meant to to vibrate will and in case of manipulated sound will not sound entirely in phase and coherent- something will be off. |
. The first time I ever heard "air" in my system was an amazing thing to me. Went out and told a couple of non-audiophile friends about it...when they evntually came over to visit, I excitedly put on a couple of cd's do demonstrate what I was talking about. After a couple of minutes of listening, they looked at each other and then they looked at me like I was crazy....they couldn't understand what all the fuss was all about. To me, it was sonic bliss. Man, this is a lonely hobby....kind of like being on earth alone and I can only communicate to other beings on other planets via radio (internet). . |
"..which is so evident in live music and rather difficult to reproduce properly at home, even with the "right" recordings." Absolutely agree with Detlof on this. This is one of the many key reasons Stereo systems will never sound like the real thing: recordings can't 'thoroughly' record air and systems can't 'thoroughly' reproduce 'air'. But if done right can come awfully close in creating believable illusion. |
Steve Hoffman, the well-known recording engineer calls it the "Breath of Life". I might as well let him explain it. Browse this page of his website. It's fun and you'll learn a lot: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/dhinterviews/ |
- 55 posts total