Some very good points are emerging now, or at least headed in the right direction in my opinion. Such as the observation that mini-monitors tend to have good PRAT (small rigid cabinets not storing much energy). I will just add one observation.
To get between the transistor radio and the sound of the real thing, there seem to be two divergent paths (probably many more, but I am simplifying in order to make a point).
One path is the PRAT path. The gear that follows that path is exemplified by Naim and Linn. Their low-end gear appears brash and fatiguing, but manages to maintain a decent sense of the PRAT in the original performance (systems with good PRAT only have it with suitable recordings of good musicians).
The other path goes the "sound" route trying to make the sounds close to the sound of the real thing, but sometimes embellishing a wee bit to cover over the deficiencies - with the emphasis being on tonality and dynamics. The problem with this second path is that with modest systems PRAT is usually very poor and music becomes boring quickly.
At the top end of the Naim-type gear and the top end of the "sound" route the paths converge again. The reason for this, I theorise, is that the objectives are now being met by both "schools" through sheer accuracy of resolution of detail and elimination of smearing, while maintaining dynamics.
The paths in between merely make different compromises. I agree with Dan that the transistor radio is distorted, and that low-end systems with good PRAT tend to emphasise transients in a certain way - thereby looking after rhythmic cues better than they look after tonality. But the rhythm in the music is not created by distortion. You can still hear the difference between a group that is "cooking" and one that is not. The issue is that a certain kind of compromise is being made.
Ken, I probably made a pig's ear in attempting to describe the separate issues of pace, rhythm and timing and so please correct me where I was wrong. Personally I do not listen for those three things independently. But, as stated before, when I evaluate a component I do not tend to objectify the sound in the way that Harry Pearson does, except initially in order to identify "sound" issues that may become annoying over the long term. My final decisions are made by forgetting the objective stuff and just seeing if I am swept away by the music.
To get between the transistor radio and the sound of the real thing, there seem to be two divergent paths (probably many more, but I am simplifying in order to make a point).
One path is the PRAT path. The gear that follows that path is exemplified by Naim and Linn. Their low-end gear appears brash and fatiguing, but manages to maintain a decent sense of the PRAT in the original performance (systems with good PRAT only have it with suitable recordings of good musicians).
The other path goes the "sound" route trying to make the sounds close to the sound of the real thing, but sometimes embellishing a wee bit to cover over the deficiencies - with the emphasis being on tonality and dynamics. The problem with this second path is that with modest systems PRAT is usually very poor and music becomes boring quickly.
At the top end of the Naim-type gear and the top end of the "sound" route the paths converge again. The reason for this, I theorise, is that the objectives are now being met by both "schools" through sheer accuracy of resolution of detail and elimination of smearing, while maintaining dynamics.
The paths in between merely make different compromises. I agree with Dan that the transistor radio is distorted, and that low-end systems with good PRAT tend to emphasise transients in a certain way - thereby looking after rhythmic cues better than they look after tonality. But the rhythm in the music is not created by distortion. You can still hear the difference between a group that is "cooking" and one that is not. The issue is that a certain kind of compromise is being made.
Ken, I probably made a pig's ear in attempting to describe the separate issues of pace, rhythm and timing and so please correct me where I was wrong. Personally I do not listen for those three things independently. But, as stated before, when I evaluate a component I do not tend to objectify the sound in the way that Harry Pearson does, except initially in order to identify "sound" issues that may become annoying over the long term. My final decisions are made by forgetting the objective stuff and just seeing if I am swept away by the music.