Warm or bright characteristics

[admin_exported]

"Match with care for best results'- an often repeated statement.

With regards to this, I like to ask about the warm or bright characteristics of hifi components.

How does the uninitiated know if the NAD C545 CD player is warm or bright, or does the Roksan Kandy K2 amp lean more towards being bright or warm? Can this characteristic be generalised across products of a certain brand or is it peculiar to individual models?

For instance, can we say Denon products are bright sounding or is it factual that some Denon products are bright and some are warm?

If the characterisitcs varies from model to model and not brand to brand, does that mean we have to rely on reading up/ word-of-mouth/auditioning to know the inherent characteristics of each product?

 

[matthewpiano]

Good questions, but the issue here is that everyone's point of reference is different. Some people want a sound that captures the live energy of music-making whilst others prefer a warmer and more accomodating approach. One man's idea of 'bright' can be different to another's so it is very hard to categorise. Then there is the issue of synergy - for example, a particular amp can sound relatively 'bright' in one system but quite neutral or even on the 'warm' side in another.

We spend a lot of time trying to describe the sound we hear from hi-fi but it doesn't really help us in the long run. The only way to develop a knowledge of how different hi-fi sounds and, in turn, to develop your own preferred sound, is to audition products carefully with your own choice of music.

 

[Anonymous]

interesting.

 

[jaxwired]

I think there is "general" agreement about equipment that tends to be bright or warm. For example, is there anyone that does not think Dynaudio speakers lean to the warm side?

 

[chebby]

If it's tizzy and spitty (makes 's' noises sound like 'ssss') and if you need a Neurofen after playing anything from 'The Who' (made when Keith Moon was drumming), then it's too bright.

If it sounds like someone is pouring warm liquid chocolate into your ears (despite having a 13.5 tog quilt wrapped around your head) then it's an Arcam too warm.

 

[plastic penguin]

This is what puzzles me (believe me, it doesn't take much

) is that Arcam amps has been tagged as warm, but comparing it to Creek, Roksan etc, Arcam is as neutral as any - true their CDPs err on the cozy side.

Likewise, Silver range from Monitor Audio, I hear so much about how bright they are. In my house, even powered by Cyrus 8VS2 it sounded fine...the fillings from my teeth didn't leap out, as I expected.

Yet again, all these years of buying and listening to hi-fis and I'm still non the wiser.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Personally I think it's all down to personal hearing AND tastes in music etc...

I heard the Primare gear a month or so back and in all honesty; I didnt like it at all! Very powerful but too lean and clinical

For my varying tastes in music; seperate gear like Arcam, NAD and Rotel have always done me justice and I think still will in years to come.

Saying that though I love the Cyrus gear and maybe one day I'll own a nice Cyrus set-up

 

[Dougal1331]

chebby:

If it sounds like someone is pouring warm liquid chocolate into your ears (despite having a 13.5 tog quilt wrapped around your head) then it's an Arcam too warm.

 

[Anonymous]

I reckon if you use the tone controls (Treble and Bass) you can alter the brightness and warmth of sound.

 

[d_a_n1979]

And for those with amps that DON'T have tone controls?!?!

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:And for those with amps that DON'T have tone controls?!?!

They're very lucky indeed!

 

[d_a_n1979]

Hmmm...

 

[Sabby]

Agree with pp about MA Silver range incorrectly tagged as bright sounding. My S6's sound very warm and cosy, not a hint of brightness anywhere to be heard. Wonder who started that rumour ....?

 

[Anonymous]

I had to get rid of my RS5's due to excessive brightness. I wouldn't say the treble was fatiguing, I could listen for extended periods, so it didn't bother me in that way. But the high frequencies were just way too loud, obscuring the mids and bass. Too bad, because I liked the speaker in just about every other respect.

 

[plastic penguin]

Sabby:Agree with pp about MA Silver range incorrectly tagged as bright sounding. My S6's sound very warm and cosy, not a hint of brightness anywhere to be heard. Wonder who started that rumour ....?

I could make a list....

 

[rymidd]

roksan kandy k2 amp on the warm side

 

[Anonymous]

for me, if i put on a rock track, and it lacks edge and impact, then this system is on the warm or soft side, when put on the classical track, the string instrument sounds too intense, sometimes it takes long listening session to realise this, also i wouldn't equal bright with harshness, like my system used to be too bright with violin stuff, but it was never harsh, later the problem was solved with different cables.

Generally hi fi system with rounder tonality, gives you warm impression, and vice versa something with thin or leaner sound may sound alright with rock but with classical it gets too piercing.

Good luck

andy

 

[plastic penguin]

For me, it's pretty much about how an amp or CDP or speakers are perceived. However, perception doesn't always chime with reality; sometimes it's down system matching as well. For example, I don't think my Arcam is warm: generally, some people's perceived notion of Arcam is "warm", and if, let's say, you match it with Focal speakers the sound does err on the snug side. On the flip-side, match Arcam with MA Silver or Dali speakers and it is one of the most neutral amps around for the money.