Mr Peabody
07-03-2008, 09:15 AM
As audiophiles, enthusiasts or whatever, we have come to read and attach some interesting adjectives to describe sound. Indeed, describing sound is a difficult task. One of the more recent adjectives that is being tossed around is "liquid". It escapes my imagination as to what this could mean. Of course, the word "organic" was attached to Audio Note to describe it's character and that was the same way to me until I heard my AN DAC and then it struck me that the adjective was spot on. A synonym of organic would be natural which might help with that. So maybe I need to hear something that people feels is "liquid".
The first time I heard "liquid" was from a Krell rep to describe the newer Krell amps compared to the older models, the new amps are "more liquid". "We went for a more "liquid" sound. So one would assume "liquid" must be good. As good, or bad I guess, an impression might be of audio gear in the store, it really doesn't compare to listening to that gear in your home with other gear you are familiar with. Also, what a manufacturer feels is the bees knees may not necessarily appeal to the consumers taste. A couple example for me that come to mind is the more recent ultra high end Classe' that left me wondering what they were thinking and also the newer Krell, although not nearly to the extent of the Classe', at least the Krell was listenable to me. One of the things that attracted me to Krell back in the day and I still want in my gear is a black dark background. I described in one review of a Krell piece, "it was as if the sound stage was painted onto black velvet". I don't get that impression from the newer Krell and my assumption is, maybe, this is what is meant by "liquid". It's very hard to put into words the difference, it's like the old was, on black velvet, dark quiet and more warm in comparison, the new has more of an ora and coolness about it. My impressions are based on limited time with the newer gear.
So any thoughts on what is "liquid"? If my concept of it is close to accurate, I don't like "liquid" so much. Whether it's noise, which sometimes creates a valing effect of the music, or liquid, I don't like my sound stage to have an ora, I like the feel to be open and unrestrained. Oh, and all of that with a dark background :)
The first time I heard "liquid" was from a Krell rep to describe the newer Krell amps compared to the older models, the new amps are "more liquid". "We went for a more "liquid" sound. So one would assume "liquid" must be good. As good, or bad I guess, an impression might be of audio gear in the store, it really doesn't compare to listening to that gear in your home with other gear you are familiar with. Also, what a manufacturer feels is the bees knees may not necessarily appeal to the consumers taste. A couple example for me that come to mind is the more recent ultra high end Classe' that left me wondering what they were thinking and also the newer Krell, although not nearly to the extent of the Classe', at least the Krell was listenable to me. One of the things that attracted me to Krell back in the day and I still want in my gear is a black dark background. I described in one review of a Krell piece, "it was as if the sound stage was painted onto black velvet". I don't get that impression from the newer Krell and my assumption is, maybe, this is what is meant by "liquid". It's very hard to put into words the difference, it's like the old was, on black velvet, dark quiet and more warm in comparison, the new has more of an ora and coolness about it. My impressions are based on limited time with the newer gear.
So any thoughts on what is "liquid"? If my concept of it is close to accurate, I don't like "liquid" so much. Whether it's noise, which sometimes creates a valing effect of the music, or liquid, I don't like my sound stage to have an ora, I like the feel to be open and unrestrained. Oh, and all of that with a dark background :)