For audiophiles who value the sonic attribute of "black backgrounds" what does this term mean to you?
Simply put? To me, an extremely low noise floor. The ability to "see" the black in between instruments or singers, in a well recorded and mastered selection that has minimal manipulation and few instruments/singers in the recording. To have a system that creates sounds no where near the speakers that simply appear out of nowhere and go anywhere within the room. It means having a system that doesn't mask or cover up all of the subtleties that render a reproductive effort "not sound live". Part of this (to me) also includes not having an overponderance(s) of any of the lower frequencies that can mask these subtleties as well.
Having a signal that is amplified that is as pure as possible, without any unwanted artifacts that would affect the end result as to what hits my ears. The ability to know the height, depth and width of a sound or instrument (and the "aura" within or around said singer/instrument) whether or not my eyes are wide open or closed.
Being able to experience that visceral impact at home, in front of one's system, just as they would at a live event (
or as close as possible). For instance, if you are listening to a stomp dancing performance that utilizes the entire stage as a drum, we will never get that same visceral impact from any system. Same with a lightning strike. There is only so much that systems can do with the technology humans have or will most likely ever have. But lesser visceral impact should be easily achieved for realism. A example of that would be the initial whack of an instrument, followed by the natural roll off of said instrument.
How do you seek to achieve the sonic objective of black backgrounds?
However possible.
When I go to Walt Disney Concert Hall I do not hear black backgrounds. I hear a fairly high level of ambient noise, including attendees shuffling around in their chairs, coughing, whispering, sniffling, musicians turning pages, etc.
Out of my list of possible objectives of high-end audio I personally seek to "recreate the sound of an original musical event" or to "create a sound that seems live." Neither of these objectives prioritizes black backgrounds, because I do not hear black backgrounds at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
One would want to capture, as close as possible, what one would hear, as if they were there. If you don't hear any black background at WDW, you would want to hear the high level of ambient noise, including attendees shuffling around in their chairs, coughing, whispering, sniffling, musicians turning pages, etc..
If a black background isn't present at the event, then a black background shouldn't be there when reproducing said event. That said, having a system that offers a black background will naturally offer more of the subtle nuances, macro and micro dynamics/detail and spatial informational/locational cues than that of a system that does not have the ability to offer black backgrounds when called upon. IME/IMO.
Do you care about black backgrounds?
Absolutely.
If you care about black backgrounds, how do you achieve them?
From my own experience? Removing noise.
Any type of noise. Whether it comes from the signal itself, the recording or source, A/C lines, thwarting the introduction of any EMI/RFI, losing any chance (
or greatly reducing) common mode noise, jitter and the host of other causes of any other type of noise entering into any of the aforementioned. This can include but not be limited to the use of clocks, A/C line filters, Ethernet filters, shielded cables, proper room acoustics, proper power supplies and gear design that thwarts or minimizes any introduction of additional noise, grounding, gear isolation, proper terminations, and utilizing anything throughout the system or system chain that keeps the entire system's noise floor as low as possible.
This does not include any noise reduction that can put a veil on said reproductive effort.
Tom
