There is a term used to describe when a group of musicians are all playing in time with each other (several really), and that would be “on the beat.” Sometimes one or more musicians drifts off the correct time and starts playing too fast or too slow (ahead of the beat or behind the beat) which mucks up the music. Sometimes you will hear someone remark about a group they just saw perform live and they will say something to the effect of, “man, they were really tight.” This usually also means that the band was on the beat and locked on to the correct time signature.
I believe there is a similar phenomena that occurs when we mix and match stereo components such as preamps and power amps. I don’t think that all components “lock” onto each other and it can have the same insidious effects as losing the beat in live music. I think there can be several reasons why this is so with the primary reason being impedance matching between the components. I think this sometimes gets referred to as “synergy” which some people claim doesn’t exist, but they shouldn’t. If the impedance match between your preamp and power amp is way off, I promise you that you won’t have any synergy.
I think when all is right in the world and your stereo system, there is time signature hand-off between components that either gets locked onto or doesn’t. If it doesn’t, your music will never sound as clean, as pure, as right, as on the beat as it will when both pieces are playing in perfect time with each other. When your system is locked onto the beat, it becomes a driving force that propels music at the correct speed of the time signature. With some acoustic jazz, I find that speed to be almost dizzying because it is so fast. This type of speed also helps suspend disbelief that you are hearing recorded music versus live music (as much as this is ever possible). This speed is powerful.
I think it goes without saying that your chances of having synergy between a preamp and power amp is much greater when sticking with the same manufacturer and with pieces that were designed to work with each other. Mixing gear from different manufacturers is pretty much a crapshoot. I’m not convinced that just because the specifications from each piece say they are electrically compatible will ensure success on the timing front. Of course, I have never taken my own advice and have always had mixed components in my setup. This will change some 6-8 weeks from now when the Krell KBL and KSA-250 are repaired and find their way back to me.
I can tell you that the combination I had with the Krell KBL preamp driving my pair of Phase Linear 400 Series 2 amps was special until the KBL gave up the power supply ghost. There is an elegance, refinement, and purity that the KBL brought to the table along with a magical lock on the time signature that created a blinding speed to the music when called for. Should I mention that I’m also using MIT ICs with the magic impedance matching boxes? And to think that the KSA-250 should bring a whole other level of sound quality to the table is almost cause for giddiness.
In summary, speed kills (your sound) if you don’t have the right speed locked on. And it may not as easy as we think to achieve this and something we should just take for granted. Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as synergy.
I believe there is a similar phenomena that occurs when we mix and match stereo components such as preamps and power amps. I don’t think that all components “lock” onto each other and it can have the same insidious effects as losing the beat in live music. I think there can be several reasons why this is so with the primary reason being impedance matching between the components. I think this sometimes gets referred to as “synergy” which some people claim doesn’t exist, but they shouldn’t. If the impedance match between your preamp and power amp is way off, I promise you that you won’t have any synergy.
I think when all is right in the world and your stereo system, there is time signature hand-off between components that either gets locked onto or doesn’t. If it doesn’t, your music will never sound as clean, as pure, as right, as on the beat as it will when both pieces are playing in perfect time with each other. When your system is locked onto the beat, it becomes a driving force that propels music at the correct speed of the time signature. With some acoustic jazz, I find that speed to be almost dizzying because it is so fast. This type of speed also helps suspend disbelief that you are hearing recorded music versus live music (as much as this is ever possible). This speed is powerful.
I think it goes without saying that your chances of having synergy between a preamp and power amp is much greater when sticking with the same manufacturer and with pieces that were designed to work with each other. Mixing gear from different manufacturers is pretty much a crapshoot. I’m not convinced that just because the specifications from each piece say they are electrically compatible will ensure success on the timing front. Of course, I have never taken my own advice and have always had mixed components in my setup. This will change some 6-8 weeks from now when the Krell KBL and KSA-250 are repaired and find their way back to me.
I can tell you that the combination I had with the Krell KBL preamp driving my pair of Phase Linear 400 Series 2 amps was special until the KBL gave up the power supply ghost. There is an elegance, refinement, and purity that the KBL brought to the table along with a magical lock on the time signature that created a blinding speed to the music when called for. Should I mention that I’m also using MIT ICs with the magic impedance matching boxes? And to think that the KSA-250 should bring a whole other level of sound quality to the table is almost cause for giddiness.
In summary, speed kills (your sound) if you don’t have the right speed locked on. And it may not as easy as we think to achieve this and something we should just take for granted. Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as synergy.
What type of compatibility are you addressing?
