Below is an extract of a review of Valve Audio's Black Widow. Reading it intrigued me because it correlates with my own experience recently listening to an old valve receiver.
What I am talking about is depth and openness of soundstage. "Holographic" comes to mind where the illusion becomes believable and almost touchable.
I have not experienced this quality before but find it so enthralling that I need to replicate it on my main system.
Obviously not all amplifiers has this quality and can be somewhat one-dimensional (or linear).
So I guess I am looking for guidance or suggestions? Can only valve-based amps do this? What to look for? Amp suggestions?
"What impressed me about the Black Widow when it was first installed in my system was the enormous, extremely airy, and transparent soundstage it threw. The very rear of the completely open soundstage was as wide, airy, open, clean, and perfectly focused as the front. The performer’s images were beautifully and precisely rendered within its layered and articulate soundstage. The amplifier had an uncanny ability to decouple the performance from the speakers, and create that “palpable presence” The performers were literally in my room. One of my favourite female singers is Barbara Streisand and as I closed my eyes, I swear she was singing just for me!
The spaciousness and openness of the Widow was produced music with exciting dynamics and verve, this amplifier had real midrange charm, voices have never sounded this good and highs were clean and expressive. In some important ways I felt I was hearing recordings better than ever before. The clarity and openness of the expansive soundstage was truly outstanding. The bass was spectacular, entertainingly powerful, and remarkably tight and deep."
What I am talking about is depth and openness of soundstage. "Holographic" comes to mind where the illusion becomes believable and almost touchable.
I have not experienced this quality before but find it so enthralling that I need to replicate it on my main system.
Obviously not all amplifiers has this quality and can be somewhat one-dimensional (or linear).
So I guess I am looking for guidance or suggestions? Can only valve-based amps do this? What to look for? Amp suggestions?
"What impressed me about the Black Widow when it was first installed in my system was the enormous, extremely airy, and transparent soundstage it threw. The very rear of the completely open soundstage was as wide, airy, open, clean, and perfectly focused as the front. The performer’s images were beautifully and precisely rendered within its layered and articulate soundstage. The amplifier had an uncanny ability to decouple the performance from the speakers, and create that “palpable presence” The performers were literally in my room. One of my favourite female singers is Barbara Streisand and as I closed my eyes, I swear she was singing just for me!
The spaciousness and openness of the Widow was produced music with exciting dynamics and verve, this amplifier had real midrange charm, voices have never sounded this good and highs were clean and expressive. In some important ways I felt I was hearing recordings better than ever before. The clarity and openness of the expansive soundstage was truly outstanding. The bass was spectacular, entertainingly powerful, and remarkably tight and deep."
