Som Alshus sier: en platespiller skal se ut som en platespiller. Flott spiller, balthar!
En liten fotnote om PRaT fra en gammel test av CDSII i Enjoy the Music.
A Note on PRAT -
"You Don't Know What You've Got 'til it's Gone."
Apparently Pace, Rhythm, and Timing (PRAT) has been in my system since 1998 when the Naim CDX/XPS arrived. The Naim Forum is full of talk about it where many components and whole systems are praised for having it. But we've never been able to identify it, isolate it as a sonic attribute. When I put a pair of Cyrus Chestnut CDs (his debut Cyrus Chestnut and most recent Soul Food, both on Atlantic) on the Accuphase and then on the CDSII, what PRAT is finally came clear. It is musical energy, life. It is the opposite of giving peace a chance, the life of Riley, and a sweet summer breeze. It is Cyrus as pretty cool and a fine pianist compared with Cyrus as kick-ass and foot stompin'. My five-year-old son's favorite CD is REM's Out of Time, in particular "Smiling Happy People." My son likes the Accuphase CD player because he loves its looks and the smooth operation of its drawer. But he prefers REM on the Naim.
PRAT is lift, lilt, rhythmic energy and drive. Most music depends on this to communicate. When you fail to feel enthusiasm for a piece of music or a system, lack of this vital quality is often the culprit. Naim discovered this fact years ago and, while it's been attributed to all of their electronics, it is especially evident in their cdp's. A brief but useful discussion of this fascinating subject, "Pace, Rhythm, & Dynamics," can be found in the Stereophile Archives under "Reference" (Vol. 9, No. 6, September, 1992).