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What is "Air around Instruments"

specialidiot

specialidiot

Break Glass, Smoke Lucky
I read this all the time, even from AKers. In gear reviews, we read how certain tonearms, cables, etc can make a difference in how we can hear the "air around the instrument".

What is this air and what does it sound like?

I don't mean to be flip or make fun of those that are saying/writing it, I just want to know what they mean. Maybe I'm hearing "air" and I don't know it.

Try this google search and you'll see what I mean.
http://www.google.com/search?q="air+around+instruments"
 
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Maybe it refers to the space between the instruments? ie: the bass player is 3 feet away from the drummer, so you hear the soundstage as such. That's the way I would take it anyway...
 
Another attempt by audiophleas to describe something that's better to experience than talk about. Back about 10 or so years ago when I first started paying attention to audio talk on the interwebs, seemed like every other description of the sound quality of high frequencies of speakers used the term "buttery." I could never figure out why anyone would want their speakers to have any semblance to dairy products.
 
Also possibly the 'presence' effect - I understand this to be the sensation that you are hearing the instruments in a larger room than the listening room :scratch2:

Also, with reference to tentoze post above - anyone know what a 'Glassy' sound is ?

John
 
I guess it's like the people that taste persimmons, pear, coffee, chocolate and such in wine... I taste fermented grape juice.. Some I like better than others..
 
I suck at describing what I'm hearing so I usually try not to get too deep into it. However, I've always assumed that "air" to be a certain clarity or definition that allows you to hear the individual instruments distinctly, without everything being muddled together.

That said, music in a vacuum never appealed much to me.
 
Redboy said:
I suck at describing what I'm hearing so I usually try not to get too deep into it. However, I've always assumed that "air" to be a certain clarity or definition that allows you to hear the individual instruments distinctly, without everything being muddled together.

That said, music in a vacuum never appealed much to me.
Click to expand...

Um, a vacuum doesn't actually have any air in it. ;)
 
Yeah I used this recently. I don't mind describing how the sounds sound.
A hightened presence around the instruments.
I've had 'buttery' sounding IC's ...returned them. Not sure if I've heard glassy yet.
 
specialidiot said:
What is this air and what does it sound like?
Click to expand...

I don't know either, but when this term is used, in the same article I often also hear things about "front to back depth" (as if 'depth' didn't already tell the story) and "grain structure". Grain might be used with dairy products to make a nice audio breakfast, I suppose.

I'm going to hazard a guess that it has something to do with "elitism" and the dreaded "golden ear" syndrome.
 
Yeah I'm really not trying to make fun of anyone. Seems between Clyde's "space" between instruments and Hyperion's "presence" effect, we might be closing in on this.

I'm also recalling reading "air around strings" in reviews.

Jeff, next door to St Paul, where I'm discovering the Black Keys, and the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Not sure if they have air or not.
 
More seriously....

I believe it's that "floaty", open, 3d-like sound, rather than what I might call a one dimensional, "flat" sound.
 
I suck at describing what I'm hearing so I usually try not to get too deep into it. However, I've always assumed that "air" to be a certain clarity or definition that allows you to hear the individual instruments distinctly, without everything being muddled together.
Click to expand...

I think that just about nails it. When you experience that you never forget and it sets the bar high for you from that point on. I used to think this was a myth but I started to notice on some systems (not mine) that as instruments were added to the mix the overall volume didn't seem to increase. Each instrument had its own space and while some sounds cut through more than others, no one instrument displaced the other as it was introduced. Does that make sense?
 
tentoze said:
Another attempt by audiophleas to describe something that's better to experience than talk about. Back about 10 or so years ago when I first started paying attention to audio talk on the interwebs, seemed like every other description of the sound quality of high frequencies of speakers used the term "buttery." I could never figure out why anyone would want their speakers to have any semblance to dairy products.
Click to expand...

Oh man, now listening to music could raise one's cholesterol? Pretty soon, no eating, drinking OR music--nuttin'!
 
Redboy said:
I suck at describing what I'm hearing so I usually try not to get too deep into it. However, I've always assumed that "air" to be a certain clarity or definition that allows you to hear the individual instruments distinctly, without everything being muddled together.
Click to expand...
Excellent description. :thmbsp:
 
It is very difficult to describe what you feel or sense re music. Notwithstand, air around an intrument implies to me that it has body and occupies its own space.
 
Redboy said:
I suck at describing what I'm hearing so I usually try not to get too deep into it. However, I've always assumed that "air" to be a certain clarity or definition that allows you to hear the individual instruments distinctly, without everything being muddled together.

That said, music in a vacuum never appealed much to me.
Click to expand...

:withstpd:

I agree with Redboy....

But does any one have a glossary URL for all the terms we throw around....?

jk
 
[QUOTE: I believe it's that "floaty", open, 3d-like sound...[/QUOTE]

...imo, that you might get from a well recorded reel to reel tape played back on a good machine.
i sometimes think most tapes played on my machines sound 'airy' but it may be the placebo effect kicking in.
 
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