When Leonard Bernstein recorded Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' with the New York Philharmonic in 1963, he captured the work’s enormous dynamic range. The album is drenched in emotional gravitas, and its impact helped revive Mahler’s reputation in the 20th century.
Fred Plaut, Columbia Records’ engineer, was revered for his ability to convey the dynamics of an orchestra. The recording remains a benchmark example of how a studio performance can translate the epic scale of a live concert.
While the role of the engineer is central to how we hear recorded music, the audio source itself is equally critical. We explore how to get the most from your music – with wisdom and insight from high-end audio manufacturer Naim Audio.
Music as the artist intended
Julian Vereker, founder of Naim Audio, launched the company in 1973 after becoming frustrated by how different music sounded at home compared to hearing it live. ‘Listening as the artist intended’ has been the company’s mantra ever since.
‘You could take a Frank Sinatra recording from the ’50s and play it today on modern replay systems and hear things that the engineers didn’t pick up,’ says Jason Gould, Naim’s brand ambassador. ‘That fascinates us. Trying to get closer to what originally happened is really the aim for us. Putting something down is relatively tangible, but pulling it back and recreating it is a real art. It’s amazing what can be done.’
Source first, then signal
The source is everything when it comes to accurately translating a recording, ‘Good signal in, good signal out,’ says Gould. ‘We believe that by improving the source and the pre-amplifier before the power amplifier, you can make music better.’
Removing noise – and controlling it – also brings the listener closer to what the artist intended. Steve Sells, technical director at Naim, explains how noise can affect the signal path: ‘Sound can cause complex delays as it travels through air and building materials, which can microscopically add to the signal and blur the acoustic image.’
Equally, distortion impacts the listening experience.
‘All systems distort to some degree; not all distortions are undesirable,’ says Sells. ‘Some can evoke euphoria or energy, while others are objectionable. To avoid complicating circuits, we don’t remove small amounts of second- and third-order harmonics – these occur naturally in voices and instruments in high-quality audio. Harmonics like the seventh are dissonant and out of tune, so we engineer their levels below audible limits. Interestingly, a piano maker ensures the hammer hits the string precisely to avoid exciting the seventh harmonic.’
Naim also aims to preserve studio integrity by isolating digital and analogue sections. ‘Digital streamers can generate noise’ says Sells. ‘High-frequency noise may demodulate and cause audible disturbances. To prevent this, we use separate PSUs, circuit boards, or spaces. Our high-performance units include a Faraday cage for streaming components, isolating them from analogue sections. We also employ optical isolation and low-voltage differential digital logic to transfer signals securely.’
Which format? Lossy or lossless
Different file formats affect the quality of the recording, but which is best? Here’s a quick breakdown of how FLAC, MP3 and vinyl can affect what you hear:
FLAC
*Digital file
*Lossless (no data removed from original recording)
*Sound quality is identical to studio master
*High dynamic range
Vinyl
*Analog recording
*Sound quality is warm and full of texture
*Dynamic range can vary
MP3
*Digital
*Lossy (data has been compressed)
*Reduced quality due to compression
*Limited dynamic range
And how does streaming fit into this audio landscape? Spotify recently launched its Lossless option. It is available to Premium subscribers and streams audio up to 24-bit / 44.1kHz quality and comes close to CD quality, although it depends on what kind of device you are listening on.
Optimising the listening experience
Ask any audiophile how important audio engineering is to the music they listen to, and they’ll tell you it sits at the heart of an authentic, high-quality listening experience. Jason Gould describes the R&D team at Naim as not just ‘talented engineers,’ but ‘great inventors’ who are constantly pushing the envelope.
While engineering is the driver, Naim understands that ultimately music should deliver an emotional experience that stirs the heart and moves the body. Detail, dynamic range and resolution are important, of course – but, as Gould says, ‘It’s only part of the journey towards producing quality hi-fi components. We believe that emotion, and how immersive and engaging the music is, are the real keys to true performance. The delivery of vocals, the pause and intent, the timing of individual musicians pulling together as a tight band, or a conductor bringing in the orchestra at precisely the right moment.’
Naim’s Jason Gould sat down with The Cure’s pianist Roger O’Donnell to discuss the finer details of sound and how it makes you feel as they listen to some of O’Donnell’s favourite music played on Naim Audio.
About Naim
Naim is renowned for producing some of the finest audio equipment in the world. The company is celebrated for its innovation and exceptional engineering, with designs that prioritise purity and remain as faithful as possible to the original source of the music.
Each product in the Naim range is meticulously crafted from high-end materials to deliver outstanding audio performance. The line-up includes amplifiers, preamplifiers, all-in-one systems, streaming music players, and network players — as well as hi-fi furniture and accessories.
