What is "PRAT"?
Oct 13, 2008 at 2:34 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 96

moredes

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Sorry for the ignernt question. I couldn't find it with a search nor Google.

I've seen this term used when discussing a headphone's sound reproductive qualities.

Thank you.
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 2:51 PM Post #3 of 96
In other realms a Prat fracture is common parlance for a 5th Metacarpal fracture, the outer bone in the hand. More politely known as the boxers fracture, because its most often seen in punch type injuries, many of these are sustained in drunken brawls and those sustaining them are right prats.

Not sure why i shared that but thought it was interesting anyway :)

Andy80F
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 2:58 PM Post #4 of 96
the Glossary... DUH!

Thanks for that. I hope someone comes along and explains the definition, though... I mean, I understand the words, "PRaT: pace, rhythm, and timing" but I sure can't glean any meaning out of it when describing the difference between 'phones...

Never heard a "boxer's break (or 'fracture')" referred to as a PRAT, either.
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 3:05 PM Post #5 of 96
If it takes a lot of power for a hp to sound right and you take power away, the timing of the driver won't keep up with the material. This throws off the Pace, Rhythm & Timing. Listen to IEMs with no amp and then say a K701 on the same player. Large driver hps are impacted more than iem/bud/stats.

IMO
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 3:21 PM Post #6 of 96
PRAT... Pace Rhythm and Timing. It means the toe tapability factor of the music. Does the sound make you want to boogie? Or does it put you to sleep? Thats what good PRAT does, makes you tap your toes
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 4:27 PM Post #7 of 96
Ahaaa... makes sense.
I have seen that word mentioned several times, but had no clue what it meant. Now I do.
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Oct 13, 2008 at 5:46 PM Post #8 of 96
isn't that the sound you get when you push on a Stax omega 2?
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Oct 13, 2008 at 10:31 PM Post #10 of 96
Pace Rhythm Attack Timing
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 10:39 PM Post #11 of 96
I've always assumed it was the same as "quickness," which is much easier for me to understand. Can anyone else back this up?
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 10:42 PM Post #12 of 96
Quote:

Originally Posted by tako_tsubo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
isn't that the sound you get when you push on a Stax omega 2?
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You mean the sound that causes your friend to get a panicked look that says "Oh my god, I've just ruined my friend's multi-thousand dollar headphones!"

They always say I should have warned them about it, but it's just too priceless
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Oct 13, 2008 at 11:16 PM Post #13 of 96
Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I've always assumed it was the same as "quickness," which is much easier for me to understand. Can anyone else back this up?


not really quickness. If people say that the senn hd600s are slower than grado sr60s then quickness is not prat because the hd600 surely makes me boogie more
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Oct 13, 2008 at 11:30 PM Post #14 of 96
Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
not really quickness. If people say that the senn hd600s are slower than grado sr60s then quickness is not prat because the hd600 surely makes me boogie more
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So is it completely subjective? What makes me boogie is probably much different than what makes Michael Fremer (Stereophile uses "PRAT" like it's going out of style) boogie.

I still think quickness is at least part of this... attack and timing are exactly what I think of when I hear "quickness." I'm not sure exactly what "Pace" and "Rhythm" would translate to; they make sense in the everyday vernacular, but they seem too broad to be used as descriptive terms for headphones.
 
Oct 13, 2008 at 11:40 PM Post #15 of 96
Quickness is probably like the 0-60 of a car, while PRAT is the quickness AND the sound of the engine. You can have a good balance between the two. For headphones, I'd imagine PRAT is a balance between quickness and impact. For example, many stats have quickness but not much impact. On the other hand, dynamics usually have impact but not much quickness, so a headphone that has good PRAT is balanced between the two.

This wasn't meant to make any sense, but I hope it helps
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