Paul,
I have 95 db speakers so tube singing is audible and not offensive. I agree, the battery power spec. is way overrated. It sounds like the music is emanating from a vacuum(bun intended)and to my ears only enchances the "digital"effect rather than tame it.
Yes there is no digital harshness but no life either IMHO.
I've had the same reaction with different amplifcation and sacd.
It's akin to listening to a "live" recording versus a studio recording.
Just my 2 cents.
What I meant, actually, was not "black background isn't good because it's not natural" but that reducing the noise floor to the extent possible with battery power just doesn't make much audible difference at all with speakers around, say, 90dB/W/m and quiet AC-powered equipment. In other words, with this type of setup the system noise floor is already so close to zero it's splitting hairs with battery equipment. That's my experience.
Again, I think the stability of battery power is another matter altogether. It is a very good thing. I've not yet heard its effect on a transport but I am betting that it does lots of good there.
I do agree with you that that complete inky blackness is NOT natural in some respects... but I still like it.
