Yes, its a mix and match game. What you dont want is a half bad "anchor" that sets the bar which you cant pass and where your system can not exceed. I choose to make this bar as absolutely high as possible i.e. an amp with the outmost clinical performance and work with the rest from there. This ensures me to not limit the system performance. There is simply not one single sane argument why the least distortion amp should not be the best - if its not, its something else that is faulty.
This is my strategy to reach SOTA.
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This is my strategy to reach SOTA.
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What if the AP measurements set we use, do not reflect what we humans appreciate in music/audio reproduction?
I found quite often, that amplifiers with vanishingly low distortions, achieved with enormous amounts of multiple/nested feedback loops (class D amps) and "incorrect" harmonic spectra (H3 and other odd's being predominant... and a lot of spraying down the x-axis), sound lifeless to us humans... This is not only the case with class D... class AB experiences the same issue to a lesser extent.
Is it an issue? Don't know.... just talking based on my personal (4 decade-long) experience.
I chose a single-ended design with a minimum amount of analog gain stages and a minimal amount of gain (just right), with reasonable specifications at reasonable listening levels, but with very little feedback and nice harmonic spectra, to be my starting point.
Pretty much the total opposite of class D. But, same "global" approach as yours.
If you like how acoustic intruments sound IRL, there should not be any reason for ANY additions. I cant agree with your reasoning.
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Class D does not stand for digital.
There are some company selling tube input buffers for the class D module but I'm not sure if that's really helping the music reproduction.
Perhaps one can try the valve effect VST first.
Perhaps that's due to not enough measurements were done.
Simple traditional measurement can tell you something went really wrong when the data is very poor but after a point I think it did not reflect the real world performance.
Different test signal is needed to find out the real world load and music content.
But that's the developer's job to come up with different test data and make sure they all work well.
Class A, class AB amp that measured very well can also sound very well.
As per Bruno the Benchmark AHB2 and Boulder 2150 are the serious competitor to him.
They both measured very well with vanishing distortion. To me the Boulder amp sounds fantastic.
The F word
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One's choice is not related to any possible reasoning, nor to the type of operation of the targeted amplifier, there are many obscure elements in the instrumental judgment of electronic equipment, and everyone knows this.
Until, always the same people, insinuate themselves into any thread to instill their own beliefs and bring those threads to an end.
I find it simply absurd that one can refer exclusively to the class of operation or to the distortion to expect a certain type of sound.
An amplifier is judged by listening, because you are the one who bought it.
And it's always you who chooses how much you want to spend and how much you can afford to spend.
It is simply ridiculous to be so arrogant as to think that everything is enclosed in some measurement, claiming to say everything without ever saying anything.
Pieces of audio equipment must be listened to first of all, and I personally have never bothered to look at the measurements declared by the manufacturer, I think that in reality few people do it.
Who would choose an amplifier for how it measures?
Only an idiot, if there ever was one like that.
And then the usual story of the (false) singularity of judgment, of personal preferences and all that bs of that type comes out.
And yet you have no choice: you have to insert that fu°°ing amplifier into your system and then listen to your new system.
And measurements will no longer matter.
Until, always the same people, insinuate themselves into any thread to instill their own beliefs and bring those threads to an end.
I find it simply absurd that one can refer exclusively to the class of operation or to the distortion to expect a certain type of sound.
An amplifier is judged by listening, because you are the one who bought it.
And it's always you who chooses how much you want to spend and how much you can afford to spend.
It is simply ridiculous to be so arrogant as to think that everything is enclosed in some measurement, claiming to say everything without ever saying anything.
Pieces of audio equipment must be listened to first of all, and I personally have never bothered to look at the measurements declared by the manufacturer, I think that in reality few people do it.
Who would choose an amplifier for how it measures?
Only an idiot, if there ever was one like that.
And then the usual story of the (false) singularity of judgment, of personal preferences and all that bs of that type comes out.
And yet you have no choice: you have to insert that fu°°ing amplifier into your system and then listen to your new system.
And measurements will no longer matter.
Well, you are stuck with artificial addition of 2nd, 3rd, 4th... but I continue to seek the truth... it's a difference... but we might both be happy ;-)
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Lowest possible distortion has not impressed me with anything that sounds lifelike to me yet.
That's my reason
That's my reason
You could try the (relatively recent) Mola Mola Kaluga. Or one of the Neurochrome amplifiers.
And also take proper care of source & especially its jitter. Essential with very transparent amps.
And also take proper care of source & especially its jitter. Essential with very transparent amps.
Have you considered many do not hear differences between amplifiers at all, provided minimum quality criteria are met? Same with sources, cables, etc. Such people usually concentrate on the speakers and generally show little to no interest about other parts of the system.
Choosing an amp by measurements, looks, waf factor or lowest price does not make them idiots, just practical.
And no, i am not one of them.
At the risk of being misunderstood, I want to repeat that in my view there is no sane guy in the world who chooses an amplifier based on as it electrically measures in the laboratory.
Of course, after he has chosen his favorite amplifier then he can also have fun discovering what the measurements declared by the manufacturer are, but this is another story.
I agree.
I do this.
As long as the distortion is low, and there is some semblance of a good design - i research this, then for an amplifier "sound" you will soon get used to after a while. The loudspeakers and room are the overriding factor in final sound, so a competent amplifier will do for me.
Regards,
Shadders.
An amplifier is a device that by definition takes a small signal and makes it larger without adding or subtracting anything additional. Thus by definition the closer the performance of an amplifier is to this definition, the closer it is to the perfect amplifier and the less distortion it adds to the signal. Ultimately, when the performance is so close that any added distortion is below the threshold of hearing, one has solved the issue of an amplifier having "a sound". Today's amps by Hypex and Purifi are state of the art with distortion below the threshold of hearing. If one prefers an amp that "sounds" different, it isn't an amp but an effects box and the added distortion is what is actually preferred. Far better to add distortion in a controlled way through DSP.
Yep beliefs ... opinions, etc.
I have zero clue why a straight wire with gain doesn't sound lifelike to me. It's not lack of colors. I don't listen to colored gear. But it's the lack of realism and musical joy that is missing.
Here's a simple analogy:
I was at a friend's house who has an amazing reference level system and listening room. We had about 20 people over for our hihi meet.
The room was crowded listening to the music. Track after track were amazing.
Then someone switched over to a Hypex based high end amplifier.
Within 5 minutes the room had 4 people in it, as the rest walked away to talk. The magic had left, and people had heard it. We discussed it even.
This had nothing to do with opinions or beliefs.
I have zero clue why a straight wire with gain doesn't sound lifelike to me. It's not lack of colors. I don't listen to colored gear. But it's the lack of realism and musical joy that is missing.
Here's a simple analogy:
I was at a friend's house who has an amazing reference level system and listening room. We had about 20 people over for our hihi meet.
The room was crowded listening to the music. Track after track were amazing.
Then someone switched over to a Hypex based high end amplifier.
Within 5 minutes the room had 4 people in it, as the rest walked away to talk. The magic had left, and people had heard it. We discussed it even.
This had nothing to do with opinions or beliefs.
I'm a bit surprised that $16,000 monoblocks were suggested. Is this what it takes to equal $2000 of Class AB amplifiers?
Were the amps level matched? Was it a blind comparison? Since nothing is mentioned of taking any steps to eliminate any bias, it is ALL opinion....nothing objective about it...