And why do we seldom see any results of bench testing of these?
Just curious from a guy who spent a lot of time in the lab.
And then 45 yrs selling test equipment to others.😀
Just curious from a guy who spent a lot of time in the lab.
And then 45 yrs selling test equipment to others.😀
For me a reference amp is an amp with specs at least one magnitude of order better then the rest. Certainly not an exact definition. But correct for my personal reference amp based on Hitachit latFETs.
I vote for the O2 (NwNavGuy) because it does not claim to be musical .. just measures correctly.
Also consider the Whammy headphone amp kit. It makes a great room heater. 😎
Also consider the Whammy headphone amp kit. It makes a great room heater. 😎
... or NITS perhaps. Often accompanied by "Signature series", "Audiophile grade" and/or "Platinum" etc.
To me, a reference amplifier is simply a performance ‘target’ to aim for, or, hopefully, to exceed. A reference amplifier could provide an objective quantitative performance reference. Or a subjective qualitative stereophonic-illusion reference. For those very lucky few of us, possibly, both at once.
I'd say a reference amplifier is an amplifier whos characteristics are well known, dont change appreciably over time and is therefore reliable as a reference component.
Let's say you're going to measure the output harmonic spectrum of some amplifier. You measure the reference amp first - Ah, measures just like it did last time, so I know the test setup is good.
I was digging through what's left of my father's machinist toolbox today. He had a 1" diameter, 1/4" thick piece labeled "1 IN STD" with a hole in the center. The edges are highly polished. I assume it's pretty much 1" today, as it was whenever it was he obtained it. I assume you put the mic on that, measure 1.000 - and then go measure something else.
Of course, this being Audio, "an amplifier whos characteristics are well known" doesnt leave out the subjective realm, so there's that too.
Let's say you're going to measure the output harmonic spectrum of some amplifier. You measure the reference amp first - Ah, measures just like it did last time, so I know the test setup is good.
I was digging through what's left of my father's machinist toolbox today. He had a 1" diameter, 1/4" thick piece labeled "1 IN STD" with a hole in the center. The edges are highly polished. I assume it's pretty much 1" today, as it was whenever it was he obtained it. I assume you put the mic on that, measure 1.000 - and then go measure something else.
Of course, this being Audio, "an amplifier whos characteristics are well known" doesnt leave out the subjective realm, so there's that too.
As accurate as possible or almost ideal.
Ideal amplifier:
Ideal amplifier:
- input impedance ~ ohm
- output impedance 0 ohm
- no distortion
- bandwidth ~
- signal to noise ratio ~ dB
And of course, the term "reference" is also a marketing tool, used for just about anything.
Sort of true. Everyday, non-expert customers (meaning, 99%) desire some simple flag to ostensibly identify a product’s relative performance. I feel that typical customers view the term, ‘reference’ as identifying the premium product within a given manufacturers line. It serves as a simple, although not necessarily accurate, one-word identifier. It’s the specifications, of course, which accurately identifes where a product ranks in terms of it’s comparative objective performance.
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It's an extortionately expensive amplifier that audiophile dealers reference as an object of hilarity at R&D marketing strategy meetings ... along with associated "reference" speakers, "reference" cables ... "reference" ***** .... You seldom see an audiophile dealer that doesn't look as if they are about to burst out laughing when speaking of "reference" equipment .... (you'll notice it more now I've "referenced" it) ... 🙂
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And the important thing to consider is IF those specifications are even true.
Just because a manufacturer states specs, they also know that the common consumer has no reasonable way to see if those specs are valid, or just talk.
Those catch-words like "Reference" - "Deluxe" - "Studio Monitor" - "Pro" - "Laboratory Standard" - and plenty more are just words.
right up there with "GT" badges on cars and "Gold Medal Winner" stickers on bottles of wine.
The amp which many compare other amps to. There is no such one really.
I suspect you think it is some kind of high quality marking... no it's not. A true reference was the speaker Auratone. A shitty speaker but still a reference - i.e. one item that used by many/most to compare against.
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I suspect you think it is some kind of high quality marking... no it's not. A true reference was the speaker Auratone. A shitty speaker but still a reference - i.e. one item that used by many/most to compare against.
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Any amplifier can be a reference one. Other amplifiers may be either better or worse than the reference. A reference amplifier must be mass produced and inexpensive, so that it is available to anybody who would like to use such reference. Would be a valuable tool for amplifier builders, alongside with signal generator, oscilloscope, and spectrum analyzer.
We all will need to agree on which particular amplifier should be designated as "reference". I see no problem with this.
We all will need to agree on which particular amplifier should be designated as "reference". I see no problem with this.
