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RE: Is Vintage Iron Inherently Better Than Modern?

Posted by Bold Eagle (A) on November 18, 2015 at 18:33:01

In Reply to: Is Vintage Iron Inherently Better Than Modern? posted by geezerrocket on November 17, 2015 at 07:17:18:

OK, here's a few thoughts. A lot of the so-called "comparisons" of transformers are done in an amp. So the circuit used may have a lot to do with it. A lot of modern amps are minimizing NFB, and that changes the source impedance, which changes the interaction with speakers, as compared to a 60's amp with a lot of NFB. So that's not a valid method, just as the usual triode Vs pentode output comparison, as the source impedance changes. That's also true of SETs Vs push-pull designs - the source impedance is wildly different.

I did that myself decades ago when I compared a Dynaco ST70 to a McIntosh MC225. They actually measure pretty equally as far as power output into load resistors goes. The Mac is under-rated, the Dyna over rated and both clip at around 34-35 W/ch into 8 ohms. Testing both at 25 watts/ch, the Mac has flatter power response, owing to a larger core and less core saturation at low frequencies around 30 Hz, and because of the penta-filar windings there is a lot less leakage inductance, so the high frequency power output is a lot flatter. However, hooking both to a pair of KLH 17's, they sounded the same as they measured nearly identically from 40 Hz to 15 kHz at 25 W/ch., and that's pretty much the range of those speakers.

Jerry

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