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Re: Never a straight answer...

Hello RGA,

It is not easy to say EXACTLY why one amp was better than the other, but from an intuitive point of view I agree, that perhaps we should be looking at amplifiers before we look at cables, since given their complexity compared to a cable, they are likely to have a greater effect on the sound than a cable.

In an attempt to guess why one amp was better than the other I would say that knowing Bryston, it was more than likely a better voltage source than the receiver. In other words it can more easily cope impedance variations in the speakers. All speakers exhibit impedance variations, some subtle and some extreme. These impedance variations in the speaker (as a function of frequency and possibly other variables) require the amplifier to respond. If the amplifier can't respond, for power supply, device type/effect or amplifier toplogy reasons then lack of dynamics or a tonal shift is often the perceived outcome. This of course will depend on the extent of the impedance change.

The Stereohile magazine partly tests for this sort of effect by using a more realistic test load when testing its amplifier frequency response. Rather than using only a purely resistive load it aslo uses a more 'realistic' test load. It would be even better to extend this testing to different power levels and also use an impulse type signal, to see the true dynamic behaviour as a function of frequency and power of the amplifier. Then maybe we could start to understand why one amp sounds better than the other.

HAVE FUN,

JOEY.


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