• The answer is refinement... - Al Sekela 15:06:08 03/01/06 (3)
  In Reply to: Re: I'm not screaming posted by JimOfOakCreek on February 28, 2006 at 10:56:40:

  The more expensive amps will produce signals at lower levels with less distortion. It is easy to be distracted by the gross specs for maximum power output at a certain fraction of distortion that all amps display. What this does not tell you, though, is whether the amp can produce the fine details in intimate performances with some semblence of realism.

  A case in point is Shirley Horn's _You Won't Forget Me_. This is a close-mic'd studio recording with very low inherent noise. It contains such well-recorded vocals that you will wish you had showered and brushed your teeth before playing it. The rendition of her voice and breath control is exquisite, if your system can keep these details in proper proportion. Anything out of kilter in your system will obliterate these details. This includes the amp's ability to deliver them.

  Amps designed for professional use do not have to deliver this refinement, so it is no defect in them that they use bias levels and parts chosen for ruggedness and reliability rather than refinement. They just don't make very good home audio amps.
  
  

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  • Re: The answer is refinement... - Solutions Etcetera 16:13:59 03/01/06 (2)
    In Reply to: The answer is refinement... posted by Al Sekela on March 1, 2006 at 15:06:08:

    "They just don't make very good home audio amps."

    That is a very sweeping statement. I am curious how many of them have you listened to in your room?
    
    

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    • The same as the number of 6-yard dump trucks - Al Sekela 10:02:29 03/03/06 (1)
      In Reply to: Re: The answer is refinement... posted by Solutions Etcetera on March 1, 2006 at 16:13:59:

      you took for test drives the last time you were shopping for a car, and with the same expectation that the experiment was unnecessary.

      Note that I'm only confident that linear transistor pro amps are unsatisfactory for home systems. There is promise of rapid progress in the controller chip sets for switching amps. It may well be that in a few years we will be able to buy pro- or home-audio amps that out-perform any amps in existence today, in any area of power, reliability, distortion, and refinement, and for very little money. The only concern then will be the standards for line signal voltages.
      
      

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      • Re: The same as the number of 6-yard dump trucks - Solutions Etcetera 12:20:35 03/03/06 (0)
        In Reply to: The same as the number of 6-yard dump trucks posted by Al Sekela on March 3, 2006 at 10:02:29:

        "The same as the number of 6-yard dump trucks you took for test drives the last time you were shopping for a car, and with the same expectation that the experiment was unnecessary."

        Read Zero... I thought so.
        
        

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