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The very best money can buy - 'power paradigm' gear

Posted by 6AS7_6SN7 on October 6, 2010 at 00:59:35:
If I understand correctly, Ralph points out that the most desirable speaker/amplifier combination is the one that gets closer to the so called 'power paradigm' operation, that is, when the amplifier/speaker combination delivers the same ACOUSTICAL power irrespective of the speaker ELECTRICAL impedance.

As the acoustical power irradiated in the ambient is always a very tiny fraction of the electrical power delivered by the amplifier to the speaker, this makes sense to me and I could not agree more with this vision.

Then Ralph states that, when approaching 'power paradigm' operation, negative feedback usually creates objectionable distortions and that 'zero feedback' is better.

Also this makes sense to me, as any feedback, by its inherent automatic control of the amplifier output impedance, certainly interferes with 'power paradigm' operation, that, on the contrary, would require precise matching of amplifier output impedance and speaker input impedance (in order to get a flat acoustical response).

Unfortunately it must be taken into due account that, to my best knowledge, 99.999999 % of the available commercial speakers are designed in such a way to guarantee a more or less flat ACOUSTICAL frequency response (in anechoic chamber) when driven by a constant voltage source.

As one of the practical ways to force an electrical amplifier to behave like a more or less constant voltage source is by using some negative feedback, this means that 99.999999 % of audiophiles, because they buy (or they own) standard commercial speakers, they are forced by the 'audio status quo' to be quite reluctant to completely abandon feedback.

Simply because if you own standard commercial speakers, you are likely to trading in 'zero feedback' in exchange for 'tonal imbalance', as the ambient acoustical frequency response is going to be less flat than with some carefully selected feedback.

In conclusion, I admire that 0.0000001 % of audiophiles that can afford the luxury of purchasing the right amplifier/speaker combination (with zero feedback, of course) able to deliver a flat acoustical ambient response (according to 'power paradigm' operation).

Those fortunate people will certainly experience the 'less objectionable distortions' on earth but please, don't recommend to the vast majority of other audiophiles to 'blindly' resort to the supposed 'zero feedback' miracles.

This in my opinion can not be considered correct information.

Best Regards
Luca