2. amps-preamps
  3. 1260904595

Can someone give me an explaination re: power amp.

So, I own a simaudio i-5 driving paradigm studio 60 v.3, and I am not happy with the sound at low volume. turn it up everything is great, but low volume has muffled sound. Everyone says the paradigms are efficient, but i go out looking for more efficient speakers, and happen to come home with a loaner power amp- a simaudio w-3 (125 wpc), and the sound at low volume sounds markedly better with the power amp. this is contrary to everything i have convinced myself to believe. i have convinced myself that a good integrated is all i need, but I cannot deny the sound. so instead of asking the age old separates vs. integrated question, i'm just going to ask- why does my system sound so much better at LOW volume with the power amp. Maybe the speakers aren't as efficient as I thought? Maybe the 70 wpc simaudio i-5 isn't as great a machine as i thought? maybe there's a technical explaination? Please enlighten me! and thanks, and merry christmas to all you audiophiles out there! (oh, and the reason I didn't come home with speakers is that i really love the full range of sound from the towers, and i couldn't find any highly efficient speaker that had the range I enjoy. not that it dosen't exist, but i just couldn't find it. I live in portland, oregon).
blazerfan
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
Bob - I also cannot see connection between high current and low level performance. In each case (including my small class D amp) it is most likely related to particular amp design.

Blazerfan - My whole system consists of DAC with volume control and Power Amp plus very good interconnect in-between (Acoustic Zen Absolute). Music comes thru Airport Express or from DVD player (or HDTV). I listen very often at low levels at night(Duplex + wife asleep) and really like the sound.
blazerfan OP
32 posts
 
I used my simaudio i-5 integrated as a pre. The sound and low volume was much clear and clean. background instruments and vocals were audible. My girlfriend and her 8 year old son both thought the w-3 sounded much better, and they are not very critical listeners.
blazerfan OP
32 posts
 
for the record, i don't see the connection either. if i did, i wouldn't have started this thread. i really don't understand why it is the way that it is. thus, the post.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
Blazerfan - I looked it up and it is very interesting amp. Very low distortion and high damping factor in an amp with very little feedback - It can be done! (I assume that Simaudio W-3 is the same as Simaudio Moon W-3)
bshapperd
84 posts
 
This may, or may not be of value, but my experience with Simaudio Moon integrated amps is that they don't come 'alive' until 20 steps of attenuation.

I was using Totem Sttafs and really couldn't get much out of them until I turned up the juice a bit. I understand you might be expecting something different from more sensitive speakers. If you're looking for more performance at lower volume levels I would look at different Amps than Sim/Moon. Sugden integrated amps are class A and may be worth an audition?
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