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???Compromise???

We all know life is about compromise..So I'm curious,what compromises you made when you choose your front end?
 For myself currently looking for my end game front end & where I'm stuck is do I accept bigger size & wayyy more heat for what to me would be the ultimate amp,or do I give up that last bit of everything the above amp gives to downsize & cool operation...
 So what do you feel you gained & lost by your current choice in front end electronics?
freediver
erik_squires
16,069 posts
 
I'm not sure what you define as "front end" but yeah, I've given up a lot of cables, and a lot of size, in favor of good room acoustics, less complexity, more visual beauty and aesthetically pleasing components.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

If the smaller/compact cooler running amplifier is very 'close' in sound quality to the larger hotter amp I could probably live with that compromise. However the performance gap would truly has to be quite narrow.

I want to be able to enjoy and get emotionally involved with my music to the best of my ability (Isn't that the point?). If larger and hotter amp means clearly better music listening experience and long term happiness  then bring on the heat and additional size. Sound quality is the prime objective.

Charles

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Front end is turntable and phono stage- or CDP if you're not into the whole must sound like music thing. 

If you're talking about amps the heat output is trivial, a few hundred watts, no more than a few light bulbs. That said, I had a class A integrated for a while which being solid state they never sound good unless on all the time and so the heat from something like that would be a turn off.  

But in general, let me get this straight. Whole room, well over a hundred square feet, devoted to audio. We're worried about the few square inches difference between amps? Really? And heat- your body puts out something like a hundred watts just sitting there. One person. Figure another hundred watts per light bulb. Plus who knows how many thousands when the sun is out. We're really worried about the tiny little difference between amps? 


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