Solid State Amplifier Advancements In A Decade

I agree with Unsound. That was the basis of my response earlier. I do agree with some of what Bombaywalla wrote. However, in my opinion as an Engineer, much of what he has described has been around for quite some time.

I agree that class D amp design has come quite far, but, we weren't talking about that.

in my opinion, a major technology change will have to happen to supplant the current technology.

Maybe recording, processing and playback based on something other than electricity.

Having designed and worked on circuits, amps, pre-amps, filters, etc. for some time, I can say that good amp/circuit design is just that. There are some very good older designs out there that can definitely stand with the latest and greatest of today. They also managed to squeeze the best out of some not so great components. Sometimes one is limited by the technology of the era.

What I'm finding is that current Japanese transistor technology is also really amazing. That is a step forward.

Look at cars. How long has the internal combustion engine been around? We've greatly improved the efficiency of internal combustion engines, but they are still just that. Controlled explosions turning some machinery. We should be wayyyy past that by now. Don't get me started as to why we aren't.

But, I can tell you that the circuit/amp designers mentioned and many that weren't are absolutely amazing. I still go back and re-read some of Nelson Pass' early papers. Still relevant today. But, if this "hobby" was a popular as automobiles, we would see some major technology breakthroughs. In my opinion.

Look at what happened to phone and computer design/technology. It is changing on an exponential scale.

Who is stepping up to take over for excellent audio designers and move the industry a step or two forward?

I tell you. I count myself as fortunate that I can sit and listen (and still hear) my system/music with a good book, company, and a good glass of wine and appreciate it.

I love it.

enjoy

Benchmark AHB2. http://www.stereophile.com/content/benchmark-media-systems-ahb2-power-amplifier#buJbikdLh7dJAfBo.97

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Kr4, thanks for the link. I read the review. I wonder if that technology can be scaled to create an amp that can play at 500 wpc or 1,000 wpc at 8 ohms at attainable prices.
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I think we are going backwards in audio solid state wise. The death of the discrete transistor is upon us. All the fabs that used to produce great discrete transistors are now owned by third tier players. Take Motorola, for example. Or Toshiba.

The proliferation of integrated circuits and operation amplifiers has killed the discrete transistor. Everyone waxes about John Curl and Nelson Pass, but most of their designs cannot be built today. At least not on a mass scale. Talk to John Curl about one of his later designs for Parasound, the JC3 phono pre-amp. He wanted to build it with discrete JFETs like his other designs, but was forced by Parasound management to use IC opamps because Parasound believed they could not get an adequate supply at a reasonable price.

There is no question that IC opamps allow simplification of circuit topography and lower costs. But at the cost of sound quality. Like the CD, we have given up quality for convenience in the solid state design or amplifiers.

Forget Class D ban imposed here then. Class D is where the real progress is in SS amps. I've owned gear for years and miss very few SS amps. My old Tandberg receiver at home and Nakamichi in teh car maybe. I'd probably own a tube amp by now if not for having tried Class D first.