The Audio Critic

The last review of a power amp I recall seeing in TAC, was on the Parasound A-21. MSRP, $2500 USD. Hardly the cheapest out there. Does he own Parasound also??

He gave it a very positive review.

But not without the typical Aczel caveats and a jab at 'Stereophile';

"Yes, all well-engineered amplifiers sound the same"

"I know there are some of you out there who just cannot listen to low-priced mass-market audio components (Pioneer, yecch!) no matter how they sound. It goes against your grain and you don’t want to know about it. To you I heartily recommend the Parasound Halo A 21 because it will satisfy your high-end cravings without bankrupting you."

"Longtime readers of The Audio Critic know the drill that comes at this point: I repeat, for the nth time, that all amplifiers having high input impedance, low output impedance, flat frequency response, low distortion, and low noise floor sound exactly the same when operated at matched levels and not clipped. (Those who are unable to stomach this simple truth, proved over and over again in double-blind listening tests, should stick with Stereophile.)"

Now, if that isn't a mantra, I dunno what is...and the cult following of Aczel repeat that mantra...over and over and over again!

Rodman - "no one has ever (yes, ever!) heard a difference between two amplifiers with high input impedance, low output impedance..low distortion..."

Aczel is saying is that amplifiers of similar design will sound similar. I believe, although I'm not sure, that modern SS amps have high input impedance and low output impedance. I believe that SET amplifiers do not have these characteristics. He considers SETs to be an idiotic design, but that's another issue.

Never heard of the guy.

Guess I wasn't missing much.

As to the Fourier issue, as I recall, and I am willing to be corrected on this, Aczel believed that most speakers were riddled with fundamental errors that a "C+ student in engineering" would never make. He was of the opinion that a speaker designed without these flaws would sound better than anything out there and he became involved with Fourier to help design such a speaker.

Again, to the best of my recollection, I knew that Aczel was involved with Fourier when he reviewed that speaker and that he was just saying "I told you so". But many others seem to remember it differently.

GEof,

Maybe. Kids know best sometimes.

Then again someone else once said "Thinking is the best way to travel".