Solid State Amplifier Advancements In A Decade

In a decade of reviewing I have seen implementation of some good ideas; banks of smaller capacitors massed vs. a few larger ones, Power Factor Correction, and bridged integrateds like the Musical Fidelity M6500i that I reviewed for Dagogo.com (Note, such a design outputs speaker voltage and current on ALL speaker posts, so it must be handled carefully with certain types of speakers. I have not done a retrospective on these technologies, so I don't know offhand whether they have been brought back from earlier designs or newly developed. Regardless, they seem to be in vogue now.

Despite these advancements I do not think the larger, heavier and much more costly class A and A/B amps will thrive long term.

There's a difference between mass market products and high end audio components. What you are talking about here, applies mostly to lower end gear.

Then, I'd say, you've only proven my point; progress is made mostly with mass (market) products in the context of their production methods and the demand for more size-convenient and power-efficient products. I'd go further though and incorporate the high-end market into the need for convenience and profit maximization which, I'd wager, "borrows" a lot from the cheaper section of audio components, one way or the other. This is less (if at all) about raising the sonic bar in absolute terms and more about working around constraints whose impact is, again, sought lessened.

Then how would you have them write the reviews? Its not like they can see the future and hold off on giving a component a rave review because future models will sound better.

Simply put, I don't need for them to have crystal balls but to put their sonic impressions into perspective. I've heard dealers say, quite often, how a new or more expensive product would "blow away" another (cheaper) ditto, only to feel myself they've exaggerated wildly. It's not only about exaggerating though, but perhaps mostly about feeling they're being mislead by factors that would influence what is sonically perceived. Essentially the same goes with many reviewers.

There is only so much human ears can hear. We are limited in frequency response and SPLs. I suppose progress can be made with lower noise and distortion levels that truly approach 0 more, but what will be the audible difference?

So amps can continue to improve but for what reason other than offering better sound for lower cost and maybe smaller size? One might argue good quality amps already produce all that most can hear as accurately as needed. Not to say that there are not many differences case by case within those limits, but those could attributed to objective design decisions in order to provide a different or particualr kind of sound but not one that can be clearly measured as "better".

So maybe we've hit the proverbial wall for now not in terms of what's possible, but what's audible. Especially when it comes to resolution of modern digital audio formats used but that is not an amp issue.

Most new technology tends to get it mostly right after a period of time. Amplifiers have been around for quite a while now. Most of the bigger practical problems have likely been solved fairly well. Time to tackle other fish maybe?

Could be the end of progress in high end audio amplifier technology as we know it for the foreseeable future. Except for things that can continue to offer better results in a clearly smaller and more afforadable package (like CLass D) Of course no one vendor will ever say their product cannot be improved upon in some way. Not many sales in that! Small distinguished niche vendors might broaden their niche perhaps. Improve the digital source formats as well while at it! Storage space and network bandwidth is getting cheaper.

Just saying...

Good thing I got my waist high waders on.