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What makes an amp sound more direct ?

In our hifi journey we have probably all heard amps with different topologies and implementation. Most of these amps would have an implementation which is a combination of one of these:

1. Single Ended
2. Push-pull
3. Balanced
4. Differentially Balanced
5. Class A, A/B, D
6. High/Low Damping factor
7. Zero Negative Feedback (global & local)
8. Low/Medium/High Negative feedback
9. 2/3/4/multiple gain stages

There will be more such items that can be added to the list. My curiosity arises from the fact that some amplifiers (or even preamplifiers) sound much more direct than others. The ones that does this trick generally seems to do the "they are here" trick very well. While the components which sound relatively indirect cast a sound scape which gives the perspective of "we are there".

Just from my observation, single ended and zero feedback designs sound much more direct than balanced designs especially ones with high negative feedback. Is this a coincidence or is there a valid reason behind this ? 
pani
sbrownnw
686 posts
 
Kevlar and sometimes carbon fiber midrange drivers in spears. Usually too forward / direct for me. 
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
"You will not get consensus on this"

In our attempts to distinguish between live vs. reproduced and everything in between the two I would only say, "Ain't that the truth".

The issue of direct sound IME I would generally attribute to SET designs with little to zero feedback running VERY highly efficiency speakers, IMMOSTHO and certainly not with all music all the time. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Now that you mention everything in the entire chain is important, including the room. As we are learning everything from fuses to wire and cable direction, elimination of comb filter effects in the room, resonance control and vibration isolation, even treating the CDs. I'd even go so far as to say cleaning the electrical contacts on the wall outlets of non audio outlets including all outlets in other rooms contributes significantly to obtaining that direct sound.

pani OP
1,215 posts
 
Just to make this discussion more "direct", the fact that I posted it on amp/preamp forum indicates that I wanted to discuss this aspect from the amplification perspective. No, not all amps can be made to sound direct. Thats not my experience at all. When we talk about house sound of any brand, it comes mostly from a certain topology that they employ in the amplifier and that signature sound normally remains in the system. For example ARC and Wavac sound very very different though both of them are equally deep into valves. An ARC can never sound as direct as a Wavac or Audio Note. OTOH an ARC carves out a huge sound space well beyond the speaker boundaries as its house sound which a Wavac doesnt do. It is a design thing. It is clear that Wavac and Audio Note being 0 feedback SETs do the direct thing well. But I am sure there is more to it. For example an amplifier based on ultra-short signal path with only 1-2 stages of amplification would probably sound more direct than a 4 stage behemoth (in general). 
jafant
19,024 posts
 
As above- guys, we have having too many posts removed???
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