2. amps-preamps
  3. 133536-107867

HI-FI NEWBIE NEEDS HELP!

I am new to the higher end of music listening, actually I haven’t started the listening part yet. I have just purchased an Emotiva XSP-1 pre and a pair of Magnepan 1.7i’s. My listening room is 14x14 but one wall is not closed off completely and there is an additional open space connected that is 8x9. My budget has been unexpectedly diminished more by having to buy new connectors and speakers cables. I just assumed I would be able to use my old RCA connectors and my 50’ spool of speaker wire I bought from Radio Shack 25 years ago. I will pause while you laugh....Anyway, the jist of it is is that I’ve got $2500 left for an amp. I need advice on what would be good for my setup? What would last the next 25 years, as I am a poor man with expensive tastes and will probably not be able to make any further upgrades. Would something used and older be out of date technically in 10-15 years? Could I consider something new that would be adequate for that price point? Should I go mono or two channel? Thank you for your consideration and reply.
widespreadpanic
willemj
1,036 posts
 
So you claim that your hearing is better than e.g. an Audio Precision Audio Analyzer? Do you  have evidence for this?
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
There are many silly stories going round here about the sonic character of amplifiers. If an amplifier is any good it will not gave a sonic character, even in the most revealing system.

Every amplifier has a sonic character, just like every musician and band has a sonic character. That said, it doesn't mean two or more different amplifiers cannot have the same sonic character.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
Have you ever participated in a controlled experiment on this? I have, and it was a sobering experience (I expected to be able to tell them apart). So, can you substantiate your claim under controlled conditions? If you can you can earn the free Harbeth speaker of your choice that Alan Shaw has offered as a reward.
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 

"....you have tests that demonstrate the contrary......"

I certainly do, my ears. If to your ears all audio amplifiers sound they same and Emotiva is your benchmark for excellence, then you're a lucky person. You probably claim all acoustic guitars sound the same as long as they "measure" identical. You still haven't said what amplifiers have you actually heard to arrive at this conclusion . Your conclusions seem to be just by reading the measurements. As mentioned before, if the measurements were the only criterion in sound quality, all tube electronics belonged in the dumpster .

willemj
1,036 posts
 
I have already answered you before about my experiences and my current setup (why do you keep asking). And no I do not claim all guitars sound the same. Amplifiers are not musical instruments, and they should not be. And indeed, I do not rate many tube amplifiers very highly - they may sound euphonic but that is not the same as accurate.

I do not doubt that you have heard differences, by the way. Apart from possible differences because you may have compared inaccurate tube amplifiers, the most common cause of perceived sonic differences is differences in loudness level. If that occurs, you do indeed hear a difference in ’sound quality’ - that is how the human brain interprets these level differences. Remove those loudness differences, and the sound quality differences disappear as well. But mind you, the remaining differences have to be very small - below about 0.2 dB, and you can only achieve that by using a good Volt meter on the speaker outputs. Just try and you will be amazed.
More to discover