Anybody listen to Ohm Walsh speaker w/digital amp?

Interesting, Mapman. My Walsh 2000s are run off of an Odyssey Stratos HT3 amp, which has a 10K input impedance, and I run that from a tubed pre, the Conrad-Johnson PV11. Should I be worried that I am not getting the best out of my Ohms because of the amp/preamp combo I am running?

Bond,

Specs are only guidelines and alone do not determine level of performance. The only way to determine that is to listen and compare.

In my case, if after listening carefully for a while to a particular configuration I identify an area that I feel could improve based on listening to reference systems, live events, or whatever I can identify as a meaningful reference for comparison, then specs are a useful research tool to help weed through options and identify choices that based on specs might perform better in my system specifically compared to other highly regarded pieces.

Even then, the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

In the case of my amp upgrade, I moved from a 360w/ch Carver to a 120w/ch Musical Fidelity and knew eventually I wanted to get back to a high power amp without losing the benefits the MF brought to the table.

The power rating of the amp and its importance in being able to drive the OHMs optimally was the main factor that drove me to look at an upgrade eventually. The power differential was cut and dry. The MF amp sounded better than the Carver in every way, but there was less power now available for fairly power hungry speakers.

Based on power and current alone, there were many choices to pick from, so I looked for other factors on paper that might make a difference. Its still always something of a risk changing though until you actually try something different and hear the results, which may be better or worse or more commonly better in some ways but not as good in others.

I have heard some claim that they can always hear an improvement in sound quality with an amp with higher input impedance compared to lower. Technically this makes sense. Practically, how much difference is there and is it enough to matter to most? I don't know. Also other factors contribute to sound so it is risky to base a choice perhaps on any one specification alone.

Fun stuff (and potentially EXPENSIVE)! Seldom ever cut and dry however.

I am these days. An extremely good match I would say.

I heard this system last weekend featuring a custom horn design at the capital Audiofest in Rockville, MD

http://picasaweb.google.com/ctbarker32/CapitalAudiofest2010June1113?feat=embedwebsite#5481902138095060482

It set one of the highest benchmarks for overall dynamics and clarity I have heard to date, at least with the vintage classical and jazz material sourced from vinyl that I heard.

It was SOTA all around and cost a small fortune (6 figures easily I would guess).

My preliminary assessment is my OHM Walsh/Class D amp combo is at least in the same league as this setup. Kind of like the Yankees and the Orioles are as well. Well, I think I rig would fair better against this setup that the Orioles do against the Yankees lately on any given day, but you get the drift. I'd have to hear the two side by side, so at least its close.

To give an idea of teh differences, the Audio Note tube amp used in this system was said to put out perhaps 20 watts and cost over $60000.

My Bel Canto Ref100m2 lists for 1/10th of that (still not cheap by any stretch) and puts out 500w/ch or 20X the power, which is needed for a 87db or so efficient design like the OHM 5s, whereas the Audio Note amp did not have to break a sweat it seemed driving those 109db efficient horns.

Makes me think of the old Victrolas....

Mapman, did you visit either the Salk Sound or Selah rooms? Impressions?