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How far have ss amps really come in the last twenty years?

I have owned and enjoyed my Jeff Rowland model 8 ( recently modded and upgraded by Jeff to the last version) for many years. I recently had the opportunity of comparing it ( after mods) to a few of the current ss models from Gamut, D'Agostino, YBA, Parasound, Sim audio, CH precision, Constellation,PS audio,Pass Labs  and Musical Fidelity. The results were very interesting, because to my ears and in the systems that we did the comparison, the Rowland held its own against all but the most expensive D'Ag and CH amps. Even those were only very slightly outclassing the Rowland in the areas of top end resolution...and a tad in the bottom end resolution. Now the thing is that the last revision to the Rowland 8 was designed by Jeff over ten years ago! 
So, my question for those more technically inclined than myself is...how far has the design of ss amps come in the last ten...or even twenty years? 
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cleeds
5,943 posts
 
daveyf
I have owned and enjoyed my Jeff Rowland model 8 for many years ... I recently had the opportunity of comparing it ( after mods) to a few of the current ss models ... the Rowland held its own
... how far has the design of ss amps come in the last ten...or even twenty years?
It looks like you've answered your own question.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,463 posts
 
..don't know much about electronics, but I think that parts (caps, resistors, etc) have gotten better through the years rather than amp design.
don_c55
1,025 posts
 
If you are not hearing distinct differences in the amps you listed, I would suspect your system is not the best it could be.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,866 posts
 



@don_c55 Actually I don’t think so. I heard the comparisons in various systems, so unless they are all sub-par, your theory isn’t applicable.

@ cleeds. While that may be the case, it seems to me that if that is the case, it doesn’t explain the technical reasons as to why.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,866 posts
 
@stringreen That’s the thing, and my question, why hasn’t ss amp design progressed through the years? Although, it would appear that to some it has...yet my listening tests seemed to indicate that the improvements are very small.
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