GaN amps: Peachtree or LSA Voyager?

Is it not possible with both Class d and Class A/B amps to engineer the amp to the lowest possible distortion and then add back enough 2nd and 3rd harmonics to give the amp the degree of musicality desired? And if so, could a "distortion" dial be added to allow the user to fine tune the sound to their liking?

Theoretically, to the former, possibly ’yes’. To the latter, likely ’no’ since such a control would have to modify some parameter of the amplifier that might be critical and not take kindly to such an adjustment.

I wouldn’t hold your breathe for such a thing. Usually designers of solid state are very conscious of the ’numbers guys’ that only look at specs and poo-poo the listening experience, even if the latter is what its all about. So they often try to get the distortion as low as they can and anything that raises it is anathema. There are a few that are careful about how their designs make distortion; Nelson Pass is an example.

@snapsc, would that not be easier to accomplish with DSP?

@deludedaudiophile 

I guess I've thought of amps as being in several varieties of late...

those that are either class a or class a/b operating in class a for a while that are using their class a operation to emphasize the lower orders of harmonic distortion in order to be more musical

those that try to drive distortion as low as possible, Benchmark and some of the class d and ganfet amps come to mind, that feel that any distortion that influences sound is wrong

and obviously tube amps

I've thought of DSP as trying to offset room issues by modifying frequency response and possibly reflections and timing..but not the distortion profile...is this even possible?

Cary's 805 had a variable feedback control.  I don't know how many other amps were made with this feature.

Received my Van Alstine 225M amps yesterday. First impression: If listening straight out of the box is any indication, these are going to be very musical amps. There is a little bit of an edge to dynamic peaks - if I am lucky this will fade as they burn in. Otherwise I am already happy. Extraordinary performance for the money.