Atma-Sphere Class D… Amazing


Today I picked up my Atma-Sphere Class D Amps. These aren’t broken in yet. And they are simply amazing. I’ve listen to a lot of High End Class D. Some that cost many times what Atma-Sphere Class D costs. I wasn’t a fan of any of them. But these amps are amazing. I really expected to hate them. So my expectations were low. The Details are of what I’ve never heard from any other amps. They are extremely neutral. To say the realism is is extremely good is a gross understatement. They are so transparent it’s scary. These amps just grab you and suck you into the music. After I live with them some and get them broken in. And do some comparisons to some other high end Amps Solid State, Tubes and Class D’s, also in other systems I’ll do a more comprehensive review. But for now, these are simply amazing amps.. Congrats to Ralph and his team. You guys nailed on these.

 

 

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HGEIFMAN, I can give it a try with my Bel Canto DAC tomorrow. It has a linestage preamp built in. 

@ddafoe   …”I find the monos offer a maybe slightly less 'meat-on-the bones', but a wider soundstage, good depth but maybe not quite as deep, but offer a blacker background and ultimately allow me to hear in and around the instruments just as much”
 

Really interesting observation. Exactly identical description of the difference between the Audio Research REF 160m monoblocks that I have been comparing to my Audio Research REF 160s strereo amp. To the word… exactly how I would describe it.

@kuribo “Opinions are not facts”

Opinions are certainly factual in the case of audio and sound preferences. 100% factual. In this hobby/passion of audio we must first recognize this one undeniable fact. How something sounds is 100% subjective and tied to one’s unique ears, room, associated gear and preferences. In fact, the only absolute truth of how something sounds, is found in one’s actual experience with the piece and their resulting opinion. That’s it. 

Opinions are not facts. Sound preference isn't a fact, we don't get to make up  facts. 

We can certainly compare the input to the output and measure the differences, and from those differences make objective comparisons.
Many people actually prefer an amp that adds certain distortions to the output. Some don’t. Subjective preferences don’t have to, and often fail to, align with the actual objective performance.

@kuribo But you can’t tell how an amp really sounds just by looking at measurements either.  You can have two amps that measure similarly but sound completely different.  Why?  Because we don’t have near enough the measurements that can measure everything that has an impact on sound.  Case in point, you can buy an amp and upgrade capacitors, resistors, etc. and the measurements won’t show any difference but the sound can change significantly.  Measurements are useful as a piece of assessing performance but are FAR from being able to sufficiently describe the complete sound of a component. 
 

What are objective measurements missing, other than subjectivity?
 

Wait…ASR is calling — they need you back there ASAP!  Go!!!