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When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?

I've always been a little bit suspicious when gear costs more than $25,000 . At $25,000 all the components should be the finest, and allow room for designer Builder and the dealer to make some money.

I mean that seems fair, these boxes are not volume sellers no one's making a ton of money selling the stuff.

But if I'm listening to a $40,000 amplifier I imagine me Liking it a whole lot more just because it costs $40,000. How many people have actually experienced listening to a $40,000 amplifier.  It doesn't happen that often and usually when you do there's nothing else around to compare it to.  
 

I'm just saying expensive gear is absolutely ridiculous.  It's more of a head game I'm afraid. Some how if you have the money to spend, and a lot of people do, these individuals feel a lot better spending more money for something.  Now you own it, and while listening to it you will always be saying to yourself that thing cost $40,000 and somehow you'll enjoy it more.

 

jumia
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,982 posts
 

I am a fan of the Audionics CC2…. FAN

rbach
200 posts
 

I've always enjoyed your posts mrdebacle.  Very much looking forward to you not responding to anyone beyond this point.  Enjoying! 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,874 posts
 

Isn't the harsh reality of class D is that it's to clinical and precise, and harsh. With class AB you get distortion and isn't that what harmonics is all about when you listen to music. It's all about the design and the colorations that are done by the amp designer. Most class D stuff is all about fitting lots of power in a small package.

And class D it's kind of cheap stuff so good luck making class d a preferable way to go

@jumia In a word, no.

I've heard class D amps that are smoother than any class A/AB amplifier. Its easier to design a class D amp that exhibits lower ordered harmonics rather than the higher ordered harmonics which cause harshness and brightness.

This is because with class D its possible to run a lot more feedback than you can with conventional designs! Its a nice side benefit of course that they are less expensive and less heat. There's a problem with feedback in conventional designs; not enough of it results in the amplifier's presentation being harsher and brighter due to unmasked higher ordered harmonics generated by the feedback itself. But if you can run enough feedback, it can clean up the mess it otherwise causes.

So at least with the class D amps with which I"m most familiar, they sound as smooth and sweet in the mids and highs like the best tube amps, but with more detail (easier to hear into the rear of the soundstage) than conventional amps.

jumia OP
528 posts
 

Yeah that probably relates to higher cost class D amps.  But mostly d amps are bargain basement variety and sound pretty bad.  Because home theater is the niche market for d stuff in a world where sound Quality don't matter too much.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,874 posts
 

Yeah that probably relates to higher cost class D amps. But mostly d amps are bargain basement variety and sound pretty bad.

@jumia  That is true of some but not all. I have two customers that were quite surprised by the Nobsound class D amps which are less than $300.00! I’ve not heard one myself. As best I can make out some of these less expensive amps are bass response limited to avoid all their power being gobbled up but otherwise sound pretty decent.

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