PS audio hca 2 feedback...

Some of the review pointed out that the self noise level is high. And wondering if lower self noise level would bring out more magic out of this amp. Any comments on this? Thanks...

Zt000, these tests & specs have little to do with sound quality since most quality amps are designed by ear, not by laboratory measurements & specifications. I always thought the HCA-2 was one of the best efforts as far as producing a digital amp that created the least amount of noise. If there is any audible noise I can't hear it.

most quality amps are designed by ear, not by laboratory measurements & specifications

They are?

Drubin, tube gear has horrible specs/measurements when compared to solid state but there are alot audiophiles that prefer the tube sound. Engineering a product & applying large amounts of negative feedback (a common practice on cheap gear) results in a product that reguires less attention to circuit design and they always have better specs however they fall short on sound quality. I'm sure when Stereophile evaluated this amp, their conclusions were soley based on sound quality & not lab measurements. Forget the specs/measurements, believe your ears.

I was shocked when I had this amp home. It sounds harsh and muffled. I was not surprised when I read the reviews detailing its poor (measured) performance. The unit is also grossly overpriced given its parts count/quality.