The most transparent, detailed amps you've encountered. I like to hear everything that's going on and follow the different lines and instruments but it does need to come together musically. Dead quiet, black background, dimesnional, layered, imaging, open, extended top end - all qualities of top amps, I think. Let the music come through as it was put on the disc - no editorializing.
There is no way to tell how transparent a given amp may be without listening to it with familiar recordings (so you have some basis for comparison.
If the amp is in an unfamiliar system you must consider the system as a whole. The sonic characteristics can not be attributed to any particular piece contained therein. The only way to get an idea of the amp's capabilities in an unfamiliar system is to change to a different amp and see what gets better, or worse...
Newbee, I can only speak for my system. I mentioned the source. Somebody also brought out the importance of the preamp, if any. I would add that with class D amps, the cabling is critical as well. I have found only three that work well, Shunyata, Anti-cable, and Cerious. There are no doubt more, but they will not be box or hose cables.
Second the atma-sphere MA2 MkIII. And it's not just "sounds", I have actually heard individual notes that were previously obscured. Little things, like a ghosted guitar note. Also, the ability to follow the musical lines, especially in the bass. I would stress this the most: the bass lines are the most clear and disticnt I have ever heard, better (to my ears) than the Dart's, BAT, and Halcro.
How can I tell (without actually listening and evaluating synergy, especially with speakers) if an amp is in fact going to be 'transparent'? Are amps universal in application? If, when I hear a system, I judge to be less than transparent how do I know it's the amp as opposed to the IC's, cables, line stage, etc, that I'm using with it. Is there an absolute reference?
You make a good point, Newbee. I guess I'm judging by some direct comparisons within a single system using familiar music, but that doesn't take into account synergy with speakers, and there most certainly is no absolute reference. Then again, how do any of us judge any of this stuff given that it is always attached to a chain of other components, which may or may not have synergy for whatever reasons. A good reason to take everything you read with a pound'o'salt and make your own judgments in your own system. I guess this is just input and a point of departure, but I find it interesting in this discussion that Class D and OTL comes up over and over. There have been very few mentions of tube amps here.
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