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ICE Amps for classical music?

I listen to classical orchestral music at heavy volume. I detest reproduced music for always sounding more or less electronic and not acoustic. Real music is beautiful in a way reproduced music--so far at least-- never is. I have become curious about Wyred4sound amps because of low price and high watts. I am wondering if any of you "mostly classical" listeners have heard these amps and feel they do no more damage to music than amps which are NOT ICE amps. I am using a Plinius SA100 now and have used a VAC 100/100,
a Bedini Classic 100/100, a Music Reference RM-9, and other tube and solid state amps. They all had their pluses and minuses, of course, but for least electronic, clearly the Bedini was the winner. So what about ICE amps?
rpfef
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,149 posts
 
"Pianos sounded better on the threshold , especially the tonal balance vs the BC."

I was just relating that having never heard either amp with Maggies, which have atotally different sound from anything I am running currently with the Ref10000mkii, I have no basis to assess what it would sound like other than what you relate.

Also, having never heard a BC with Maggies, I am not certain going in that Class D amps would be my first choice with those either, but would be curious to hear the combo and know for sure.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Ah, Weseixas, the mystery continues, just who you are. I would be extremely excited to host a shoot out of the Threshold against the H2O. While we are at it, we can test any number of SCs for laughs. Nothing would please me more.

We will have to make a date - We will plan on a day, after my C 4-5 spinal path is cleared this month. Shoot me an email
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,149 posts
 
One thought that occurred to me is that I consider both Magneplanar and IcePower to be way towards the low fatigue factor end of the spectrum. I would expect the combo of these two tehnologies to be the same.

That might be considered a good thing to some or too laid back and uninvolving to others, depending on personal preferences and such.

Also a touch of tube warmth somewhere up front of the amp might be another good ingredient to toss into the Class D amp soup, again depending on the nature of the system as a whole and listening preference.

I owned a Sony CD player not too long ago. The combo of the Sony sound, IcePower, and Maggies seems like one that I might expect to perhaps be somewhat towards the cold and thin end of the spectrum and perhaps could benefit from a bit more warmth somewhere in the signal chain.
jult52
155 posts
 
The thing I would worry about with ICE amps is the massive amount of EMI/RF they throw off. I believe that would be a particular problem with Maggies (which I listen to as well). Am I wrong about either the ICE amps producing EMI/RF or about their effect on system components?
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,149 posts
 
"Am I wrong about either the ICE amps producing EMI/RF or about their effect on system components?"

This is something I was concerned with going in.

Yes, there is potential and it needs to be suppressed. Newer designs, including Bel Canto's, seem to do it effectively. I read it was more of a problem with some early units. It's not been an issue in my setup, which even includes a low out MC phono setup and tuner.

The ref1000mkii is dead quiet. I detect no background or any other audible noise.

EMI/RF would not effect speakers directly I believe, rather other low level eletronics and/or the power supply which would then affect the sound heard via speakers.
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