Power Amps with High Current or High Damping

Dev,

No, I don't know Tony. I just saw his ad.

I left the Accustic Arts digital for three reasons.

1. The man who upgraded my speakers and his partner suggested that I switch to the new Wadia 581 se, and then run it straight into a power amp. I have great respect for both of them, so I did it blindly. It's one of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten.

2. Brian Ackerman told me that the jump from the DAC 1 Mk 3 to the Mk 4 was a really good jump, but the Mk 4 jump to the Tube DAC wasn't worth the extra $4,000.00 unless money was of no concern to me.

3. One AA transport, one AA DAC, one Stealth Varidig Sextet balanced digital cable and two Dream State power cords, that's $20,000.00. The Wadia 581 se and one Silent Source power cord, that's $10,500.00. And to me, the Wadia blows the AA pieces that I had, as good as the whole setup was, completely out of the water. You have to hear it to understand how much better the Wadia 581 se is, plus it can be upgraded to the 781 se (when the se model is released).

I didn't sell the Karan integrated because I wasn't happy with it, I just needed a really, really fast and good power amp to mate with the Wadia. I bought the Burmester for less than the Karan that's here on Audiogon. Either one would have been fine with me.

Chuck

Damping factor is a highly over rated spec. Krell amps have low damping factors but no one considers them poor in regard to bass control. High current is a consideration.

What is an example of "high" current (spec-wise) vs. not?
I'd like to know if my amp is high current.

I think that you are onto the correct parameter but in an indirect sort of way. Damping factor, simplistically, is the ratio of (real part of the) speaker impedance to (the real part of the) amplifier output impedance. Remember that speaker impedance is variable over frequency so DF does not remain 1 fixed #. Unless the power amp output impedance is very low & well-controlled (sign of a robust power supply, which makes the amp cost sky-rocket), the amp output impedance is also variable over freq. So, you have both numr & denr varying over freq! Often you'll see lower DF as you come down in freq (often amp spec sheets show DF at 1KHz) that read in the range of just 10. So, the very large #s you have cited from spec sheets are essentially meaningless - they are probably measured with a non-reactive load (which is not what a loudspeaker is!).

I believe that you improved when you switched to the Karan amp is the amplifier output impedance - I get this feeling due to your comment "Karan took a hold of the speakers and made them play whatever it was sending". When the impedances are correct in the amp-speaker interface this is what the listener usually reports back.
One of the possible reasons for this is that the Karan amp has a much better power supply (lower impedance) & probably has more # of power transistors in the output stage (lower impedance) &/or higher current power transistors (more current delivery capability).

Krell_man, curious was there a reason you didn't try any other amps in the Karan line such as the stereo amp, KAS 270 Dual Mono stereo pce that has a damping factor of 6000 and 270 watts of power @ 8 ohms. There is another member "Cenline" who is also using the Wadia but with the Karan amp above and seems to be very happy.

Thanks for the info. I have never tried Wadia, will have to try as a friend just got the same pce you have recently but I have not made it over to his place as of yet.

Who is the man and partner you made reference to that you have great respect for?

Interesting regarding Brian's comments to you but I would have to disagree with him suggesting the Tube Dac improvement wasn't worth the added cost over the MK4, I feel it most defiantly is.

Brian doesn't sell "AA" product anymore correct?

That being said I would agree with you that the cost once you add up things is up there and if the Wadia is that good then it would most defiantly be a no brain-er.

Interesting info.