Ralph, As much as I respect your opinions, I don't agree with the suggestion that amps that measure well don't sound good, and amps that sound good don't measure well. While I'm not suggesting that we have all the neccesary measurements to guarantee terrific sounding amps yet, I do suggest that we currently have the neccesary measurements measurements to guarantee that we don't make terrible sounding amps. Obviously the same token that keeps tube amps a marketable comodity, does the same thing for solid state amps.
Double down, good or bad?
I came across this article on Atma Sphere's website:
http://www.atma-sphere.com/papers/myth.html
In short, Atma Sphere believes having a power amp that is capable of doubling its power when impedance is half is not necessarily a good thing because speakers in general do not have a flat impedance across all freq range.
On paper, it does make sense. Though I am sure speaker designers take that into consideration and reduce/increase output where necessary to achieve the flatest freq response, that explains why most of the speakers measured by Stereophile or other magazines have near flat responses.
But what if designer use tube amps to design his speakers, mating them with solid state should yield higher bass output in general? Vice versa, tube amps yield less bass output at home?
I have always been a tube guy and learned to live with less bass weight/impact in exchange of better midrange/top end. Will one be better off buying the same exact amp the speakers were "voiced" with, not that it will guarantee good sound, at least not to everyone's ear.
http://www.atma-sphere.com/papers/myth.html
In short, Atma Sphere believes having a power amp that is capable of doubling its power when impedance is half is not necessarily a good thing because speakers in general do not have a flat impedance across all freq range.
On paper, it does make sense. Though I am sure speaker designers take that into consideration and reduce/increase output where necessary to achieve the flatest freq response, that explains why most of the speakers measured by Stereophile or other magazines have near flat responses.
But what if designer use tube amps to design his speakers, mating them with solid state should yield higher bass output in general? Vice versa, tube amps yield less bass output at home?
I have always been a tube guy and learned to live with less bass weight/impact in exchange of better midrange/top end. Will one be better off buying the same exact amp the speakers were "voiced" with, not that it will guarantee good sound, at least not to everyone's ear.
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- 57 posts total
- 57 posts total