2. amps-preamps
  3. 1260904595

Can someone give me an explaination re: power amp.

So, I own a simaudio i-5 driving paradigm studio 60 v.3, and I am not happy with the sound at low volume. turn it up everything is great, but low volume has muffled sound. Everyone says the paradigms are efficient, but i go out looking for more efficient speakers, and happen to come home with a loaner power amp- a simaudio w-3 (125 wpc), and the sound at low volume sounds markedly better with the power amp. this is contrary to everything i have convinced myself to believe. i have convinced myself that a good integrated is all i need, but I cannot deny the sound. so instead of asking the age old separates vs. integrated question, i'm just going to ask- why does my system sound so much better at LOW volume with the power amp. Maybe the speakers aren't as efficient as I thought? Maybe the 70 wpc simaudio i-5 isn't as great a machine as i thought? maybe there's a technical explaination? Please enlighten me! and thanks, and merry christmas to all you audiophiles out there! (oh, and the reason I didn't come home with speakers is that i really love the full range of sound from the towers, and i couldn't find any highly efficient speaker that had the range I enjoy. not that it dosen't exist, but i just couldn't find it. I live in portland, oregon).
blazerfan
blazerfan OP
32 posts
 
I used my simaudio i-5 integrated as a pre. The sound and low volume was much clear and clean. background instruments and vocals were audible. My girlfriend and her 8 year old son both thought the w-3 sounded much better, and they are not very critical listeners.
blazerfan OP
32 posts
 
for the record, i don't see the connection either. if i did, i wouldn't have started this thread. i really don't understand why it is the way that it is. thus, the post.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,410 posts
 
Blazerfan - I looked it up and it is very interesting amp. Very low distortion and high damping factor in an amp with very little feedback - It can be done! (I assume that Simaudio W-3 is the same as Simaudio Moon W-3)
bshapperd
84 posts
 
This may, or may not be of value, but my experience with Simaudio Moon integrated amps is that they don't come 'alive' until 20 steps of attenuation.

I was using Totem Sttafs and really couldn't get much out of them until I turned up the juice a bit. I understand you might be expecting something different from more sensitive speakers. If you're looking for more performance at lower volume levels I would look at different Amps than Sim/Moon. Sugden integrated amps are class A and may be worth an audition?
cyclonicman
693 posts
 
Maybe because the W3 is 125wpc vs the 70wpc of your integrated. My guess is that the W3 sounds better at higher volumes as well.
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