2. amps-preamps
  3. 1261722996

The closest approach: what amplification?

Ken Kessler titled his book on Quad "The closest approach" to summarize Quad's philosophy of producing a speaker that gets as close as possible to the reproduction of a live event. I have been wondering if there is a type of amplification that gets us closer to the real thing more than other types. I have met many audiophiles over the past few years, and what strikes me is how religious people can get about radically different types of amplification: some swear that there is nothing like small-power SET coupled with efficient speakers. Others believe that you don't have a serious system unless you use muscular SS amplifiers (e.g. 300 WPC). Others believe that powerful push-pull tube configurations are the best of both worlds. Finally, there is a small community of OTL aficionados that look at the rest of the world as if they don't know what music reproduction is all about.

Of course these people value different things. Some like imaging more than other things; others value transparency; others are crazy about huge soundstages; others seek warmth etc. And it is clear that some types of amplification are better for certain things and others are better for other things.

Now, let us consider simply the reproduction of a live event (not some specific, partial dimensions). In your experience, what type of amplification got you close to the real thing? Powerful SS, SET, OTL, powerful push-pull?
ggavetti
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
Unsound, I agree that it is developing slower than it could. My amp's basic design is ten years old. I have done no marketing research, but I suspect that since all the money is in home theater, the larger HT companies are waiting until that market is saturated before they spend scarce R&D money on sound, which is after, all a mere adjunct to the Video world. Perhaps Steve Jobs will make us a SUPER IPOD!
In the mean time, we audiophiles appear to most folks as just a bunch of old nostalgic guys- like the Radio Amateur clubs- vacuum tubes and all. My only encouragement is now that my daughter is in her thirties, she is willing, on occasion, to unplug her headphones and listen to my speakers.
grateful's avatar
grateful
104 posts
 
OTL of course!!! Sorry to say, the rest of the world doesn't know what music reproduction is all about ;)
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Hate to sound like I'm getting on the OTL bandwagon, but I guess I am. I've tried all types of amplifiers, many very highly regarded Class A tube and SS, at least with my speakers (Merlin VSM - smooth, highish impedance)nothing has sarisified me more than the Atma-sphere M60 OTLs. They may not be a good match for all speakers, but with tube friendly speakers, I think the OTL approach is hard to beat for "realistic" presence. And yet, 15% might be a close estimate of the sound of live acoustic music; which doesn't make listening to music any less enjoyable, it is just a different experience than live.
audiokinesis
2,765 posts
 
Unsound, obviously I should have made it clear which part of my response was about things an owner of existing speakers could do, and which referred to something that would have to be done during the design stage.

In my opinion using an autoformer is something a speaker owner would do to make his speakers more compatible with OTL amps.

If we're just looking at the design stage, then yes it is easier to smooth the impedance curve by lowering it. But if the end goal is compatibility with OTL amps, for example, lowering the impedance curve can be counter-productive. Some of the design choices that lead to a medium to high, and smooth, impedance curve need to be made before the crossover design stage. For example, I can't expect to build a 2.5-way system using two 8-ohm 6" woofers and end up with an OTL-friendly design.
unsound
7,348 posts
 
Duke, thanks.
More to discover