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Does Class A amplifier artificially smoothen sound

I used to like DVD-A over redbook CD when owning well respected Class AB amplifiers for typical reasons. I don't own many DVD-As and certainly haven't listened to any of them since getting the Pass XA60.5 until now. To those who have Class A amplifiers, don't you find DVD-A music partially reverse some of what you like about Class A amp.? It actually gave me a headache, the same fatigue caused by that artificially intense sound, that same sound distortion I've so gladly escaped when buying the XA60.5 for CD music listening. Now loud live performance can give me deaf ears, but not the same headache as described. At least with what observed, it doesn't seem to indicate smoothness and relaxed mood as characteristics created by Class A amp. to emulate live music. In one case (redbook CD), I can listen to music for hours. In the other case using the same amp. and disc player, I got tired rather quickly (within 30 minutes).
spatine
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,788 posts
 
We've made class A amps for a long time and one thing that has always been an issue is the revealing nature that class A can bring to an amplifier. If your digital gear does not have its ducks in a row, it can give you a headache. So I'm with Stanwal on this one.

Its hard to use digital as a reference. IOW if it gives you a headache with analog too I would be a lot more suspicious of the amplifier, although if you are suggesting that its the Pass, I don't buy it- they make some of the best transistor amps made.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
I'm not sure music was meant to be listened to "for so long". I think even live unamplified music can become fatiguing if listened to too long.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,788 posts
 
If you get a headache after 20 minutes, that is not going to work, at least not for me. I like to be able to listen fatigue free all evening long.
argyro
438 posts
 
No, other classes artificially harden sound...;)
spatine OP
84 posts
 
What DVD-A offers, at least in my system, is more detail. Positioning of instruments is more distinct as well. It's good in the precision area, and not so good in harmonizing and flowing instruments and voices together. In live performance everything is obviously more precise, but these sound sources propagate together toward you. It's nice to precisely know where the individual sources are in DVD-A. But if they approach you in a disjointed fashion, your brain would naturally do extra work to subliminally help you think that you actually listen to somebody singing in natural setting. That extra work is part of causing the headache. It's also interesting to note that the extra detail does not apply to the entire frequency range. Detail in the midrange,particularly voices, is actually reduced with DVD-A. Thirdly, the extra force and intensity of DVD-A sound is also unnatural. That extra pounding does not help the headache either.

My point is this sort of observation, with such descriptive words, occurs a lot in posting involving Class A vs other amplifiers, or tube versus SS. Well, this contrast between DVD-A and CD listening, at least with my system, appears not to support categorizing amplifiers as such.
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