When a Reviewer "likes" something

Raul,
I have stopped. Head feels better already

Dear Raul,
You wrote, "well that's something that I too learned but that IMHO is not really true. Lewm, the most important watt(s) is/are those that are asked by the speakers and the amplifier can supply with accuracy in real time. Music is not " stady " but with huge dynamic demands over what you and me can imagine."

First, thanks for admitting that your Honest Opinion is only your honest opinion. As if. Second, those "huge dynamic demands" have to be contained in the envelope of the voltage output of the source component. If the source can only put out 2V, like most CD players and phono stages, then the input stage of the amplifier needs to be able to deal with 2V amplitude (at full volume) and never more than that. ALL the music is inside those 2V. What you are talking about is a situation where an amplifier has inadequate power to drive the speaker to the correct musical peaks. That is a problem of power, nothing to do with tubes vs transistors, and I have already said that if you want to use a low-impedance, inefficient, multi-driver speaker you should probably be looking to a solid-state solution. This has nothing to do with one technology being better than another. If the amp is capable, then those distortions on peaks also come about because of poorly designed speakers and drivers that fall apart sonically under stress. If you spend your life listening over and over again to the bombastic Telarc 1812, these issues will indeed plague you; I don't have that problem.

So let's be clear, I disagree. I believe that the best sounding amplifier, tube or SS will be one that has it's lowest distortion at it's lowest power output, such that distortion (we are talking THD) only increases as power demands increase. Of course, this should happen in a linear fashion and with as flat a slope of THD vs power output as possible.

There are several different iterations of First Watt amplifiers. Each has been designed based on a different approach. To say you dislike First Watt is meaningless; which one?

Further, you have not addressed my point about distortion in SS amplifiers when delivering power into a real world speaker with reactive rather than simple resistive characteristics. But lets also be clear that in my private audio decisions, I do not at all rule out SS amplifiers.

The original post asks about what it means when a reviewer likes something and I much earlier in the thread wrote a sad but true comment about it meaning little.

It was later pointed out that it is hard to find dealers who have the equipment to demo. This is true. Times have change and it is sad for the consumer that such a large percentage of demoing dealers have gone away.

Still, your own ears are the things that matter. Although audio shows are much maligned I find that I generally get a pretty good read about equipment at shows, especially speakers.

I know this mostly does not directly answer the original post but I think it addresses the reason why the OP asked the question.

Having listened to thousands of pieces of equipment in my career, two effective ways of selecting equipment seem to be:

1. Look for consistency on forums in the details of what posters say about the sound of a component. This means the exact descriptors, not just "xyz blows everything away" says little but exact descriptions that are repeated by many people are very telling.

2. Find an industry professional (dealer, manufacturer, distributor at a show or by luck of hearing his system) or very experienced consumer whose system you absolutely love and get advice from that person.

Dear Manitunc: Good stay in that way!

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Lewm: About that " first watt " comment I think there is a misunderstood by you or a bad explanation by me. I'm not talking there about tube vs SS but only that: that IMHO that very first watt is not the most important issue but what the speaker demands on current that's different to what you posted.

About the Telarc 1812 I think that you don't know what you are talking about and till today you can't understand why I use that LP as an overall analog test through my comparison audio items process.

On the distortions on SS amps all depend on the amp design, any good top SS designs works fine with no trouble with any kind of real world speaker " with reactive rather than simple resistive characteristics ". Maybe you read it that exist a trouble but that as many other SS myths is only one more myth. As on any kind of electronics the name of the game is DESIGN quality and execution of that design: knowledge level and skills of the designer.

+++++ " I believe that the best sounding amplifier, tube or SS will be one that has it's lowest distortion at it's lowest power output, such that distortion (we are talking THD) only increases as power demands increase " +++++

as you I disagree with your statement: THD is only one factor with influence in the quality amp performance but there are several other ones. I know that you are sticky with tube amps and nothing wrong with that but try one and again to support that amp technology has no sense to me or your ignorance level on today SS vs tubes is really high and if it is in this way could be useless to continue this discussion when you ( IMHO ) has no facts or foundation on your statements other that that is what you think and this " what you think " is not enough.

You said more than once: " I do not at all rule out SS amplifiers " but in all the years that I have to know you I can't remember any time you tested in your system a SS amp sharing your experiences even I never see any post from you talking on how good could be the SS technology. Lewm, facts is the name of the game here and you missed this issue.

Anyway, thank's for your posts.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.