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The "sound" of amps.


Speedball

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So I give the guy $50.00 and he gives me a QSC 1400 that stomps the bass out of these RF-7's. It's not nearly refined as the Conrad Johnson Sonographe sound and I'm yet to swap it out and put in the PLX 1202 just to see how it compares. Until now I've never really heard the difference between the sound of amps and the last few days has been most interesting. Whether it's the amount of power they put out or maybe the technology, heck I dunno' anyone else heard a difference between amps?

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To the extent that a preamp or speakers have a "sound," they are inaccurate.

I'm not being a pest about this, but these debates often overlook that fundamental principle. We may like or dislike the sound of these things, but just because it sounds really great doesn't make it accurate.

To achieve accuracy is the nearly insurmountable obstacle that begins with the choice and placement of the microphone(s) and continues all the way to the ear.

Pretty tall order...it's why audio has even more variables and is more fun than chess!

Gawd, I love it.

Dave

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Nonsense, ignore the parvenus. Anybody who can't hear a difference in amps, or whose silly enough to believe it's simply the manufacturer voicing same, is either deaf or dumb.

There are all flavors of amps out there, done right, done bad, just a smidge different, match well, don't match at all, are sad, happy, sing or are sour.

They come by price point, poundage, tubes or SS, heck, even chimps make them.

They are are surly lot, they either like a room or hate it and immediately want you to redecorate.

Sexy, bulky, clothed or nekkid, they come in all flavors, shapes and sizes.

Now don't get me started on women.

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Nonsense, ignore the parvenus. Anybody who can't hear a difference in amps, or whose silly enough to believe it's simply the manufacturer voicing same, is either deaf or dumb.

There are all flavors of amps out there, done right, done bad, just a smidge different, match well, don't match at all, are sad, happy, sing or are sour.

They come by price point, poundage, tubes or SS, heck, even chimps make them.

They are are surly lot, they either like a room or hate it and immediately want you to redecorate.

Sexy, bulky, clothed or nekkid, they come in all flavors, shapes and sizes.

Now don't get me started on women.

To the extent that she has a "sound," a woman is inaccurate.

Dave

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All of my amps sound different. Why would anyone have more than one amp if all amps sound the same?

160X7 on one HT reciever. 130X7 on another.

1 400W active sub.

1 200W class A stereo amp

2 Marshall 100W stereo amps

1 Marshall 50W stereo amp

1 20W stereo amp

1 50W carvin Stereo amp

2 Peavey 120W stereo amps that can be bridged

1 Peavey 60W stereo amp that can be bridged

1 Shanglin 30W stereo amp

2 Mcintosh 130W stereo amps

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...even amps with the same spec's sound different.........so much for spec's and tech data

That just means incorrect correlation is applied to those specs.

you guy's crack me up...really....My take is that these measurements are so primative that it's like comparing black and white TV to blue ray. Blue ray is still not real...and the reasons why can't be measured.

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...even amps with the same spec's sound different.........so much for spec's and tech data

That just means incorrect correlation is applied to those specs.

you guy's crack me up...really....My take is that these measurements are so primative that it's like comparing black and white TV to blue ray. Blue ray is still not real...and the reasons why can't be measured.

That's why "videophile" is such a hoot. Audio at least APPROACHES a semblance of reality at times, especially with a big fat joint as an appetizer (I wish). It will fool my cat.

The most expensive, highest def screen or projector money can buy does not pass Mallette's Cat test. They totally ignore it. Just colored lights. Flat as a pancake. What a joke...

Dave

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Quoteth Dave: "Audio at least APPROACHES a semblance of reality at times, especially with a big fat joint as an appetizer"

Which leads us to the ultimate question. What came first, the joint, the amp or Dave?

Think about it (but not too hard). Did the creation of the amp lead to the growing of the joint, or was it the growing of the joint that lead some engineer to posit the existence of an amp. Nay let's go farther back. Did said engineers hearing the strumming of a passing minstrel to posit that if he could replicate that music so he could hear it whenever he wanted. However, since the birds were singing that day and drowning out the minstrel, what was needed was a proper device to amplify the minstrel's voice to get rid of those dern singing birds. This is positing the fact that Dave's cat had not been invented yet so he could eat the birds thus providing the minstrels voice without need of attenuation.

Now I'm presuming this all took place a few hundreds years ago and lead to the phrase "The Renaissance". Since they didn't have electricity back then they simply dunked readily available peasants into a lead-lined bath of acid and water after carefully coaching them to exactly replicate the singing of said minstrel. This interaction between acid,lead and peasant led shortly to the invention of the battery, electricity and all sorts of other good stuff.

Now I'm sure Dave was actually involved in all this which makes him much older than we think.

I'm pretty sure this is right, and I'll think about it while having a candybar (don't et me started on where they came from) because my head's spinning pretty good right now.

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That's why "videophile" is such a hoot. Audio at least APPROACHES a semblance of reality at times, especially with a big fat joint as an appetizer (I wish). It will fool my cat.

The most expensive, highest def screen or projector money can buy does not pass Mallette's Cat test. They totally ignore it. Just colored lights. Flat as a pancake. What a joke...

I'm seeing the image of Nipper looking at the Victrola....

Audio can fool even a cat and a dog though occasionally dogs will bark at a TV but may be barking more at the sound.

And it's true, not that I've experienced a lot of high definition video screens, they all look flat compared to the real thing...

But while I'm sure no one here will argue that even the best system sounds as good as the real thing, the illusion can get pretty doggone close when everything lines up.

Crikey Dave, quite making me think so much ...

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