When did you last here a distinct difference between amps?

[chn68b]

There is strong belief that any half decent amp will sound pretty much identical to any other amplifier played within limits. All amps strive for neutrality, and if this is achieved, you shouldn't really hear a difference, which begs the question why do we keep chasing the impossible? Why do some of us keep flipping amps?

 

If you believe you've experienced a massive improvement switching from one amp to another, what amps were involved and what was the improvement?

 

 

[Pondoro]

I have seen blind tests that say you can’t tell, but always with very good amps and always short (one afternoon) tests. Mike Moffatt of Schiit says hearing is integrative and I believe him. I play musical instruments, playing an instrument you notice differences over time. Yes you notice “that sounds nice” right away, but subtle differences become evident over time. I’ve never A/B tested an amp versus another, blind or sighted. But my experience with instruments says you pick things up slowly. This makes me skeptical of blind tests. But it also makes me skeptical of people who change a cable and say, “a veil was lifted.” Still I’m not an audio equipment expert. 
 

I just got my first tube amp today. I didn’t A/B it against my solid state amp, I just started listening to it. I’ll tell you in a month how they compare. Some will refuse to believe if I don’t do a blind test. I’m ok.

[jjptkd]

I can hear differences quite easily in most amplifiers that I have owned / listened to. 

[SWL]

Same here.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[MEH Synergy]

I have owned many amplifiers because there is a clear difference between them. If there wasn't, buy the cheapest one and call it a day.  Save yourself money. 

[DizRotus]

An older Onkyo AVR quit totally.  The sound of my Wiener TPA3118 class D was a distinct difference from the silent Onkyo.

[DizRotus]

?

Accidental post.

 

 

[garyrc]

A solid state Luxman I had seemed to sound better, and more "tube like" than a Yamaha.  After a few years, the Luxman conked out and I could not find any one to repair it, even some high end repair shops.  It was evidentially literally burned out inside.  I couldn't afford another Luxman, so I went with two stereo NADs for 4 of the channels in our new home theater's 5.1.  That left me one channel short, so for that one surround channel I'm using a Yamaha we happened to have.  It sounds different, perhaps worse, but the two sides of the room are very slightly different, although symmetrical. 

[Joecoulson]

Going from $$4k worth of Class D Ps Audio monoblocks and pre to Parasound A/AB pre/amp combo was so pleasing. 
 

the warmth I gained and the emotion was palatable. So much detail in lower level listening but yet so much raw power for dynamic listening.  
 

the PSA combo was very accurate and linear while the latter made my toes tap and kept me coming back for more all the time.  Which is what we chase. 
 

 

[CoryGillmore]

I'm very skeptical of amps and DACs and the differences audiophiles say they hear in them... I'm powering a pair of Cornwall IVs with a $700 Best Buy Onkyo A/V receiver. It sounds fantastic. 

 

But all that said, I've got money to burn and I too will be joining the expectation bias club here soon with all new electronics. Still am on the fence about an integrated or monoblocks or what. Part of me wants to pick up a $2k-ish integrated and call it a day. But then I'll always have that "what if" feeling if I don't get something class A...

[MEH Synergy]

10 minutes ago, CoryGillmore said:

Part of me wants to pick up a $2k-ish integrated and call it a day. But then I'll always have that "what if" feeling if I don't get something class A...

Diminishing returns becomes apparent quickly as you climb. Jumping from an onkyo receiver, no offense leaves you A LOT of room on the table before you get there however.  To each his or her own. 

[CoryGillmore]

2 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

Jumping from an onkyo receiver, no offense leaves you A LOT of room on the table before you get there however

That is precisely what I'm hoping for

[MEH Synergy]

27 minutes ago, CoryGillmore said:

Still am on the fence about an integrated

Sounds like a great idea to me. Buy used so that it isn't exactly what you like, you can sell it in Hopefully without a loss. 

[Kalifornian]

And dont forget that good sounding is subjective to each pair of ears.  I went from a parasound amp on my uppers for my jubilees to a hand made tube amp and the difference was immense.  From clean clinical/sterile to warm full and lush.  

[jjptkd]

45 minutes ago, CoryGillmore said:

I'm very skeptical of amps and DACs and the differences audiophiles say they hear in them...

 

I believe speakers are the number one thing that make a difference in sound followed by your room / seating position speaker placement etc. 

 

Electronics do make a difference but can depend on how and what you're listening to. TV noise or background music isn't going to be that obvious but sitting in a dedicated listening position actively listening to music yeah you should be able notice changes in the way the sound is presented. 

 

 

[MEH Synergy]

55 minutes ago, CoryGillmore said:

very skeptical of amps and DACs

I am selling a DAC that can take the skeptic out of you.  You won't hear a damn thing it will do through the onkyo though. 130 dB SNR, balanced outputs, ESS flagship ES9038PRO DAC chip.  Believe me, they make a, difference. But I absolutely agree with @jjptkd above. If you speakers, the room and, their placement isn't done well enough, nothing else will matter much.  

[MeloManiac]

My old H/K430 twin powered amp sounds very different to my new Marantz PM5005 (I know, it's entry level).

The H/K shines in the low and the high frequencies. In the pic below, if I wanted to declutter, all I would need is the H/K and the turntable, and the RP160Ms.

 

[Shakeydeal]

I have never listened to two amps that I thought sounded the same. Never. And I have owned about 35 amps since the early 90s. Any time I have compared one to another there have been differences.

 

 

[Shakeydeal]

4 hours ago, CoryGillmore said:

I'm very skeptical of amps and DACs and the differences audiophiles say they hear in them... I'm powering a pair of Cornwall IVs with a $700 Best Buy Onkyo A/V receiver. It sounds fantastic. 

 

But all that said, I've got money to burn and I too will be joining the expectation bias club here soon with all new electronics. Still am on the fence about an integrated or monoblocks or what. Part of me wants to pick up a $2k-ish integrated and call it a day. But then I'll always have that "what if" feeling if I don't get something class A...

There are integrated tube amps that can compete with high end separates. You probably won’t find one in the 2k range, but they exist. I recently bought one that I’d put up against most out there.

 

Shakey

[jimjimbo]

9 hours ago, CoryGillmore said:

I'm very skeptical of amps and DACs and the differences audiophiles say they hear in them... I'm powering a pair of Cornwall IVs with a $700 Best Buy Onkyo A/V receiver. It sounds fantastic. 

 

But all that said, I've got money to burn and I too will be joining the expectation bias club here soon with all new electronics. Still am on the fence about an integrated or monoblocks or what. Part of me wants to pick up a $2k-ish integrated and call it a day. But then I'll always have that "what if" feeling if I don't get something class A...

Since you have money to burn, go with Mcintosh MC30 monos, or an MC240 with an MX110Z preamp.  You will be happy.