Theory in progress......

[Deang]

That's wierd John, because even solid state devices using the same "stuff" sound a little different to me. Solid state amps using different types of transistors sound WAY different to me.

Everything has "color".

[jazman]

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On 1/21/2004 7:56:59 AM maxg wrote:

The following is just the result of a series of thought processes I have gone through in recent weeks and not meant to up"set" anyone.

I cant escape the feeling whenever I read the threads on amp topologies that there is something inherently wrong with using an amp to flavour the music - whether that be enhancing the mid-range, boosting the bass or curbing the treble.

In the simple Max book on audio (which, if ever written would be about 10 pages - better call it a pamphlet methinks) the job of an amp is to amplify without adding or subtracting anything from the music.

That music benefits from flavouring of any kind I am not discussing here.

What I am saying is that any flavouring should come, in theory, from the combination of recording / source player / pre-amp initially - this should then be passed and increased in power by the amps, with no further change, to the speakers for them to add their own colours to the mix and out into a room that in turn does its own thing to the music.

In other words I get the feeling that using an amp to extract your prefered flavour is somehow missing the point, fixing the wrong thing, W.H.Y.

The same logic, of course, can be applied to cabling. If you are really looking for cabling with a sonic signature then there is probably something wrong elsewhere that would yield a better result be being fixed directly.

Of course, as someone who is running EL34 tubes in Ultra-Linear mode and someone who has spent some time choosing the "right cables" I can hardly claim to be in the "my amp just amplifies" camp but having gone through the upgrades of speakers and front end I do feel that in many ways I got to the sound I did independently of the amp, if not the cables.

Here-in, if any of the above is true, I see a fallacy in using low powered SET amps except in cases where you truely only listen at low levels through very high sensitivity speakers.

Above and beyond all else I get the impression that SET amps are chosen BECAUSE of the flavour they impart as opposed to DESPITE it. I see this as being the wrong path (I know right and wrong are a bit emotive here - the lesser benefit path perhaps). Get the source and speakers (and room actually)right and the sound should be right without the compromise of an amp with barely enough power to run a torch.

God - that will go down like a lead balloon - to post or not to post - hmmm.

well its just a theory...

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Max,

SET amps may impart no more, or no less, (but in my case less) flavor than any other amp. Every piece of audio gear imparts some signature. Every source, every speaker! The amp is only part of the total equation. You can change the variables, yet have a similar resulting answer. There is no free meal. High power, low power, compromises exist.

What's the point? The entire excercise of building a personal system is that it reflects personal tastes, or "flavor" preferences.

Klipsch out.

[Deang]

Amen!

[ZAKO]

DEANG....Yes when I switched out higher beta rated transisters in a Marantz 7T preamp it did lower some distortion a bit & sounded better. I liked that preamp because the transisters were socketed & switching made it easy. (just like tubes).