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Watts is watts? Do all amps sound the same?

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BigElCat

Mmm Hmm
I was debating this topic with a member on another AK sub-forum.

I'm sure the topic has been beaten to death, ad infinitum, but here goes.

All amps do not sound the same. Differences can be heard between solid state amps. Differences can be heard between tube amps. Is there anyone who cannot hear a difference between a solid state amp and a tube amp?
 
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Jeffery said:
Man, you could save everybody a few hundred posts of the same ol' dreck..

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=6582217#post6582217

Notice that thread is locked now. Probably a hint.

And that's just one thread, if I had time I'd post links to a dozen more, just like it.
Click to expand...

Put me in a room for a double blind test of 3 amps that are unknown to me I wont tell a difference if they play at same levels.

But my own amps I can! Just like a mother knows the crying pitch of her youngling's voice. I can tell Jeffrey!

I also can hack those DBTs if I'm allowed to fiddle with the volume. A loudness curve tells a story. A story of a little amp who cries for more current when evil 2 ohm drop and nasty phase shifts crawl under its bed.

Find that in other threads. Ha!
 
Theoretically there should be no difference in sound between amps.

Ideally, the perfect amp is a wire with gain.

Realistically every component in an amplifier(or pre amp or tuner) contributes to its "sonic signature". The quality of the transformer, the design of the power supply, the individual parts used in the amplifier stages and overall circuit design and construction all add up to what you eventually hear. As with many other things in life, amplifier design is a collection of compromises
 
I tried a blindfold test and had a friend cart stuff in and out of the room to see if I could tell the difference.

After a couple tests, all I could hear was him whining about his back ... :D

Getting ready to do some A/B direct comparisons here. Been running a McIntosh MC2205 here for years and am currently building a Latino ST120 tube amp, which gets real decent reviews for sound quality. Also just got a nice switch (Niles DPS-1) so I can swap back and forth easily to see if tube watts really ARE bigger ... 200wpc vs 70wpc should make for a noticeable difference you'd think?

** Biggest difference I see between SS and tube is you can drive a tube amp a lot harder before hard clips destroy the music ... and possibly your speakers. Then there's always the "flavor" - if you don't like what's coming out of SS, you're pretty much stuck with it. With tubes, you've got a veritable smorgasbord of options if you're into the rolling thing or feel like digging inside to do some tweaks.
 
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With a bit of effort, the trained ear should be able to tell the difference.
You might not be able to right away, but if you take a few days to get used to the sound, then it's character will start coming out.
 
I think there is less difference than many would like to admit. However I do believe system synergy can make a big difference in the way amps sound.

cubdog
 
Personally I think that there are three things involved:


1) How good the individuals hearing is.

2) How well trained the individuals hearing is.

3) What the individual wants to hear. “I paid $1,000 for these speaker cables. They have to sound better!”
 
If all amps sound exactly the same wouldn't we all buy a $30 chip amp? Now I love chip amps but they don't sound like a Krell, or Ayon. But, some might like the sound of the chip amp better. This is a crazy hobby!

cubdog
 
These threads, like cable threads, never end well. Some can hear a difference some can't. Some spend more money on amps/cables etc, some don't. Bottom line is that it's up to the individual who is buying the gear, their ears, what they like and how big their wallet is.
 
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