• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Do all solid state amps sound the same?

baked_potato said:
Well... a lot of snake oil has been sold over the years. Many people actively look for ways to spend more money. Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a hobby in itself.
Click to expand...
This is true. As is a lot of truth has been called "snake oil"

I used to do a lot of sales training. One of my favorites was referencing a fishing aisle in a sporting goods store, asking what were these artificial baits supposed to catch. Then reminding them that fish have no money
 
GChief said:
Always chuckle at the "snake oil" replies.
Click to expand...

Me too. Some is obvious, the "Tice Clock" comes to mind. However, too many will claim this for other things based on "science" without any effort put into doing an experiment, just jumping on the "deniers" bandwagon.
 
Listen to a 1987 Sansui AU-X701 (100w) or AU-X901 (130w) amp, which is Sansui's first alpha amp, or... listen to a later model Sansui 'Alpha' amp sometime'. It may just astound you.

The X701/X901 has 'Source Direct' (which is absolutley unreal), Loudness, treble/bass controls, MM/MC control, and a host of other features. These amps got it all, including - outstanding highs, wonderful delicious mids, excellent Bass, it has 'very Deep Depth', and it's got " Punch ", and runs totally quiet in silent passages.
Quite an unreal amp really.

Sansui's R&D Engineers knew exactly what they were looking for and each model was a 'step up' in circuit design from the last.

Of course, there are many outrageously sounding SS amps made by different 'audiophile' companies. It's top quality Engineers, R&D, advancement in circuit designs & the right components. And magic.

No ... all solid-state amps 'do not' sound the same.

:music:
 
Last edited:
They sound different to me. In the 70's we understood this and picked
our gear based on price, looks, and sound. Fast forward to now and
suddenly "all properly designed amps sound the same."
Spending $$$ doesn't always mean better sound though.
Research, listen, and shop wisely.
 
Am I wrong to see the issue as:

Any amp can reproduce a certain frequency correctly. Say you just do a quick 20 to 20k sweep. Shouldn't all amps reproduce that sweep perfectly, if in new and correct working order?

What I think the issue is, when you apply an actual music source then it depends on the speed and ability of the amp to reproduce multiple frequencies at the same time.

Am I wrong to think that? Isn't that where the difference would be?
 
Don't forget that circuit design and layout, component choices, power supplies, etc., will will result in slightly different levels of conductivity for different parts of the signal. Then there's the plethora of speakers out there, some(most) having distortion ratings of between three and ten percent. To think this won't make a difference in sound is a denial of both physics and logic! And, if I don't have your room, and ancillary gear, how screwed am I??

Then, there's always the fact that amps make no sound, that's the job of speakers. The question, therefor, becomes 'do all amps make the same speakers sound the same?' The answer is 'who cares?'

All that matters is that your amp drives your speakers to satisfying levels in your room, without strain, and it sounds good, to you, in doing so. Not a tall order, and some will do this better than others, even with the same preamp and speakers. As I said, my Odyssey sounds better than my Soundcraftsmen. The difference is the circuit design, and the current capability, of the Odyssey. They're completely different amps, anyone who says they sound the same is trying to convince themselves, methinks. Even restomodded, the A2502 has a slightly leaner presentation, with somewhat less warmth, and less depth. It doesn't sound bad, and I ran it in my main system for about twenty years. but, it's now in my second system. The Odyssey is just better at everything, as it should be, and my speakers respond accordingly. They also respond differently when I bi-amp with the two, so there's that.....
 
My only experience is with my own two Adcom GFA555 II's.

One unit was modified with new and much bigger (Kemet 36,000uF vs. 15,000uF) main filter caps, a Hoppes Brain Soft-start power supply, and a Hoppes Brain input board.

The second unit was identical except it still had the original input board.

I did a A/B listening test, going back and forth between both amps and playing music I was very familiar with.

The amp with the new input board was maybe a touch less veiled but it was a small and subtle difference.

Certainly not the best example but its all I got.
 
That's a pretty good example imo @RVT1K as they are the same model, and all you did was minor modifications of the power supply of one of them, yet you still heard a difference.
 
AudioAvarice said:
That's a pretty good example imo @RVT1K as they are the same model, and all you did was minor modifications of the power supply of one of them, yet you still heard a difference.
Click to expand...

There was a difference between the two but it was not the power supply.
Both amps had the same power supply mods: Kemet 36,000uF caps and Hoppe's Brain kit.

But one amp had the new Hoppe's Brain input board and one did not.

So, like I said, the amp with the new input board sounded slightly less veiled but it was a subtle change and I don't think I would have noticed without the direct A/B test.

What I should have done was compare a modified amp to a totally stock one. But the project was more about having some fun and I wasn't thinking like that when I started.

But after all that being said, you're statement still holds true.
 
AudioAvarice said:
That's a pretty good example imo @RVT1K as they are the same model, and all you did was minor modifications of the power supply of one of them, yet you still heard a difference.
Click to expand...
Sure, you'll probably hear some difference between an old amp that hasn't been maintained vs a new amp. GFA555s are 30 years old. Comparing one that has had at least some caps replaced to one that maybe hasn't had any replaced is more about the need to recap 30 year old gear than it says about differences between the sound of different amps.
 
But its a good example of a difference, even in the same model because of different components, for those that think "all SS amps sound the same".

And they don't :thumbsup:

Of course, the anti-subjective crowd will disagree with the example :p
 
Last edited:
It's very simple. It's your speakers that can sound different dependent on what amp you're driving them with. Amplifiers do not produce sound, speakers do. The question should be "Are all solid-state amps the same?" And the answer is simply No.
 
GChief said:
But its a good example of a difference, even in the same model because of different components, for those that think "all SS amps sound the same".

And they don't :thumbsup:

Of course, the anti-subjective crowd will disagree with the example :p
Click to expand...
I disagree. 30 year old electrolytic caps are not likely to be working like new ones. Those are different components because some of them aren't working right. It's not really a valid comparison. If you're comparing two properly functioning amps I'd say expect minimal to no differences. If you're OK comparing an amp with dead caps to one with good caps, sure, you'll hear a difference. But who does that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom