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Do all SS amplifiers sound alike?

Do all solid state amplifiers sound alike?

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 12.1%

  • No

    Votes: 138 87.9%
  • Total voters
    157
Grenadeslio

Grenadeslio

Lunatic Member
Banned
It's been stated in another thread that unless driven into clipping all SS amplifiers sound alike, whether an AVR, power amp, receiver, mono blocks, or integrated makes no difference.

I'm not of a similar mind. I have a plethora of amplifiers and all sound different, even if the same amplifier. This doesn't surprise me, capacitors, resisters, etc all have a tolerance factor which will lead to differences between amps, never mind amps of different manufacture.
 
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No way, man. Too many variables. Such a claim makes logical sense, and can be backed up by studies, but anyone who has spent sufficient time playing with this stuff knows better.

That's basically the same question as - is anyone who buys an expensive amplifier a fool? but worded differently.
 
Well, a pile of mid-fi receivers of the same relative quality from the same era probably sound much the same on mid-fi speakers...but good amps of different types and power ratings, on almost any pair of pretty good speakers, in a decent listening environment...I just don't know how someone could say that.

Edit: I would even venture to say that the mid-fi statement I just made isn't even true. For example I have a 1981 Sherwood receiver, 38 wpc, very clean sounding and low distortion. And a Pioneer SX-780 from the same era, 45 wpc. Both about $300 receivers at the time. The Pioneer has much better bass punch than the Sherwood. Now you could say that's the built-in equalization, or maybe it's the power supply, but for whatever reason, even receivers in the same class don't sound the same.
 
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1) All amplifiers having identical characteristics sound identical when playing under identical conditions.
2) No amplifiers have identical characteristics.
3) No conditions are identical.
4) It's just a matter of what differences you can perceive, be they great or small.
 
Is someone asserting that all solid-state amps sound the same, or only all “modern” solid-state amps?

Is someone asserting that all modern solid-state amps sound the same, or only solid-state amps bought at a “big box” store?

I’m not an expert on amp design – so perhaps someone more knowledgeable can jump in – but my understanding is that not all modern solid-state amps are designed or built the same. Is someone asserting that all modern solid-state amps sound the same, regardless of:
  • Class A, Class AB, Class D
  • Output transformers (e.g., some McIntosh) or not
  • Type of feedback employed
  • Employment of distortion canceling circuitry
  • Employment of vibration dampening
  • Employment of anti-clipping circuitry
  • Design of power supply
  • Implementation of volume control (i.e., volume control in the digital or analog domain)
  • Quality of components
  • Etc.
Can we at least agree that tube amps generally sound better than solid-state amps? :)
 
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It was asserted that since all sound the same then buy cheap equipment, to do otherwise is only a waste of money.

Knowing all amplifiers are not created equally I disagreed and here we are.
 
And the funniest part is, since it was postulated that AVR's, receivers, and integrated all sound the same, then it's only reasonable to assume that all preamps must also all sound alike.
 
I've heard this argument about SS amps sounding indistinguishable before. Isn't there someone on the Web offering $10k if anyone can distinguish 2 differing ss amps? Or was that hi rez versus CDs. Maybe it was cables, power conditioners?

Maybe the guy went broke, or was just another scammer.
I can hear differences in SS amps. How much of that is in the pre amp section I am less sure of.
 
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