Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Showing 1 of 127 conversations about:
thexder1
15
Apr 3, 2019
bookmark_border
I have several.
- New amplifier designs - Other than some general improvements in Class D amplifiers over time there has not been any significant gains with new amplifier designs, it is really just marketing especially when it comes to class AB amps.
- Power - Power cables, power supplies, surge suppressors, power filters etc sold as audio grade are just a waste of money. Any preamp, or amp designed properly will not be affected by noise on the power lines. If you do get noise on the power lines then something else is generating it and not shielded properly or the preamp or amp circuits are not built properly. We are talking about designs that have existed since the 70's or 80's eliminates any noise that the human ear can hear from this and it may add a couple pennys to the cost of the equipment.
- Tube vs transistors - Tube amps are not better, it is a proven fact. The reason is the definition of what an ideal amplifier does, it would reproduce the exact waveform that is input into it with greater amplitude. All amplifiers will have some distortion and when powered beyond a certain point will get a much greater degree of distortion. Tube amps would have about 0.5W before they hit this point while mosfets could have 50W before they hit this point, and transistors can be run in setups to parallelize this for more power. Since tube amps have such a low power before they get highly distorted they are almost always run heavily distorted. The distortion can easily be measured and is well documented. The difference is the distortion is actually pleasant to listen to, not harsh like the transistor distortion. As the definition of an ideal amplifier requires the output to not be different in anyway other than amplitude that makes tube amps bad for amplifiers. Pre-amps are where equalizers or filters would be applied to change the sound so tube preamps to get the tube sound if that is what you want is how that should be done, but the amplifier should not do that. Nothing wrong with liking that sound and wanting it, it just should not be done in the amp.
B-squared
0
Apr 25, 2019
bookmark_border
thexder1I'm with you on #1 and #2. On #3, there are a couple of technical points to be made. You can look at the measurements in Stereophile (the only place I know of that measures a lot of tube amps), and see that the clipping knee (the point where the distortion starts to greatly increase) is not at 0.5W (except maybe on a 3W amp), but all over the place. Usually it's going to be somewhere in the range of the rated power minus 10 or 20 percent, and any standard tube amp design will not have audible distortion unless being run close to its rated power. Also, tubes can be run in parallel just as transistors can. Your last sentence totally nails it.
thexder1
15
May 2, 2019
bookmark_border
B-squaredThere is distortion on tubes that starts a very low power, that can be measured and is well described in scientific literature on the subject. That is the reason the "tube sound" exists. Transistors BJTs or FETs will amplify the sound at very low distortion levels at actual listening volumes. The reason many current MOSFET amps have greater distortion than like 0.001% is because they are class D amplifiers which are a lot more energy efficient than class AB, but are very difficult to make with low distortion due to the switching nature of that amplifier design.
I do not know the literature where this stuff is described off the top of my head and I am not going to spend the time to look it up. If you actually care about it then you should do your own research, but it does exist. If I knew where I read all of this many years ago I would most certainly cite my sources.
Mowgli66
11
May 13, 2019
bookmark_border
thexder1The late, great Peter Walker of Quad acoustics famously stated that "Any competently designed amplirier sounds pretty much as the next competently degigned amplifier". Of course, he was referring to class AB amps.
thexder1
15
May 13, 2019
bookmark_border
Mowgli66I would definitely agree when it comes to class A and class AB amplifiers. One thing people don't seem to understand is that even the power supply in the amplifier and the power coming from the wall does not matter so much if the amplifier itself is designed properly. Well known publicly available designs for class AB amplifiers where the amplifier circuit design removes most of the noise from the power. Class D amplifiers are quite different because they are based on switching a triangular wave, to avoid the distortion in that case you would have to switch quite fast which makes it less efficient, uses far more expensive components, and is overall more difficult to design, so it starts to remove most of the advantages that class D amplifiers can provide. This means that for best quality while class D amplifiers can do it, they will likely be more expensive than class AB amplifiers of the same quality and the efficiency will likely not be that much different either.
I am of course only referring to transistor amplifiers above as tube amps are too inefficient and provide too much distortion to discuss in this context.
Khronus
79
Feb 18, 2021
bookmark_border
thexder1I respectfully disagree with #3 and here's why.
Amplifiers: Solid State amps verses Valve amps (lenardaudio.com)
thexder1
15
Feb 19, 2021
bookmark_border
KhronusFrom that link "Many guitar and bass amplifier designers also noticed that the new solid state amplifiers (with 100% Damping factor) had a suppressive effect on the musicality of a speakers performance and stayed with Valve technology. But academic engineers of HiFi amps were blindly obsessed with the almost perfect zero distortion figurers and 100% damping factor solid state amps could achieve." Which kind of supports my whole point, tube amps create distortion. Maybe you like the sound, maybe you don't, but the point is that an amplifier by its very definition is supposed to increase the amplitude of the input ideally without changing it. If you want it to sound like a tune amp, then you can do that with sound processors or running it through a tube preamp. I will also note that when I wrote that I meant to refer primarily to amplifiers for connecting to playback devices, not instrument amps, and there is I think a worthwhile distinction there since what is recorded on media to be played back should be as close as the media allows to what the artist intends the listener to hear, therefore in my opinion it should be played through an amplifier with as little distortion as possible. Instrument amps I can see an argument for the change in sound to create what the artist wants, but I would still tend to be on the side of the changes to the sound happening separately from the amplifier.
Related Posts
storyboardtech
Finding your groove: getting into vinyl with Audio-Technica
I’d like to think that I could’ve been friends with the late Hideo Matsushita, founder of Japanese Hi-Fi powerhouse Audio-Technica. If I could, I’d travel back in time to 1960’s Tokyo, where a young Matsushita curated “vinyl listening sessions” at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts, exposing visitors to the sounds and possibilities of high end audio and the warmth of vinyl records. I imagine sitting with him in a mod coffee shop, listening to the stories of what he witnessed in those sessions, the conversations he had with visitors, and what ultimately motivated him to head back to his small apartment above a ramen restaurant and start an audio company of his own. In the histories I’ve read regarding AT’s humble beginnings, Matsushita’s motives seem clear. Produce high end audio at affordable prices, bringing audio excellence into spaces and to customers that simply didn’t have access to it before. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3 phono cartridges did exactly that, and...
Dec 6, 2023
harrykane01
World Of Shanik
The World of Shanik, known for its fusion of culinary excellence and elegant design, now offers a diverse range of products to enhance your lifestyle. From the exquisite turntable cheese board, perfect for entertaining guests with style, to the nightstand organizer wood, keeping your essentials neatly arranged, to the custom tequila shot glasses that add a personal touch to any gathering, Shanik continues to innovate in both form and function. Since its inception as a celebration of good food, good people, and sophisticated design, Shanik has evolved into a trusted destination for those who appreciate quality craftsmanship and tasteful living.
Apr 25, 2024
robbertwilson
Shop Premium Women Golf Shirts at ApparelnBags
Be the trendsetter on the golf course with our stylish collection of custom polo shirts for women. Whether you're swinging your way to victory or simply want to rock that sporty chic look, our polo shirts for women are here to make you stand out. Moreover, we understand that style and quality go hand in hand. That's why, from golf shirts for women to long sleeve polo shirts for women , we handpick the best products to ensure you experience comfort and durability. Also, our women polo shirts offer the perfect blend of style and functionality, so you can focus on your game without compromising style. So, grab your favorite polos today. Remember, it's not just a game; it's a lifestyle, and our polos will help you ace both!
Apr 25, 2024
MrChiSox
Big changes coming to my tiny little music room, I've recently purchased a new stack. Currently figuring out where to locate it all and ordering up the necessary cables, it won't be too long before I'm up and running. I am now the proud owner of a brand new stack. It's a European brand called Earmen. Amp, DAC, Streamer & Linear Power Supply. It won't be long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB15yM4UptQ
Apr 23, 2024
Trending Posts in Audiophile
harrykane01
World Of Shanik
The World of Shanik, known for its fusion of culinary excellence and elegant design, now offers a diverse range of products to enhance your lifestyle. From the exquisite turntable cheese board, perfect for entertaining guests with style, to the nightstand organizer wood, keeping your essentials neatly arranged, to the custom tequila shot glasses that add a personal touch to any gathering, Shanik continues to innovate in both form and function. Since its inception as a celebration of good food, good people, and sophisticated design, Shanik has evolved into a trusted destination for those who appreciate quality craftsmanship and tasteful living.
Apr 25, 2024
robbertwilson
Shop Premium Women Golf Shirts at ApparelnBags
Be the trendsetter on the golf course with our stylish collection of custom polo shirts for women. Whether you're swinging your way to victory or simply want to rock that sporty chic look, our polo shirts for women are here to make you stand out. Moreover, we understand that style and quality go hand in hand. That's why, from golf shirts for women to long sleeve polo shirts for women , we handpick the best products to ensure you experience comfort and durability. Also, our women polo shirts offer the perfect blend of style and functionality, so you can focus on your game without compromising style. So, grab your favorite polos today. Remember, it's not just a game; it's a lifestyle, and our polos will help you ace both!
Apr 25, 2024
SsButerbal
Ringing in PC38X's
I recently got this headset, and wow is it good. My only issue is when certain people talk on discord, I can hear a really high pitched ringing. I fiddled with a bunch of settings, computer audio and discord, and nothing seems to solve the issue. It is primarily if not all in my right ear only. Is there something wrong with my headset, or was that ringing always there I can just hear it cause the headset is THAT good? I haven't had any issues with any other application, though I have yet to test if I can hear the ringing on a different version of discord, say on my xbox instead of my pc. Only other issue I've had is occasional static, but I can't tell if it's from the headset or the show/game/etc.
Apr 24, 2024
itsamepe
Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
MrChiSox
Big changes coming to my tiny little music room, I've recently purchased a new stack. Currently figuring out where to locate it all and ordering up the necessary cables, it won't be too long before I'm up and running. I am now the proud owner of a brand new stack. It's a European brand called Earmen. Amp, DAC, Streamer & Linear Power Supply. It won't be long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB15yM4UptQ
Apr 23, 2024
Briankan
Recommendation for my next headphone set? I have Koss 95x
Hey all, What would you recommend I get next and why? I have Koss ESP-95x electrostatic massdrop headphones. These are my first and only audiophile set. I love them. I think my only real requirements is $500 or less for the headphones and that they have a little more low end. I don’t need thump but these are really light on lows…but the experience is still awesome. Also any recommendations on an amp? I only have my electrostatic thingy. I am using the Topping D50 DAC. thx!!
Apr 22, 2024
Simthaniel
Rigs
Modded headphones with qudelix at the core
When I received the Qudelix 5K, I had already modified a pair of Superlux HD-681 headphones. I previously soldered my own balanced connections to the drivers, providing multiple ways to connect and...
Apr 14, 2024
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop