Arcam A49 - White Paper giving technical insight.

[Vladimir]

Last time I read Plato's allegory of the cave I laughed me bum off. How can you still resist man!

 

[Native_bon]

Its good thoery from Vladmir, but this may not always be the rule. I use the input trim on my AVR450 cause I think the Musical fidelity comes in too hot, hence I set my AVR450 to 4V RMS as suppose to the default setting of 2V RMS. This way I get more headroom & dynamic expression.

Just turn it down a bit Vladmir. *ok*

 

[drummerman]

Be nice to each other 🙂

Its an interesting point. As to exactly how much difference it makes ... no idea but I'll try this weekend.

I am still waiting for a/any manufacturer to appear to their version but they all seem to hide away ... hmmm.

regards

 

[Thompsonuxb]

That's an interesting point.

In my experience one of the main qualities of a good amp is to sustain a stable signal/power.

This being one of the things which made me stick with my old amp when considering upgrading.

Using Toni Braxton's 'Libra' album track 7 'Spoused to be' as an example, it has a bass note that roles across the floor all the way through the track.

Now the newer Amps did not sustain the impact of this note. It getting progressively softer and quieter through the track at optimum level before distortion.

Now the Yamaha is an av amp with a psu able to 'supply power' for 5 full range speakers at 5x90watts plus a sub(being an older design)

It delivers and maintains the note till the end.

Could have all been in my imagination of course...... Lol

But it sounded the 'better design' input sensitivity not with standing.

That's all lovely. However, distortion levels are entirely academic if they are below audible levels.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/distortion

Which puts quite a lot of amps in the 'transparent' bracket if their frequency response is sufficiently flat and they are not driven to clipping.

Low distortion figures are great, but below the audible level, it's just a case of ownership of bragging rights.

Although these experiments are interesting, I think it is unhelpful to isolate one facet like this, overdose.

Other than audible 'facets' such as distortion and volume level, what other factors will cause amps to differ in sound? Amplifer frequency responses are largely flat in the main and volume levels can be equalised.

If something can be demonstrated to be inaudible, it's discussion in an audio context is an irrelevance surely??

The elephant in the room in most hifi discussions regarding sound quality,  that usually seem to revolve around theoretical or imaginary problems, is that they are inaudible.

I'm sure the Devialet amps are just fine, but I doubt that they would sound any different to my amp in a level matched and stress free situation, or in fact any other amp in the same conditions.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Another cryptic insult?

Lol.......

Question is, who's perception is being questioned ie who's in the cave and who's based in the reality of the 'real' world?

Last time I read Plato's allegory of the cave I laughed me bum off. How can you still resist man! 

 

[Vladimir]

But it sounded the 'better design' input sensitivity not with standing.

Of course since the input sensitivity on all 3 amps was near (125mV-150mV). If the Yamaha was 1V sensitive, you might have bought one of the other two trusting your hearing which tells you clearly the smaller amps are louder thus more powerfull somehow, thus better. By having the input sensitivity fairly close to distinguish, you judged the truly most powerfull amplifier to be the best. That is what I'm suggesting.

Another cryptic insult?

Lol.......

Question is, who's perception is being questioned ie who's in the cave and who's based in the reality of the 'real' world?

Last time I read Plato's allegory of the cave I laughed me bum off. How can you still resist man!

It's actually a joke on my behalf for acting messianic.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Hmmmm.....

Again with these figures. Has I said at the time while the other amps sounded loud - the Yamaha is loud!

With better speaker control too - and again it does not distort.

You'd think none of us can listen and hear what we like or what we'd want. The way you are determined to instill 'only specs matter' around here.

In isolation each amp has it's merits. Indeed with another set of speakers my choice could have been different.

The specs are all good and well but, c'mon Vlad.....

But it sounded the 'better design' input sensitivity not with standing.

Of course since the input sensitivity on all 3 amps was near (125mV-150mV). If the Yamaha was 1V sensitive, you might have bought one of the other two trusting your hearing which tells you clearly the smaller amps are louder thus more powerfull somehow, thus better. By having the input sensitivity fairly close to distinguish, you judged the truly most powerfull amplifier to be the best. That is what I'm suggesting. 

 

[Vladimir]

Hey, that's my thought process and I'm sharing it on a public forum. No one is forced to agree or learn from it.

Or as Popeye says I yam what I yam.

 

[Vladimir]

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken..?