Do amps sound the same?

[Thompsonuxb]

2 60watt amps same tec spec will they sound the same if not why not?

same power in, same out, using same mains supply, same source, same speakers, same components, maybe different internal layout, different manufacturers. will they?

 

[the record spot]

Oh dear, I'm beginning to sense a bit of a theme here...

 

[SteveR750]

2 60watt amps same tec spec will they sound the same if not why not? same power in, same out, using same mains supply, same source, same speakers, same components, maybe different internal layout, different manufacturers. will they?

I listened to two different Caspian M2s and they did!!

 

[Thompsonuxb]

And so they should......

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Oh dear, I'm beginning to sense a bit of a theme here...

Don't be like that The Record Spot.... its Sunday....c'mon.

 

[Triggy]

Do all cars drive the same?

Every amp will have its own characteristics and will sound different.

Need to listen to your favoured amps with the rest of your kit and decide which you like best.

Good luck!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Some might sound similar, but most will sound different. Different manufacturers have their own ideas about amplifier design and some will 'voice' theirs to sound a certain way. And that's before you get to differing components/circuit layouts/grounding etc. watts per channel is only a rough guide, and not really representative of the amplifier's capabilities.

 

[the record spot]

And so they should......

Why?

 

[Anonymous]

Do amps sound the same?

That question is like sooo loaded 🙂

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

I listened to two different Caspian M2s and they did!!

I just thought I'd stay well clear from Roksan... 😉

 

[hortensio]

Technically speaking: NOTHING human products can ever be the same.....even within same brand, measures,etc...everything different....we cannot produce two exactly same thing....so, technically speaking, each amp sounds different....how much???that depend on your ears.... the discussion will go on....the same old song...objectivity vs subjectivity...

 

[Mooly]

The differences between amps are VERY real but the reasons why are beyond the scope of a forum such as this.

For example, look at the distortion residual, not as a final number, but look at the spread of the distortion and the amplitudes and distribution of the harmonics relative to the fundamental. Look at the input stage topoloy of the power amp... certain configurations favour even over odd harmonic distortion... these are just some the things that make massive differences to the way an amp sounds.

 

[moon]

CAUTION TROLL THREAD !

 

[juxter1]

How about changing the title of this thread to

"Do all Trolls sound the same?"

 

[Wardio]

A variation on a theme perhaps, but is it not also possible that our hearing might change from day to day. Perhaps things like atmospheric pressure, wet or dry conditions, sinus activity or even different phases of the moon (!) all play a part, so what you might hear one day could be significantly different the next.

 

[idc]

Amps can sound the same, an audio engineer called Bob Carver was able to challenge both The Audio Critic and Stereophile to blind tests which they failed. He created his own much cheaper amps and showed price does not necessarily mean performance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Carver#Amplifier_modeling

But there are a number of examples where amps have passed blind testing, so that alone shows amps inherantly can affect the sound of your hifi.For example

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.matrixhifi.com%2Fcontenedor_trivsclat.htm&act=url

There are links to various passed blind tests in my blog.

 

[Sospri]

Amps can sound the same, an audio engineer called Bob Carver was able to challenge both The Audio Critic and Stereophile to blind tests which they failed. He created his own much cheaper amps and showed price does not necessarily mean performance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Carver#Amplifier_modeling

But there are a number of examples where amps have passed blind testing, so that alone shows amps inherantly can affect the sound of your hifi.For example

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.matrixhifi.com%2Fcontenedor_trivsclat.htm&act=url

There are links to various passed blind tests in my blog.

Thats not the original question, do amps sound the same. answer no..............

 

[busb]

There was a recent ding dong on the PFM forum on this subject that split into the predictable objectivists v subjectivists. The objectivists stated that if two amps measure the same they have to sound the same. The issue for me is whether or not we have the means to measure the differences that people either hear or think they hear.

I'm not sure if we can measure distortion well enough to characterise amplifiers. Measuring THD @ 1kHz into an 8 Ohm resistive load tells us liitle of the distortion across the f range into a reactive load!! Distortion readings need to be a little bit more sophisticated and done in realtime rather than as a swept measurement and include more than a single tone.

 

[idc]

Amps can sound the same, an audio engineer called Bob Carver was able to challenge both The Audio Critic and Stereophile to blind tests which they failed. He created his own much cheaper amps and showed price does not necessarily mean performance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Carver#Amplifier_modeling

But there are a number of examples where amps have passed blind testing, so that alone shows amps inherantly can affect the sound of your hifi.For example

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.matrixhifi.com%2Fcontenedor_trivsclat.htm&act=url

There are links to various passed blind tests in my blog.

Thats not the original question, do amps sound the same. answer no..............

I disagree, do all amps sound the same? The answer is both yes and no.........it depends........

 

[Alec]

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

1st - Go and do an audition with two different amps and speakers alike.

2nd - if you can not find any difference, but none at all and still want to buy a new amp, I have only one suggestion ... buy the cheapest you find on the market...
😛ray:

 

[John Duncan]

No.

 

[FennerMachine]

Do you mean pre, power or integrated?

Class, A, AB, B, D, valve, solid state, hybrid...

In most cases I would say any two different types of amps do not sound the same unless they are specifically designed to do so.

 

[shafesk]

To answer your question-HELL NO-all amplifiers sound different and I am speaking from my own personal experience here. To explain why in detail is beyond me, but I can tell you that different amps which have similar watt ratings use different toroidal transformers, capacitors and resistors which all have an impact on sound quality. According to Ken Ishawata of Marantz, every component has its own sound and the way they interact with each other leads to the sound signature of their products.

One more thing to notice is that watts don't tell much of a story, for example you could have 2 amplifiers rated at 40 watts, but this watt rating can change as the impedance changes, one amp could produce 40 watts @ 8 ohms but produce 60 @ 4 ohms while the second could produce 40 watts @ 8 ohms but produce 80 @ 4 ohms. How an amp performs under stress is an important aspect of how well it can handle speakers which can inturn affect sound quality. Amp no. 2 is probably the technically superior amp. However, it does not say how it sounds, Amp 2. could have a tonal balance that make you want to rip your ears apart.

 

[SteveR750]

And so they should......

but the K2 sounded very different. What's your point exactly?