Remarkable article about amp distortion

[SpursGator]

This is my first post in years - I'm back just to share this.

I bought a Benchmark DAC1 the year it was released, long before Benchmark knew they were an audio company (Dec. 2002). I've been on their mailing list ever since and I never paid much attention. Today they sent me this. It obviously favours their amp, but this article is a remarkable read for any audiophile:

How Loud is the Distortion from Your Power Amplifier?

We took Stereophile's THD+N plots for 7 top-rated amplifiers and replotted the data to show the loudness of the distortion and noise at the listening position.

benchmarkmedia.com

 

[RJW232]

I haven't read the article in detail, but if my interpretation of the graphs is correct, distortion will be at washing machine level if the sound pressure is >115dB. Even rock concerts are limited to 103 dB SPL. At living room SPL's (80...90 dB), the noise+distortion is ~20 dB, probably lower than ambient noise in the average room.

 

[Jasonovich]

This is my first post in years - I'm back just to share this.

I bought a Benchmark DAC1 the year it was released, long before Benchmark knew they were an audio company (Dec. 2002). I've been on their mailing list ever since and I never paid much attention. Today they sent me this. It obviously favours their amp, but this article is a remarkable read for any audiophile:

How Loud is the Distortion from Your Power Amplifier?

We took Stereophile's THD+N plots for 7 top-rated amplifiers and replotted the data to show the loudness of the distortion and noise at the listening position.

benchmarkmedia.com

It's a great read, unfortunately my brain started to vegetate halfway through, you can call it grey cells distortion.
Distortion is all around, when you put your needle on the record, when you listen to your tube amp but not all of it is welcoming.