They say that more than 50% of what you hear is the room. That makes the room the most important element in the system.

@tonesbones502

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting you say that because when I drew up the plans for my home I built the listening room to the 'ideal' dimensions according to articles on the internet. I've never heard a sound system that sounds better than mine. Similar maybe but none better and I've spent a fraction of what other friends have.

Did not know that Lou Ferrigno was an audiophile

@wizzelhoart

5 жыл бұрын

and don't forget buster bluth

@dickgosinia7152

3 жыл бұрын

I think Lou was or is pretty much deaf.

I have three amps, each is made by the same company (Rotel), each is 50 watts/channel, they are different models from different years of manufacture. I experimented with them driving the tweeters in my triamp active speaker system. The range of frequencies the amps were asked to deliver was limited to 3k Hz and up. I was amazed at how different they sounded. One was very bright and amazingly clean, another was much less bright, and the third sounded almost muted by comparison. I also have heard big differences btw a low power amp (50 watts/channel) and a high power amp (100+ watts/channel) driving bass speakers.

Guys love your channel. Very informative and accurate advice. I have a BSS EPC780 touring amplifier built in the 90s to complent the Turbosound Flashlight rig. It has toured with Floyd, Oasis, done many huge raves ect... It is a seriously over engineered piece of kit delivering 1500w RMS per channel into 2 ohms all day and all night. It also has enormously over specced independant PSUs per channel with a huge damping factor and slew rate even by modern standards. I was a sceptic but this amp sounds different. It sounds really, really good. Hooked up to crap Sony midi system speakers or my Monitor Audio BR2s or running purely sub to a double 18 box it has such authority and immediacy in its delivery. Even non hifi people have commented on this... at low levels this is still blindingly apparent. You should consider checking it out! Peace and enjoy the music.

I got a Emotiva XPA-2 power amplifier(class A/B, with linear PSU). My speakers are high sensitivity so its completly overkill for my use.Recently I did a DIY project where I put together my own class D mono block amplifiers, using switching power supplys. According to people on forums it should sound like complete garbage, distorting and what not. My emotiva pulled 150watt from the wall when on, most I've seen was 165 when I was playing 100 db +. These new amps pull 8 watt each from the wall when playing at my normal listing level, a bit above 90 db, may be 95 db. Most I've seen on a bass heavy track was 44 watt peak from both amps combined. And I have to say they sound great to me. I haven't done any A to B listing tests yet, but I haven't been wanting to hook my emotiva amp back up yet either.

I believe this makes the most difference in order (excluding DAC in the preamp) 1. Room aqoustics2. Speakers3. Preamp 4. Power amp Number 3 and 4 can swap place if the speakers are provided with 2 little power.

@tonesbones502

2 жыл бұрын

I agree with those. And I think that the blue tooth digital receiver comes in 5th, zeros and ones are easy to send well.

I enjoyed an Arcam amplifier years ago and was quite taken back with it, the salesman said it was probably not only due to good components, but significantly had a very short signal path, which he posited influenced the sound.

Thanks guys for another informative video. Keep up the good work!! It is really nice to have a source for unbiased opinions based on actual facts.

This reminded me when back in the day Bob Carver tweaked different amps in his line up to "sound" like much more expensive amps from various manufacturers. I always had trouble hearing differences in power amps, aside from current and "balls", but having a good pre amp was key...

@donalddeorio2237

4 жыл бұрын

I put a comment with a link to the original Carver Challenge I lived through it. He did some amazing things with his designs. He did that to make a point, that a good amplifier didn't have to cost you several paychecks to afford

I've recently switched to an outboard amplifier for the first time, and what I've found is that high frequencies sound different on the outboard amp, to the point I almost sent it back. I was not expecting to hear such a dramatic difference, rather I thought it was going to sound louder, or maybe have some more low frequency kick. Speakers truly make the sound, but the amplifier can have more than just a subtle influence.

I've heard many amps over the years, mostly when I used to sell high end audio but also in my own home. I just replaced an Adcom GFA 555 ll with a Sonic Frontiers SFS-80 tube amp and they sound completely different. There's no shock there though, one is SS and the other tube. However, before I bought the SFS 80, I also tried a Levinson ML3 and a Conrad Johnson MF 2500. I tried them both on KEF 107's and Martin Logan CLS-II's. There were small differences between the SS amps on both speakers, not huge differences but subtleties in separation, image depth, bass extension/weight and even "sweetness" of voices in the mids. The tube amp was a complete mismatch with the CLS's though, output impedence of the amp is too high and the speakers are notorious for drops in resistance and high frequencies. But, none of the SS amps came close to the clarity and accuracy of the tube amp with the 107's. No surprise there. Here's an interesting read about a challenge given to Bob Carver: www.stereophile.com/content/carver-challenge#KdzuPwqpmkxeQjBS.97

Back in the 1970s I had a Marantz Model 15 dual monoblock amplifier attached to Acoustic Research AR-3a speakers. These speakers are rated at 4 ohms. This impedance actually drops lower to as low as 3 ohms depending on how the mid range and tweeter level controls are set. The "overload" lights were constantly showing on the amplifier. I replaced the Amp with a Marantz Model 250 which solved the problem.

I love class d amps especially that i have always used a mixer in all setups throughout life, that said, a mixer adds class to any amplifier.. As said before, no need for tone tests, the older you are the better judgement(years of listening to different systems, a large array at that) and i stand by that..

Audioholics, my current set speaker B&W685 + nad 326. thinking of replacing the amp with a McIntosh MA5300. Room, source, listening habbit will remain unchanged. So, it is wise move to go for the McIntosh?

Quick question. If I am starting out with just a basic setup consisting of a receiver, a couple of bookshelf speakers and a powered subwoofer, what would be the best place to start for upgrading? I don't have the cash to do everything at once, but want to make incremental upgrades, working towards an end goal of a decent two channel setup that doesn't break the bank.

Been through a few this year, and they all have a different sound, from dry to harsh. I had roughly a $4000 budget to purchase a new 2 channel amp. I am using the KLH Model 5's for speakers. They like juice, the more the better. Now, I use the Denafrips Athena preamp, and it is ZERO gain. It sounds incredible. I was looking at ATI and or Parasound... I wound up with the Emotiva XPA-DR2. This is a hidden gem of an amp, so few even know it exists. Very musical, blacker than black, instrument separation, just incredible. Bass is fast and clean, and the amplifier is very neutral, and not dry in the least and no harshness. Just an honest amp that delivers. Best part, I saved $2000! If you are looking for a new amplifier to drive hard to drive speakers, or a pair of bookshelves, give the XPA-DR2 serious consideration. Emotiva has a 30 day auditioning period. Mine is staying.

I've JBL Studio 190 speakers as the stereo fronts matched to a JBL Studio 120C centre speaker. I'm currently using an old Sony STR 940DB 5.1 receiver. I'm looking to replace it. My query is should the stereo amp & surround receiver be by the same manufacturer?

Thank you for a great show! Would you say that different amplifiers sounds more "detailed" or "warm" as often described in product details?I can understand that some amplifiers has more noise and based on the ohm discussion that there could be a difference in base management.

I own 3 carver M 1.0ts, 2 stock 1 MKII The following Yammies: 1 mx800 1 m-80 2 m-70s 1 m-60 1 cp2000 And a Pioneer A88-X Each series has its distinct tone. Right now I'm diggin' the A88-X with 40 year old caps and all. Just an elegant tone.

I believe it does makes a difference. How much different, will be effected by several factors like all the ones mentioned in Gene's article. I'm not sure if it got mentioned and I missed it, but also the type of receiver/amp a person upgrades to will have an effect on how different the sound will be. Assuming were using a decent set of speakers, the difference between two receivers from the same brand, will be a lot closer than one from another brand. Or the difference in watts between different receiver/amp at higher listening levels. I've had Philharmonic BMR's (Salk version) since 2016 and have listened to them many hours a day, every day, for 6+ years. I have done a TON of tinkering with speaker placement and acoustic panel placement. I've become very familiar with their sound characteristics. I used a Denon S510bt (70w) from 2017-2020 and upgraded to a Marantz SR5014 (100w). I did not do any blind tests, but I limited my expectations to mitigate any possible placebo. The difference was indeed noticeable, all the way across the frequency spectrum. The difference in the bass was even more noticeable, their was beneficial tightness in the bass, similar to the effect bass traps were having in my room. It is a taboo topic for some people, but I believe it's one that should be talked about. Thanks for keeping the discussion going here and on your forum.

Hi Gene/Hugo, great video but I need some further information on different types of amplifiers. Looking at comparing a Rotel RB1090 2x340 watt at 8ohm class A/B hifi amp vs a Crown XLS2002 375 watt at 8ohm class D pro amp with .775 volt input sensitivity. Both fed unbalanced signal from my Yamaha receiver. Size is a huge deal and cost but how would they compare in sound? My speakers like/need power (Svs ultra towers)

I cant find the amplifier test to see if I need an external amp or not. where is it on your page?

Hey I have a quick question and if you have time to reply that would be awesome. I’m new to home stereo equipment and I just bought an Integra DTR-70.2 off of eBay but I haven’t received it yet. Do you know if these had lots of issues and did I make a mistake buying it? I just bought a Puoneer SC-1522-K receiver off of eBay a week ago and it is flashing UE22 which I hear is a firmware update but then I unplug it and plug it back in and it will work for maybe 5 minutes and then sound will stop coming out so I give up on that one. I almost smashed it off the wall yesterday

I have done a few instant A/B tests using an 'amplifier comparator' 10 years ago that I purchased on eBay to answer this question myself. My conclusion is there were some subtle differences at normal listening level but not a big deal, so small that I honestly cannot tell which ones better or worse. Some even sounded the same to my ears. However, if you turn the volume up to near clipping level, then you start to tell differences easier. High quality ones still will sound clean at high output volumes, but lower quality ones would sound 'blurred' or noisy. Having said that, I only had a few amps at that time to compare, and I did not specifically compared amps with same rms output power so that could have made the difference too. I also did not have true 'high end' amps at that time but mostly Japanese brands like pioneer, denon, marantz etc, which probably explains why they sounded very similar too.

Nice job .....you guys nailed it.....I've owned too many amps over 40 years to argue with the simple fact that the interaction with speakers is the tell tale sign ...you either have the correct amount of juice or you don't simple....the speaker is the only way to truly tell whether the amp is doing the job.....however preamps can have a lot to do with that "sound difference" some perceive....

APPJ makes some very affordable, Class A tubed amps that sound GREAT with higher efficiency speakers! I just got an APPJ 1501A tubed amp that sounds very different than my high end solid state amps (Bryston, Onkyo 508, McIntosh MC162)! I'm very impressed!

I always appreciate honesty . . . appreciate your videos. As far as amps sounding different . . . to me there are so many elements in the equation that cannot be measured: the individual's hearing capability can by a technician, but how many amplifier manufacturers or speaker manufacturers are going to measure everybody's hearing to take into consideration for their product's production? There is also in the equation the amount of time a listener has trained their ears to what real music sounds like; the bias preference some listeners have, i.e. bass. Some may prefer overly exaggerated bass and have completely no sensitivity to bass resonance or boom that would drive well-trained ears crazy to distraction. There is going to be always that subjective component where no one is going to win an argument, because someone who has it in their head that their amp(s) or speakers sound the best -- are going to argue they sound the best no matter if the performer on the recording came in and said it sounded terrible. People like what they like. Now some people can be trained to listen to live music and then compare IF they are able to maintain a memory as to what the live music sounded like in the first place. I think most can recognize distortion, shrillness, or perhaps overly emphasized chest voice in the lower midrange; however, it doesn't mean that everyone will accept that as being bad. Music like art is in the eyes (or ears) of the beholder, and no one is going to come out with a definite product nor answer that is going to wind up without some detractor saying you don't know what you are talking about . . . but to those who wish to bang their heads against a brick wall to prove the point, when you could be enjoying what you do enjoy -- more power to you.

Can you please help me !!! I'm a novice audiophile. I have two Martin Logan Montis towers.... what amp/receiver would you use to run them as separate 2 channel, while my Marantz7011 is powering my center and two rears ?

I love Audio, affordability, Pioneer VSX 523K can you tell me what your ideals are on this??? also Speaker Size??? Should anyone use a Home Theater in a Box or use component???

I upgraded my 25yr. old Denon Integrated amp to a Arcam Integrated amp. My fairly modest system revealed a noticeable difference within seconds of playing my first disc. My old turntable revealed an even bigger gain in quality. The new amps' built-in phono stage showing improvement as well. Gear matters. Not all of us have the same capacity to hear and appreciate better sound reproduction. Just as we are not equal in our ability to paint, draw or bowl, hit a ball, directions etc.

Hi gene, if using pre amp outputs exclusively on a receiver do the thd figure still apply? As in the SR6012 (0.08) vs Sr7012 (0.05)?

@Audioholics

5 жыл бұрын

You have to look at the THD levels for the preouts not the power amp specs. I usually measure both as you can see in my SR8012 measurement report.

What's your opinion on the old Sony ES series Amps? I've got one and love it, very transparent and accurate with decent reference monitors and a sub.

What's your input on Marantz mm8077 amplifier thank you

sir sorry for my annoying question i have old model denon avr 1800 my question is can i connect a power amplifier to it for driving 15'' subwoofer passive and also can i connect a 2nd active woofer with my amplifier

Subscribed! Great video guys... informative to say the least. BTW. ... does anyone know the make and model of the narrower "block" looking amp in the bottom right of the video? The dimension looks perfect for a project i am working on. Thanks!

@Audioholics

9 жыл бұрын

Ryan Fuller D-Sonic Class D amplifier

A good way to test if you need a power amp is to look at the rated power output of your Receiver's power supply and use a power meter to see if it's approaching the limit. For example, my Onkyo 838 is rated to 720w. If I see it approaching that I should seek external amplification.

I love huge class a/b amplifiers. Always found big power sounds better with high damping factor. 3600 wrms on 4 18" JBL drivers ... clean hair moving bass.

@user-bc6ok1yh4s

5 жыл бұрын

My ears tell me the same-the larger the damping factor, the cleaner and more accurate the bass response.

Great informative videos guys. But now I am confused as heck. I have a 400w McIntosh for the front 2 channels (B&W 802D) and was going to buy a Parasound a51 (5x250w) for the surrounds+center, for HT experience. Now I am wondering whether a high powered Emotiva at half the cost would be a better choice for the surrounds and Center channel? Any thoughts...

@Audioholics

8 жыл бұрын

A Saeed you can try the Emotiva's and send them back within 30 days for a refund. WE use XPR-1's to power our $50k reference speakers and their performance exceeded that of a much more expensive Pass Labs amp we tested prior on the same system. Higher price doesn't always equate to better performance.

Also receivers use different DAC's which does huge difference to the sound. Not neccessarily the quality but one frequency might sound like this through one dac and like that on another one. One might deliver full power all the way down and another might just do -10dB to anything below x hz

Great video, have you tested a Denon 2801 and 1602. I find both of these receivers very musical. Much more than another brand I have

I have an Onkyo rz820 I've been told it's a bright receiver? In your opinion audioholics Would a power amp help with counteracting the brightness , so improving the sound quality and adding a bit more power? Or would it make sense to buy a preamp?

@Audioholics

4 жыл бұрын

It would make more sense to first address your room acoustics and speaker positioning first.

Hi guys, great video. I want to upgrade my sound system and need your help. I have a budget of up to $2k and wonder if I should spend it on the best loudspeakers I can get, and in a year buy the best amplifier I can get under $1k. Suggestions?

Easy on the "double down on power as resistance drops" comments. Check out the old Orion 225 HCCA (High Current Competition Amplifier). While designed for automotive audio this amplifier is 1/4 ohm stable and doubles its output with each cut in resistance. I agree that most do not do this, but I'm sure there are many that do. CROWN has some I know. Love the videos, keep it up!

Great video guys. I'd like to see a video like this in regards to DAC'S

Long term listening will reveal differences that instant (blind or not blind) switching will not. This is often why equipment sounds okay on first audition but when you get it home and listen for a while you pick up on the subtle distortion, colorations you missed at the start. Then further listening only causes more listening fatigue.

@Audioholics

9 жыл бұрын

excellent point and VERY true!

@neuron05

9 жыл бұрын

So true. The mechanics behind this is the reason it's so hard to prove. From either side of the point.

@FoxGhost7

9 жыл бұрын

Actually, it's you being inexperienced and your ears are not trained and then you can't pick out stuff in blind testing. It's like people who can't hear differences between acoustic instruments. But after years you can insta-judge. I find it aggravating when seasoned listeners fail to point that out. When you are new into audiophilia, you are lost. You have no clue what to listen for. My recommendation: start with headphones. Get an ODAC+O2. Get an assortment of phones, possibly used, and start listening. Use your smartphone as alternate source to listen to something that might sound worse or not than your stack. Before you can specify in clear terms what you hear, what it means and where your perception comes from speaker-fi will rob you blank. And be aware that room-acoustics are a huge deal which don't exist with head-fi. I wish you a musical and safe journey, guard your wallet well. And when in doubt, get a pair of Neumann monitors ;-)

Use what you have for the time being but always stand there talking about it does make a lot of sense

was a good external amp that can handle 300 watts per channel at 8ohms other than Emotiva?

Thank you for the reply

hi guys have cm9,s looking for more power for towers music Im running a HTR 6280 Yamaha whats your thoughts thanks

I went from a yamaha dsp a1, which I thought had great amplification to the outlaw audio m2200 and it sounds so much better and yet I'm not sure why they sound clearer and punchier. So now I'm wondering what a parasound a21 will bring to the table? Anyone know>

we did a comparison between a $20 lepai t-amp from parts express and a $800 Emotiva 2 channel amplifier in full range on a pair of Klipsch towers full range. 3 guys couldn't tell the difference in quick A/B switching. We used a multimeter and a calibrated microphone (omnimic) to ensure they were level matched. Listening volumes were typical volume listening range ---- not too loud --- probably only a couple watts tops at those levels. The Lepai was perfectly identical until you exceeded it's power output. That test, and subsequent tests were we lined up about 8 different amps with quick switching and not one of about 15 people could tell the difference in blind testing --- it told me all I needed to know.

@Audioholics

7 жыл бұрын

Yes you were unable to discern a difference using high efficient speakers. There are many factors that could also be affecting this such as: room acoustics, source material, listening fatigue, etc. But, thanks for sharing your results. Most amplifier do sound similar if not overdriven and also driving a relatively easy load like a Klipsch speaker.

@michaelconrad9457

6 жыл бұрын

Well, the Lepai T is sort of amazing, that's the little secret there.

@StringerNews1

6 жыл бұрын

The hi-fi world is an absolute load of bullshit. It's true.

@scottlowell493

6 жыл бұрын

Back around 1986, Stereo Review proved that NO ONE could tell the difference between a Pioneer receiver and a $30K Mark Levinson, so long as the amp was not strained. Carver proved NO ONE could tell the difference between his solid state "L" mod and a conrand johnson, or TFM and a Mark Levinson. And then, there is a guy in New York that ran an ongoing $10,000 challenge if anyone can hear the difference...no one won.

@scottlowell493

6 жыл бұрын

BTW: I replaced my 100lb emotiva, 90lb Pass amp with a class D audio (brand) amps. 300 wpc into 8 ohms and doesn't blink when confronting difficult speakers. It man-handled B&W and ATC. Cost about $700 shipped, under 20lbs and runs cool. No audible difference on anything. Pulse Width modulation is the future. More power/less weight/almost no heat/ no audio compromise.

I am running a 7.2.2 Klipsch Reference Premiere speaker setup using a Denon AVR-X4300H A/V receiver. The AVR-X4300H is rated at 125w/ch 2ch driven 20hz-20khz. I added an inexpensive Russound A2100 2ch amp rated at 100w/ch to drive the mains. I also offloaded everything below 100hz from the LCR to allow the 400/880w amps in my subs to handle that power. Adding the external amp has made a huge difference when I am playing music or movies at close to reference levels (0db). I noticed a lot more punch in my mains with clearly more dynamic headroom. I was actually pleasantly surprised that it made so much difference. This leaves the Denon to have all the power it needs to drive the rest of the speakers and to also not push the Denon so hard so as to get really hot, which it would do when I did this using just the Denon at high volume levels. I figure less stress on my expensive AVR is a good thing. I also needed to add the external amp because while the Denon can process 11.2 channels it only has enough amps for a 9.2 setup. I plan on adding two more Atmos speakers to fill out my Music Home Theater room. I was a little wary of getting only a 100w/ch amp, but I did the math on the AVR and the speakers and a solid 100w performer seemed enough, and this proved to be so, but every once on a blue moon the Russound amp cuts off for a split second on the right channel. This is only happening with some very dynamic music at 0db. It seems I am right against the edge of the power limit at times. I am considering switching to an Emotiva 150w/ch A-300 BasX, but I am unsure if I would see any improvement except for the rare cutting out. Alternately, I am looking at a 250w/ch Hypex based 2ch amp to save on energy over the Emotiva. Every setup I used was always calibrated carefully using the Denon's built-in Audyssey MultEQ XT32. I also set the gain on the Russound to about 80% or about the two-o-clock position. I'm not sure if this is the correct setting and I've been unable to find much info on that. Does anyone think upgrading the external amp would make much difference in sound quality. I am already very happy with it now, but the cost of another amp is not much to add. The mains can handle 150w continuous BTW and they are very efficient at 98db @ 2.83v / 1m.

@kevins.1752

4 жыл бұрын

ArJuna22 Did you ever change out the power amplifier for an Emotiva A -300? I have a 2019 Denon X3600h running an 7.2.4 system and I am looking at the A-300 and Crown XLS 1502. Both different class amplifiers and I want to make the most economical and sound wise choice. Also, how are you “off load everything below 100 hz from the LCR”? Is this thru the crossover setting for the remaining speakers? Thanks for any advice as I am starting to learn about crossover, bass management and speaker settings. Cheers

@ArJuna22

4 жыл бұрын

@@kevins.1752 Yes, I got a refund from Russound and got the Emotiva BAS-X A-300. Best decision I could have made. The Emotiva is absolutely sublime and powerful. I set the crossover cutoff on the Denon by setting all my speakers to "small", even the powerful Klipsch RP-280F's. LCR was indicating Left-Center-Right, or basically the mains and center speaker. I actually changed this down to 80hz crossover later as i found it sounded great. I set the crossover for each speaker in the Denon to 80hz for most of my speakers and let the subwoofers handle the low end load. This gives the Emotiva and Denon tons of headroom with all the reserve power they have not having to Drive the power hungry low frequencies. I also have Klipsch RP-140Sa and RP-500SA Atmos speakers and it is important to set their crossovers to 150hz, or else you might blow one with too much power. Setting the crossover any lower on these Atmos speaker would be a risk especially if you tend to use multi-channel stereo (which I never do). Besides this is what Klipsch recommends, 150hz crossover for these Atmos speakers. For the Rears and surrounds I set crossovers at 60hz, but that was just my preference. The Emotiva driving the mains sounds much better than the Denon alone or the Denon with the Russound. You will not be disappointed with the Emotiva. The class A/B Emotiva has great sound and improves every aspect you could mention. I warn you, the Emotiva is a beast and will impress you. I also want to give props to Russound who were very gracious in allowing me to return the A2100 quite some time after i bought it. It just never was a good match for the Denon AVR-X4300H. Now I can blast the house with extremely loud sound and my Denon barely gets warm. Before it used to get very hot if I cranked it up. Offloading the mains to a good external amp solves a number of issues. I owned the Denon AVR-X3300W for a year before I upgraded to the X4300H. I am sue the Emotiva would be a great match for your X3600H. Good luck! I'm happy to answer any other questions, though I must warn I do not check KZread often, but I will try to over the next few days for you. Edited: The Crown is basically the same as the Russound. I would not waste my money on it, especially when you can get the Emotiva for $400, which is worth every penny and much more. I can assure you that you will be very happy with the Emotiva. Also, the Russound had a ground loop hum when you connected the Denon and Russound 12v trigger (for auto on/off ) and that drove me nuts. Crutchfield replicated the issue and Russound had no solution. You probably know this, but make sure to rerun Audyssey after you make the upgrade/change.

@kevins.1752

4 жыл бұрын

ArJuna22 Thanks for all the information. I am debating between the Emotiva A-300 Class AB and a Crown XLS 1502 Class D and (300 WPC x 2). I have read plenty and watched several YT videos about Class D and AB amplifiers. Did you consider or would you consider a Class D amplifier instead of the Emotiva?

@ArJuna22

4 жыл бұрын

Mr Dice I looked quite a bit at the Crown XLS 1502. In talking with the great folks at Crutchfield and after much other online research it became clear to me the Crown was really no different than the Russound A2100 I had. Both the Russound and the Crown are really designed as PA amps and not audiophile amps. The Emotiva has a much better distortion spec at rated power than either of the two class D amps. The Russound also had a hiss (separate from the hum I mentioned earlier) that was very annoying if you were within 4-5 feet of the mains which were driven by it. I have read the Crown has the same issue. I am telling you the biggest difference is when you crank the volume up. The Russound sounded very good and had loads of headroom, but when I switched to the Emotiva it had all that, but sounded much cleaner. It simply allowed the music to shine through without imposing on it like the Russound did. It just sounded cleaner. I've read similar accounts of the Crown 1502, which really was my only other choice I was considering. The class A/B Emotiva is in another class entirely IMO. It also weighs about 3.5x what the Crown weighs and is built like a tank with that massive toroidal coil in the center. The Emotiva has one fifth the THD at rated power and the SNR is 120db as opposed to the Crown 1502's 103db. The Emotiva is just such a pleasure and after experiencing both for a considerable time each I say there is no contest. The extra power of the Crown is of little value, especially because it drives it does very little for your output level except the distortion level will increase considerably and audibly IMO. Now I play only high end audio sources. I don''t play MP3 files, so I may be a bit more picky. I am running 7.2.4 ALL Klipsch Reference Premier speakers and I vote Emotiva hands down. The sound was good with the Russound, but most clearly better with the Emotiva. I run all my 2.0 audio in stereo mode, so I am usually listening to music with just the mains and the two subs, so the difference is clearly in these external amps to the Denon. I am sure you will likely enjoy whatever you choose. If somehow you can manage giving each a try I would make the effort to do so. Unfortunately, Crutchfield does not sell the Emotiva or you could get both and return one. Maybe you can get Emotiva to find a nearby loaner you could try for a day. Worth a try. I can't imagine finding a better 300w amp than the Emotiva BasX A300 at even twice the price. One last note. The Russound A2100 used to get hot at reference levels even with the gain set down to about 80%. The Emotiva barely gets warm and it has no gain controls BTW, but that doesn't matter because your x3600H will set all that properly for you. I would bet money that if you had the chance to hear both options you would most certainly choose the Emotiva. You have such an awesome AVR and I've come to the conclusion that these PA type class D lightweight amps won't give you what the superbly built and hefty Emotiva will. I wish you all the best.

@ArJuna22

4 жыл бұрын

@@kevins.1752 I just found this and thought you would find it of interest. it's a review on Amazon of the Emotiva BasX A300. Joseph Reynolds VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars Wide open beautiful sound Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2018 Style: 5-ChannelConfiguration: ReceiverVerified Purchase Wow I went from a denon receiver to this amp and emotiva pt100 preamp. I was blown away but I thought that the preamp was producing all that good sound and so I bought a crown amp with a little more watts to replace this amp. It made sense to me, I had the killer preamp now the crown with more watts will sound even better. Well, I was so wrong. Apparently it's this amp that's producing that great sound because the pt100 with crown amp sounded terrible. I listened to the crown for maybe 3 days just because I've been too busy and I couldn't be happier now that I swapped them back. BTW I'm powering klipsch rf3 floorstanders and I have them biamped for about 160 watts per speaker. They sound Incredible. I can think of one con and that's, it's too big to fit into my audio rack, too deep by about 2 inches. www.amazon.com/Emotiva-Audio-Stereo-Power-Amplifier/product-reviews/B01IQWAXGE/ref=cm_cr_unknown?reviewerType=all_reviews&filterByStar=five_star&pageNumber=1

There can definitely be differences. Frequency response variations, noise (hum/buzz/hiss), output impedance differences, differences in the way they handle differing loads, age and much more. Its not to say that the differences will be astronomical but they are there and with a bit of listening, one would notice the differences especially if the loudspeaker system is one which is fairly decent. I've had/have these amps and they all sound slightly different: Soundcraftsmen PM860 SAE P50 Threshold SA3 Crown Comtech 210 Crown XLS 1500 Nikko Alpha 230 ART SLA1 Behringer EP4000 Behringer EP1500 Yorkville SR300

How well do traditional measurements correlate to what we hear? Are harmonic and intermodulation distortions the only distortions? Or are there other distortion mechanisms we haven't as yet quantified? And under what conditions are amps tested? Mostly it's under static conditions with continuous sign waves. Recorded music isn't like that, it's dynamic, spiced with transients and cascading harmonics imposing a whole new set of demands unlike simple sign waves. In the 70s techs and engineers believed that everything they knew about amp distortions was complete. Until Matti Otala came along and discovered "transient Intermodulation distortion". "If an amplifier measures good but sounds bad we are measuring the wrong thing." ~ John Atkinson

Hey guys, Love your channel! I have one question... Would it be a bad idea connecting a pro amp like:Crown XLS 1002 to my stereo setup? How would it sound?

@Tetman-xx6tp

8 жыл бұрын

i run that amp to 2 polk monitor, i love it and its cheaper than most amps i found

Does anyone know if the model as701 has the same design of as801? Except for the USB port. The same DAC as well?

Bob Carver proved that he could replicate the sound of any Amp by playing with resistors. He said that if you wire a 1.5 ohm resistor on the red wire to your speakers, you can achieve about 85% of of what a tube amp would sound like. That's using a solid state amp of course. He incorporated that feature in his original Sunfire amps with the current and voltage source terminals.

@mittzombie2901

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Meatball Carver made some really overpriced garbage.

@antigen4

6 жыл бұрын

that would most definitely be a neat trick!!!

@Technical_Audio

6 жыл бұрын

Carver has recanted some of that as a stunt. Today he makes tube amps!

i have JBL Venue series tower speakers on Denon AVR-2309ci receiver. but i think power is not enough on my left and right tower speakers. what do you recommanded? current amp is 105 at 8 ohm per channel 5.1 system. my sub-woofer has its own amp. WHAT IS CHEAPEST OPTION but has to be good for HT.

@juanbaclavab

8 жыл бұрын

+pulseps bob The cheapest option would be the Wilson Audio Alexandria XLF's

DEAR can u help me ?? can i use Definitive Technology AW 6500 Outdoor Speaker as ceiling Dolby atoms ??

lol you guys need to open in school in Florida, I Google like every other word still after almost a year of watching your videos. re-watch, take notes, listen, and have interest, the 4 steps to learning from the professionals.

Love your channel guys new subscriber here

What if I get dedicated power station running amp not at 120/60 or 220/50 but at 15000V, would that be ideal amp then?

I'm an amateur who knows nothing. You guy's are great. Informative, as always.

@ocostich

10 жыл бұрын

Just keep in mind that what you get from them is opinion. They are always right when I agree with them and always wrong when I don't:-)

I've watched a few of your videos now and I do appreciate what you guys are doing you explain things well. However what you are showing or things that a lot of your viewers I'm sure cannot even come close to affording. It would be nice to see a mid-range AV receiver setup with an explanation on how to get it sounding to its fullest potential. In maybe the 15 to $1,800 range. I would love to invite you guys over to give me some pointers I'll buy the beer I believe you guys are in my area. Feel free to make a video out of it

How do pro-style amplifiers (like the Crown XLS series) measure in a home environment? Are there risks with running them with well-engineered consumer-grade speakers with a decent enough pre/pro?

@memcdm

3 ай бұрын

They don't measure as well as some very expensive products. Still my Crown sound very good on my LRS and Philharmonic Sound Monitors. I would think there are better sounding power amps out there buy not at the price of the Very modestly priced Crown for the bucks. I am unable to clip this amp. My ears give up well before clipping! (95 -100 peak on my cheap SPL meter! Very loud and painfully loud to me!)

why don't stereo amplifiers have bass controls in relation to the addition of a subwoofer? I'm torn because I want the best sound possible but from my understanding most stereo receivers will send full range to the speakers DESPITE having a sub connected.

I’m kind a new to the home theater stuff but I can personally tell you from lots of experience with car audio amps can sound different now it might not be miles apart but you can have better sounding and were sounding amp’s I’ve experienced it

I have a PCM on my YAMAHA v373 Amp...Any idea how to get rid of it? Thanks

hi appreciate your skill set thanks for sharing your info ; I have not heard a lot of amps to say they all sound the same or not I'm sure their is a difference. I have only had Kenwood my 1st receiver and still love the Kenwood brand Denon Pioneer,Marantz SR6006 my current receiver. I had noree earthquake towers that I loved but it was stolen and my Denon 3033 avr I have alwas picked the middle high component right under the flagship model or right below that model so now I'm thinking about a Macintosh mx122 or 121 paired with an Emotiva amp or Monolith amp and B&W 804 towers or something in that class. I would love to here your feed back thanks and keep listening

I have a anthem 710 reciever 7.1 it pushes 125 watts per channel if i buy speakers that peak at 150 watts do i need a amp. To get the full sound from the speakers

@Taffy84

5 жыл бұрын

No, that just means the speakers are rated to handle up to 150w.

I have a JRDG amp and it is so smooth and musical- then pop in an Aragon Amp which is a good solid high current amp, it's good, but not as musical- certainly not as refined- to my ears at least.

How should amplifiers sound? Source equipment has its imperfection and so does the listening environment has its impact on the total aural experience. For instance, in-ear earplugs are designed not with a linear response electronically but with a compensation for the audio characteristics of the ear channel which can vary from person to person. Should amplifiers have, at least, some compensation for these imperfection in the source and the listening environment?

I bought the Roksan k2 Amp and Cd player. I have also a Nad C320 i had for years. For my listening pleasure The Nad gives me much more musical wow's than the Roksan and i don't know why . Personal preference i suppose Im running Apple I Mac Flac/and Spotify Nad C320 Mass Fidelity Relay (Bluetooth Dac) Bluesound Node streamer Tannoy Mercury 7's

@robotczar

7 жыл бұрын

Or, it could be your mind playing tricks. If you didn't do a level matched blind test, you can't be sure you hear a difference.

AVR has RCA preouts and Processors have xlr preouts. i heard xlr is far way better than RCA. so does this really mean that using processor with external amp is way better than using avr with external amp.

It must be said that whatever the price, some measures badly, more than 1 % distortion for instance. Some are well designed with good measurements. I tried some, and was not able to hear noticeable difference. From -65 to -95 dB dist plus noise can we hear the difference, think I cannot. Maybie with high efficiency speakers ?

you guys have great videos about audio and video. However, the audio quality of your videos are not very good. You could improve the sound by using wireless label microphones for each of you. Love the content.

@Audioholics

10 жыл бұрын

Working on that for the next batch of videos that will go live at the end of May, or early June.

@rolandseal1619

9 жыл бұрын

I suggest that neck (label) microphones that are not radio but are via cable is the most safest system. Radio neck mics are not necessary for seated speakers and only increase the possibility of loosing the signal. Wire is best.

Gene and Lou Ferrigno awesome video!

He said that "people who believe that all amplifiers sound alike are those that think that speakers all sound alike". Bullcrap. Amps are different from speakers. Speakers are mechanical devices. He also includes no data with his opinion. Plus his support for amp differences is based on pushing amps past their limits - that has never been part of the discussion.

@robotczar

7 жыл бұрын

Unlike amps, which produce an amplified electrical signal, speakers actually produce sound.

@user-bc6ok1yh4s

5 жыл бұрын

" Some people believe all speakers sound alike", that's the first time I've ever heard that! I've always heard an amp, is an amp, is an amp all my life, which is true insofar as lab test measurement's are concerned but, untrue when comparing a tube amp to a SS amp, hybrid amp etc, in actual listening test's. IMHO, only similar technologies and applications sound the same, especially so when comparing amps and stereo cartridge's. ,

@asimnaseer8728

5 жыл бұрын

All their videos are almost crap, just waste of time

@maxwelsh6121

4 жыл бұрын

To be fair , behavior near clipping is very important to me. , tubes dont hard clip but can sound nasty when overdriven. Lower power amps can have simpler signal paths and fewer active devices DOES reduce distortion , but then at limit behavior IS then part of the convo. Obviously an set amp is different and second vs 1st order distortion is a very valid in measurable distinction and difference between amps, but when I hear people say amps are different and then he ran engineer respond on how they are not my response is different amps deliver different performances under different loads and an amplifier that is perfectly suited to a 6 ohm load may see an entirely different load when the average consumer buys a speaker, this difference in impedance matching that doesn't happen on the bench does happen in the real world and in my opinion not only is the reason people think amps sound different but is actually valid since people buy speakers because they like the way they sound not because they work properly with their amp, which is another massive difference, between a amp that is designed exceptionally well that can double its load into a halved impedance versus whatever characteristics one that absolutely cannot do this might have, these are all valid. ..As is its Square wave rise Time Performance slew factor and damping which people who work in the studio may consider a given with their high-powered amps with massivehigh damping Factor and power. but in the real world consumer grade equipment these predisposed Givens are not at all at given and therefore in the real world amp performance and tgerefore sound does vary a lot and in a way just tends to not in the laboratory. It's easy to imagine a perfectly matched load all sounding the same and dismiss these crazy nuts Who Would mix and match but that's what happens and sometimes these mismatches actually tend to suit a certain speakers shortcomings and in the real world it can lead to what we call Synergy in a way that these measurements would not indicate unless you're talking about a microphone in front of the speaker

Nice talking. May be I can add something. The confuse in such discussion is that simplifying we say "amplifier sounds" And that's..... Amplifier cannot sound without speaker. Only transformer a little:). So we are talking about amplifier/speaker sets. Already mess ;). Then You mentioned abut interaction and that is in my experience main clou. Speaker interacts with amplifier not only by simple loading it but for speakers using LC crossovers amplifier is getting shifted in phase feedback voltage. At crossover point speaker impedance is usually up and current shifted in phase. And that is the reason why results may be so different then expected. If we compare one-driver box with two different amplifiers then differences between amplifiers shall by slight comparing to ex. three way. . If we use tube amplifier having less feedback then this effect will be even less. Actually I use "almost" one way wide-range and differences between my Luxman, Onkyo and tube Pioneer are hard to notice. Surely they are - Onkyo has FET output transistors so feedback is probably less then Luxman, Luxman ...silicon but beta circuit whatever it means :) and tube is tube with transformer and trebles bending at edge. With multi-way speaker changes are shouting and results change - tube for them is best. For one way Onkyo seems more flat. I see You put big attention to power. Honestly with used by me modern speakers and at 90 dB a power in my speakers hardly reached 1 W. Actual speakers are 2-3 times more effective. My 2x 7 Watts tube amplifier is still not tested for power :) You can listen to it in my video named "Ultimate Reality Speaker ..." Rgds.

I had a 1969 valve amplifier 100Watts,oh my god it sounded incredible,massive power,picked up sounds the modern ampl transistor missed out, had a warmth to it that the transistor amplifier didn't have, that something else. So for me not all amplifiers sound the same,valve sounds much,much better

@areallytallguy

5 жыл бұрын

SP330Y that's called distortion. not warmth. just because you like that doesn't mean it's a good think. you're actually messing with the sound which is bad.

guys thank you i build my own amps just to do a no holds bared power supply.always build mono block to keep no shared transformer .in the 150 watt range but i only ever use no more then maybe 30. i'm not a loud listener. this is just my piece of mind. maybe this is what makes the biggest sound quality in amps as we have all seen amps with too small power supplys

You know you are caught up on your rent when you have time to split hairs, about the best of the best. If your system sounds good, than it sounds good. If it sounds bad, than you need to turn it down a bit. And if that don't work, upgrade.

The biggest difference I've found in Amps are Tube amps vs solid state. Both have pro's and con's but I do prefer tube over solid state.

Difference is power handling and continuity ,how long a amp will run in its full power,cheap ones will blow off quickly,same with speakers.

The factors that separate the audible qualities of amps are a) max power output and b) ability to pump that power into low impedances. More powerful amps can sound louder--a clear difference. Ability to produce current into low impedances matters only for speakers that present low impedances. Other than that, even golden ears cannot distinguish high end megabuck from pop market cheap amps. We know all of this via measurement, no need for blind testing, though the testing confirms people can't hear a difference in typical electronics properly performing within their operating parameters.

Need a forum argument settled. Does the processor or the amp give a brand it’s signature sound? Marantz is the brand we’re specifically discussing.

@ audioholic. Onkyo 3030 and marant 7010 which perform better for a movie purpose both are on the same price range .

Yes they do all have a different sound. THD levels, power and other factors plus different makers use different components. I have found years ago the Marantz line to have a very nice sound opposed to other brands popular then. It was due to the quality of the parts used, and good power supplies. Then add speakers -the biggest ( most important) component of any audio system.

This is a bit of a loaded question. If you have an easy to drive, say 8 ohm speaker with 95db sensitivity, then yes, most amps will sound very similar because its power requirements have been met. On the other hand, if you have a 4 ohm 85 db set of electrostatics like my old Martin Logans, then they may have a bit of trouble with an underpowered AVR. A lot of 'hi-fi' speakers are hard to drive, the most famous being Magnepans which have low sensitivity and impedance dips to about 2 ohms. Of course you're not going to get the best performance from a cheap receiver. Does that mean you need to drop several grand on amplification? No. Once you have met the requirements for properly driving the speaker, the difference between amps is minimal. So 'yes and no' is a perfectly fair answer, though people do pay way, way too much on amps in relation to the rest of their system.

@jacobearnold

7 жыл бұрын

Fricky Fricky Fresh Enterprises International Your comment is why Amos have different power options. It isn't going to sound different as long as the amp is meant to function at the testing load and power rating.

@frickyfrickyfreshenterpris4303

7 жыл бұрын

Agreed.

@samtabgalaxy4974

7 жыл бұрын

I don't see a question in your post, but I do see a statement. I would disagree with it. Having enough power to drive a speaker does not make all amps sound the same. They will sound just as different as in any other situation. If you have access to a variety of equipment, its very easy to here this for yourself. Just to give an example, I have a small pair of Wilsons that are very easy to drive. 95 or 96db. They can be easily driven by a pair of 15watt SET's. To avoid any confusion, I'll only talk about the solid state amps I have at the house, and leave my tube amps out of it. I have a Rowland 112 (150wattsx2), an Ayre V-5 (150x2), a McCormack DNA-125 (125x2), and a Krell KAV250a (250x2). All of the above amps are overkill for the Wilsons, so power is no issue whatsoever. If you swap those 4 amps out, you have 4 completely different sounding systems. Anyone can hear the difference, even people with no experience in audio. Keep in mind, though, that the rest of the components in the system are very revealing. If you don't install the amps in systems that have the type of resolution needed to bring out these differences, the results will be different.

dear man in the red t-shirt, your arms are huge sincerely, the internet

@bobsum1745

7 жыл бұрын

arms only

@user-ik2yw1sw4g

6 жыл бұрын

Bob Sum .. Sounds like your a jealous bitch. Bet your a fat slob

@zacharydummpfiff9837

3 жыл бұрын

His arms make me believe it's better not to argue with him about whether all amplifiers sound the same.

There is so much that goes into the purchase of an amplifier its all a matter of money style and needs my McIntosh amp has a power guard circuit that prevents clipping a very nice feature that has saved me from damaging my speakers it looks fantastic sounds great and after owning it 10 years still is dead quiet plus if I ever want to sell it it will hold a lot more of its retail value than many if not all other brands let me tell you when 1 amplifier is in the shop being fixed and the other is still working perfectly they definitely don't sound the same

An amplifier should amplify the input perfectly and linearly. An amplifier's power supply should be adequate to drive any load within the amplifier's specification. An amplifier should have SNR that rejects noise to the point that no one can hear it. If all amplifiers followed this, all amplifiers would sound the same. I've heard amplifiers and speakers giving a different FR at different volumes. Speakers are usually more guilty of this, but I have heard some amplifiers do the same. My speakers and amplifiers can be listened to at levels so low, I can enjoy music at 3 am without disturbing my light-sleeping wife. They can also be listened to loud enough to make the neighbourhood dogs bark. FR is linearly amplified from low to high levels. That's how it should be.

@Mrcloc

3 жыл бұрын

@@joescott2720 Hi Joe Scott. That's a difficult question. A better amp than?

How do pro audio amplifiers like qsc or crown stack up to hi-fi amps?

@svtcontour

9 жыл бұрын

Ray Sandoval I've tried the QSC RMS series and the Crown XLS and Crown Comtech series and they sounded quite good. I've also tried two Yorkville amps which IMO sound rough and horrid. I used to have a Class A threshold amp and its been replaced by a pair of ART SLA1 studio amps. IMO one of those amps per channel sound better than my older Threshold. Bass and midbass is tighter sounding and the top end seems a bit more extended / revealing I guess.

im surprised people use bass as a determination to a good amp! i prefer detailed and flat.. just picked up a yamaha A-S801 not quite detailed but im loving the sound!

Looks like a ring of bongs behind you guys 🤣

My friend knows and cares virtually nothing about sound, but a while back I got a couple/pair of monoblock amps even though I had a pretty good receiver, but after hooking up my amps to my preamp even he said he could tell the difference, he said it was clearer with better separation. I agreed. It's really too bad that one of my amps burned out, literally caught on fire. : (

@mydogskips2

8 жыл бұрын

+carlos oliveira It was a Monarchy Audio SM70-Pro. It's really unfortunate because I thought it was really good while it worked. It was my fault though, I had used it for probably a year plus without issue, but because I had it on my carpeted floor I don't know if it got enough ventilation, thankfully the flame came out the top of the amp and the carpet itself didn't catch on fire. I was actually concerned about this happening, but didn't think there would be a problem because there are "feet," and some separation from the carpet, and as I said, I had used it for some time without issue. Also, I didn't put it on my shelf because of the weight and shape with the heatsink. It's truly unfortunate because I bought it used, but still paid a good amount, and I imagine repairs would cost quite a bit, especially including shipping costs from where I live.

@mydogskips2

8 жыл бұрын

+james hunt Whoa, thanks for your interest. I did write a pretty detailed email to the company a few months ago explaining exactly what happened, but unfortunately I received no response at all. This was actually strange and surprising to me because I had spoken with Mr. Poon himself many years ago before I actually bought the amplifiers. He did seem like a very nice person, and I'm not implying that he isn't by the way. I'm not even looking for a free repair or replacement, just a reasonable price to do the repair, maybe two or three hundred bucks, but again, I'm surprised that they didn't respond to my email at all. I suppose I could resend it. As for the damage, its not really visible, at least I cannot see anything, I'm almost tempted to start it up again, but I think I know better than to do that, I remember vividly what happened, it was pretty scary seeing that flame coming out the top of the amp. There's a vent on the top of the amp. I did buy them off of eBay, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, and I don't think they were altered in any way. Like I said, they worked great for over a year. I do know that one amp can work in stereo mode(and it should have sufficient power to drive my bookshelf speakers), but I've actually moderately downgraded my system(got an integrated Marantz amp instead of separates) and don't use the amps at all anymore. Well, I actually started the good one up to power a new speaker(Polk Audio LSiM 703) that I recently bought, but I'm going to return the speaker, it's sorely disappointing to me after all the great reviews I read on Amazon. I was pretty surprised when it caught on fire, my carpet is actually very short, short fibers which are pretty tight and hard. As I said, I was concerned, but thought the odds that something would happen were pretty low, I thought there was sufficient airflow around the amp.

I have a Arcam AVR850 with 7 Class G 100W into 8 ohms internal amps. Which were used to drive some 25 year old Klipsch speakers The 850 ended up burning up 12 output capacitors because integrated multi-power amps generate lots of heat in such a small space with other components. Which I believe after time all components suffer from this design are subject to shorter life spans. I have had three AVR's. All Arcam and all ended up having heat and amp failing issues sooner or later in their life. After getting this one repaired I vowed never to use all the available internal amps for all speakers. After checking around with many HT and some "audiophile" users who have moved away from home power amps of the likes or AR, McIntosh, Parasound, Emotiva, Arcam, ect and have have opt for pro audio type amps for their systems. Yep, Pro Audio Amplifications like one uses in Studio's and live performances. I thought I would give it a try. Bear in mind many whom I checked with own very expensive and elaborate HT and Audiophile quality components and speakers systems so I was not as skeptical going in. After some research I decided to purchase a pair of Crown XLS Pro Audio 750 W class D rack mount power amps. At 8 ohms they produce 750 W of stereo power. I ended up using their bridge feature to 1500 W at 8 ohms and using them as mono blocks for my Left and Right Speakers. . All I can say is they are amazing sounding much better than the internal Arcam Class G amps and endless clean headroom. I wish I did this years ago but maybe years ago PA amps where not as they are today thus not applicable in clean power and performance. These run very cool if not one can say cold with no noticeable heat from the chassis. Do they look as pretty as consumer power amps? That is in the eye of the beholder. However I like them, and am planning on building a nice rack case painted piano black to wrap around them. Many who have racks just screw them in and your done. This was the best and least costly amplifier investment I ever made saving thousands of dollars and having virtually endless clean accurate headroom to drive any speaker. The noise floor is almost non-existent unless you put your ear right next to the tweeter and crank them. They even have a hi pass low pass filter in them if you want them dedicated power to certain speaker frequency like drive subs or just crossed over at 80hz for your HT main speakers. Very cool option. I am leaving them full range. Currently I am using them only for L&R mono blocks but may get one more for a center channel which I am debating on keeping anymore. Not because I am afraid of the Arcam Center channel may burn up again but because I am really wondering if I really need a center channel anymore? I can see in a dedicated HT room the need, but I have a great room which also doubles as a living room for both HT, TV, and music. My old Klipsch are not top of the line of their time either, and are soon to be replaced by a pair of Ohm Walsh 3000 Omni Directional Speakers. However these old speakers do produce a wide spread sound stage with vert good imaging but are not of the quality of what is available today at any price point. According to Ohm, they said their sound stage and imagining is so good many don't use center channels with them. I will soon find out. I will still use the 4 of the 7 available internal amps which are the surround and height channels. Being they see minimum use I think I would be safe without the concern of them failing. (Hopefully). If they do, then it will be one last time to the repair center under warranty for fixing then off to Ebay. Going forward I will only purchase a Processor or if having dedicated stereo Pre-amp with mono blocks. Sorry to be so long winded but wanted to share an option that some maybe interested in exploring as I did on amps.

So I am relatively new or whatever to this whole hifi thing. With solid state amps, how can the transistors and whatnot inside affect sound differently? Wouldn't fewer internal components mean less signal degradation? How exactly does an amplifier work anyway?

@robotczar

7 жыл бұрын

The factors that affect electric current are known and measurable. It doesn't matter what the components are made of (semi conductors, tubes, gold, or lead), if the factors are the same, the electrical signal will be affected the same way. The number of "internal components" does not matter--only the collective electrical factors. Even if the signal was different, there is not reason to assume we can hear the differences if they are small. An amplifier uses an weak input signal to control a stronger output signal to be a more powerful copy.

Yes different amps sounds different, But it all depends on the speakers, my B&w 683 s2 sounds different on a denon pma 1600NE than my current nad c375bee amp, denon has a deeper bass impact and more treble, nad is little more soft in treple. But sounds good and or of the best Bang for the buck, i am looking for a Hegel h190 to see what difference that would make, But nothing maked as much difference than speakers do, becouse amps won’t make much difference if you use cheap and bad quality speakers. Speakers Room Amplifier Source Cables In that order is the most important for a good sounding system, spending to much on cables is not worth it, you get your money way better worth on investing on a good amp or different speakers

@diddly11

4 жыл бұрын

The source is actually most important. If you have a garbage source, you'll get garbage out. No system will magically clean up garbage source material and make it sound good. Source is number one, then speakers. Agree that cables are last though.

@andreasmoller9798

3 жыл бұрын

@@diddly11 speakers and room have far more impact on sound, a good source don’t mean anything if you don’t have right speakers first

A person's hearing is most important as you loose high frequency over time. What sounds good to you may not sound good to me. As for Amps, of course they sound different as they are designed with different topologies and have to interact with varying impedance (resistance) from the speaker load . Go to a good hifi shop and listen to a range of Amps ($300, $500, $1000, $2000). You should easily tell the difference in clarity, detail, soundstage and dynamics. Always demo with your own speakers and music you know well. Happy listening. ☺