Solid State Power Amp Reviews

So I'm getting flamed by a guy who thinks you need to spend $5K on each power chord to have a good sounding system.

Given your history of thoroughly misguided and erroneous "journalism" (which, in your case, the term is used very generously), having you slag me is a sign that I'm not wrong.

What I consider "state of the art":

• Amps that produce at least 20dB less distortion and noise than this overpriced brick

• That list, to my knowledge, has only two entries: amps by Benchmark and Devialet

• I'm confident that whatever Bruno Putzeys & Peter Lyngdorf are about to release from Purifi Audio will be way better than this cinderblock as well

• Also, all of these superior products are a fraction of the cost of this lead bar

Fremer, you are definitely that guy that would buy a Bugatti Veyron rather than an Acura NSX or purchase a $10K analog Rolex when a $400 Citizen, solar powered, digital watch keeps better time.

BTW ..... Pass labs SIT-3 ($4,000) also has somewhat similar 0.25 to 0.26 Ohm output impedance :-) ........

Yeah, I think CH has hit on an interesting feature that audiophile might like. Sort of like letting listeners choose between a range of digital filters from minimum phase to linear. Although this of course will result in more audible differences than otherwise decent digital filters at the edge of audibility.

The problem here I hope is that it does not demonize negative feedback as something "bad" (which IMO it isn't). If some people are OK with the higher harmonic distortion including elevated higher order distortions and higher output impedance (with commensurate lower dampening factor), then so be it.

But let's just make sure to frame this as a "subjective choice" rather than making it some kind of simplistic audiophile "myth" causing all kinds of companies to follow a trend of low negative feedback when there's typically no reason to...

and listen... Only then would you know where and how the amp compares.

The review should be insightful regarding sound quality.

Perhaps you could ask MF to compare them in a follow-up.

Or you could read the several, other reviews on the web and guess.

Or you could do none of the above, and just speculate wildly and assume everyone is lying to you.

In a large active system, bridgeable Benchmark AHB-2 can provide clean linear output with wide bandwidth, fully adequate for powering the tweeters. If DIY is of interest, consider the Neurochrome Modulus-686.

Below tweeter frequencies... Bandwidth is obviously constrained at lower frequencies, and class D is fully adequate, and the inefficiency of class A/B is not justified. In that range, look at ATI 5xxNC family of amplifiers which use Hypex NC500 amplifier modules.

For the subwoofer subsystem, I would suggest class H pro-grade fan cooled amplifiers, and would suggest replacing the cooling fans with suitable very quiet running Noctua fans. Class H is similar to class A/B in the output stage, with tight control provided by a large dose of negative feedback, but modulates switch mode power supply output rail voltage to follow the input signal, keeping it a little above a level that would otherwise clip the output when operating within design range. So it is much more efficient than class A/B. The downside is that bandwidth is lower than is achievable with conventional class A/B.

Horses for courses, etc.

nope

He's worried about God judging him? For spending money on the stuff that gives him joy and happiness? Right.

Well said ACranston

Regards,
Terry

ok wrote:

My android phone simply refuses to get into the comment section; I guess they call it a smartphone for a reason.

The mobile version of the Stereophile website doesn't show comments.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile