Re: How much do HiFi amps really differ?
- From: bill.sloman@xxxxxxxx
- Date: 25 Nov 2006 05:39:23 -0800
CC wrote:
Greetings:
Reading some amplifier reviews here:
http://audioholics.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/integrated-amplifiers/Arcam/PRD_125582_2717crx.aspx
"The NAD is warm but not nearly as open."
Really funny. I know just what the guy means. Then a ton of additional
reviewers spew paragraph after paragraph of the same silliness.
What do engineers with experience in audio amps think of this stuff? Is
there much difference in the sound of a $250 vs. $2500 amp with the same
"numbers?"
I suppose there might be, if there are differences in numbers not
specified. I recall a long time ago when I bought my Kyocera A-710
integrated amp, a 100W/ch 45 lbs. whopper with 60A peak current
capability (that really impressed me) that it simply mopped the floor
with a Denon component in the shop of similar power level. So naturally
I walked out with the Kyocera. Of course it listed for $1000 vs. the
$600 Denon, and I only bought it because it was a display for $600. The
difference in sound quality seemed apparent when listening, and before I
was even told anything about it's parameters. Perhaps just the
salesman's "you will find this model over here to be far superior to the
Denon" suggestion conditioned me to perceive things differently? I dunno.
Unfortunately, it now has problems and I'd like to replace it with
something smaller, but with respectable quality and capacity for my
impoverished apartment lifestyle. I've narrowed down to:
NAD C325BEE 50W/ch $399 (would really be right for the wallet if it's
decent enough)
NAD C352 80W/ch $599
Rotel RA-1062 60W/ch $699 (folks just gleem over this one)
Arcam A65+ 40W/ch $699 (I just discovered this today)
Nothing is nearly half as heavily built as my Kyocera. It's really
crazy reading folks' reviews, with all the "color, warmth, openness,
etc." Are these guys tripping or what?
Yes. There is an upper limit on the price it is worth paying for an
amplifier - probably around $500.
Anything selling at a higher price probably sells in too small a volume
to cover the cost of getting a good designer to design it right in the
first place, let alone to cover the rather higher cost of testing it
for the various forms of distortion once it has been built.
The only electronic engineer I ever knew who ever looked at a
significant series of high priced amplifiers - he wanted something to
drive his Quad electrostatic speakers, and the local dealers lent him a
lot of gear over the years - found most of them full of trivial
electronic errors.
When I last looked, Ralph was a technical director at FEI, and I've no
more reason to doubt his competence now than I had when I was working
for him back in 1984.
--
Bill Sloman, Nijmegen
.
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