Originally Posted By: JohnK
Yeah, Dan; that sort of "review", describing in glowing terms the "sound" of a piece of electronic equipment, can't be taken seriously. If the amplification process is understood, it's clear that all that's happening is that enough voltage is being added from the power supply section to make the small incoming voltage about 30 times stronger. If this is done with flat frequency response and inaudibly low noise and distortion(typical in even modestly-priced units these days), the result is transparent amplification without any added sound characteristic, and no amplifier, regardless of whether it costs $200 or $200,000, can do more than this.

The editor of The Audio Critic summarizes this very well in "Electronic Signal Paths Do Not Have a Personality!" . Of course where such reviewers lack the equipment or technical knowledge to provide meaningful measurements, they're reduced to operating on a "Just trust your ears" level, which is hopelessly flawed when not done under carefully-controlled blind listening conditions.


I like JohnK. He is very knowledgeable about audio matters. However, I think that he is a man blinded or deafened by faith - faith that an amplifier is a straight wire with gain. This is an ideal never reached. John usually qualifies his mantra by urging that all "properly designed" solid state amplifiers sound the same. Ultimately, JohnK is speaking of a tautology. All amplifiers which sound the same - sound the same. The corollary to this flawed axiom is that if you think you hear a difference, you are deluded, or kidding yourself, or a true believer who has confabulated a result based on expectations.

As there may be many mansions in someone's house, there are many solid state amplifiers in mine. They do not sound the same. Now, the differences are subtle but audible. My used Harman Kardon PM665 is my current favorite. I've swapped everything I have, sources, speakers amps, and the HK just sounds sweeter than my other wonderful and much appreciated amps - Kenwood KA9100, Yamaha M80s, Integra M504, Anthem PVA, Muse T-Amp.

Trust your ears, not theory.

Shimmer
tinkle
sparkle
blatt (thanks PMB)
soundstage
punch
attack
dissipation
timbre
air

does your Sony amp really reproduce these audio qualities as well as an HK, or Bryston, Ayre? Really? Really?



Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.