Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Amplifier

Mike, in a true blind A/B tests, those theories go right out the window.

Or you could add an Emotiva XPA-2 for the fronts...

Mike, welcome to the forum!

<rant>
There seem to be two camps on this forum - those who say that basically all amps sound the same, and those who say that "Amps ain't amps". I'm in the second camp. I suspect that companies like Bryston would also be, along with thousands of testers in thousands of magazines.

I think it's an oversimplification to say that any amp with a flat frequency respone and low THD sounds that same as another other amp. I'm sure some amps do sound the same, but there are a lot of them out there. I don't want to get into an argument about it but I shake my head every time I hear it.
</rant>

I still love this forum though - and I don't even own any Axioms

Shane, amps don't "sound" they amplify the signal.

What has more impact on separation in a 2 channel system--the processer or the amp? I say the processor but many say the amp has as much or more impact. When I say many, many of those many are the manufacturers themselves.

Don't do it Shane, just accept that all amps sound the same from $98 to $98,000. No such thing as higher quality components, or DACs, or DSPs making a cleaner signal path unless it can be measured in THD. Just accept it.

Charles, if by "separation" you mean the degree to which signals in one channel of a 2-channel amplifier or receiver are attenuated with respect to the other channel, then this hasn't been a problem for many years and there's no need to consider what has an "impact" on it. Generally, 40dB of inter-channel separation is sufficient for full stereo effect with no audible leakage. Some of the test labs(e.g., HomeTheater Magazine)still include the crosstalk measurement in their tests. I don't recall any unit in recent years that had less than about 70dB of separation and typically a receiver would measure in the 80s(the very inexpensive receiver that I have on at the moment measured about 90dB). Some units have 100dB or a bit more of separation and this is an indication of excellent design but isn't of any added significance to the listener.

JohnK,
Thanks. Didn't realize this but it makes sense that this concept is basic to the design of a receiver or processer. I hear and read so much on the subject that it makes you think that it is still being perfected. That's what sells. Separation to me is being able to hear where instruments and vocals are-left to right and even front to back on good recordings and equipment.

But isn't an amp that adds zero sound over the original signal impossible? Every capacitor, every circuit, does something to the sound. If so, the question is audible change. The sound of an amp, as the uninformed like me use the term, is the noise added to the original signal. But does THD tell that tale in absolute terms in terms of audible change. It may. I'm not saying it doesn’t, I'm just surprised that a cheap amp with .05 THD sounds the same as a high quality amp with .05 THD.

I'm happy if it is true. My use of 12v amps for years just tells me the spec sheets don't tell the whole story. I have not tried near as many home amps, so I, again, am not saying the position is wrong. Just don't understand it I guess. I know, books are available - but I want it spoon fed for free. I am American...

A common term for that is soundstage.