"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message

In article ,
Keith G wrote:


Got an amp which *doesn't* distort?? Not at all???

How low do you think the distortion level of an amplifier has to be
for the effect of the distortion to become inaudible?

Somewhere below 0.1%

i.e. if we were to produce two amplifiers which had fairly low levels
of distortion, at what levels of distortion do you think you could
tell the difference between them?

If I get to choose the distortion and the music, I can hear 0.1% distortion,
but much less than that is dicey.


Also, if there is a level below which the distortion has no effect
you can detect, is that amp then not essentially
....distortion free?

Yes.

As my old dad used to say: "Two wrongs do not make a right." **

In the case of some kinds of nonlinear distortion, two wrongs can make a
right. However, the probability that two randomly-chosen distortion sources
exactly compensating is zero.


Wise words, but let's get a little reality check here.

There's much tub-thumping about 'high fidelity' and 'straight wires
with gain' - like one type of amp absolutely fits these criteria and
another type don't. (Not to mention whatever input or amp is used,
the speakers and the room will have the final say, in any case....)

Well, consider what I ask above. Is it the case that at some point the
distortions become so small that they become un-noticable?

Absolutely, positively.

Like there are wise guys here and also idiots who put themselves
through a lot of extra effort and expense just to be bloody awkward
or summat? Have a little think for a minute - I don't know of
*anyone* who uses valves (or has got into valves) because he thinks
they are *worse* than ss amplification.....!!

That sounds reasonable, but what are you assuming about the
relationship between the subjective judgement "worse" and the
measurable quantites that indicate the level of distortion? Are you
symultenously assuming that:

1) More distortion = "worse"

and

2) But valve amps are "better"

Therefore concluding that valve amps must have 'less distortion'.

Or are you assuming that distortion has nothing to do with the "worse"
judgement?

Take a SS amp, add about 4-5 tubes that are not in the signal path but
receive power, and watch the tubies fall for it.