"Rob" wrote in message
...
Andre Jute wrote:

-snip-

So, the "engineers" are right, all amps that are properly designed and
made should sound the same. Unfortunately, since the "engineers" have
measured success by the wrong yardstick, there are no amps that are
properly designed and made because no amp perfectly reproduces the
concert hall in the home.

I think this is the essence - it's simply not in the toolbox/vocabulary of
most engineers to explain what is reported with certain amplifiers. There
is simply cultural closure on the point that some amplifiers sound
different, especially when 'poor' implementation results in a 'more
accurate' listening experience.

I can't reconcile the idea that a "poor" implementation can result in a
"more accurate" listening experience. I can accept that a poor
implementation can result in a more *pleasurable* listening experience, as
it's down to the perception of the listener if it's more pleasurable or not.
I think the whole appeal of SETs is that they sound different to more
"accurate" amplifiers, and therefore to some, they become more pleasurable.

Anecdotally, I agree with your consideration of AV electronics. One of the
key characteristics of valve amps I've used (mainly class A PP) is the
sense of 3D soundstage. I've never been able to recreate that with SS -
the closest (but nowhere near) is through electronic 'concert
hall'/spatialiser settings on SS amps. My experience is problematic in two
ways:

1) I have no evidence to support my views beyond similar experiences
described by others. I can't *measure* the effect. Indeed, I've never done
anything approaching a DBT largely because switching between amplifiers is
not straightforward. This is something I'm going to think about in the not
too distant future - I'd happily trade the valves for an efficient/cheap
SS if it did the job ...

2) Evidence elsewhere that suggests there is no difference in real world
sound amplification - the Quad example given by Dave Plowman being a case
in point, and considered elsewhere in your original. Simply can't explain
that ... wish I was there :-)

I think that the explanation is fairly simple:- The Quad tests were done
with a Quad II valve, and 303 and 405 SS. All three amplifiers perform to a
level that is below the threshold of audibility for frequency response
errors, noise and distortion, consequently will sound the same into the load
they were presented with at the tests (Yamaha NS1000). This will be true of
any amplifiers who's performance below the audibility threshold. I don't
think there is any mystery there.

S.


S.