Class DAmps

[Ashley James]

Mr Sinclair's amplifier designs have lasted to this day in British Hi Fi (mentioning no names) but not his digital one.

I see that he's correctly claiming that there is no loss of power at higher frequencies to 20kHz, which was/is a valve issue.

Ash

[Marco]

Ashley,

But you see the difference is I'm not a manufacturer making equipment for the masses, like you, with the inevitable constraints in various areas that brings. I'm an enthusiast optimising his system for best results in a domestic environment. I don't require to think like a manufacturer or engineer, and comply to certain 'standards & regulations' which aren't necessarily sympathetic to my goals (the most musical sound possible from my hi-fi system) or the goals of people like me who share my values with audio.

Therefore I couldn't give a donkey's bollocks what MEASURES BETTER. The fact that you say Class A is worse and yet I run a Class A valve amp which my ears tell me offers superior performance to the solid state monoblocks they replaced proves that measurements only tell you part of the story. They are not the 'be-all-and-end-all' in hi-fi, like you make out.

Interestingly the selection of D.I.Y single-ended triode valve amps I heard yesterday, designed by very capable people, produced a quite superb sound with high-efficiency speakers in areas that no solid state amp could ever hope of reproducing. I suspect they would measure terribly, but they sounded wonderful, and that's all that matters. The human ear is a complex thing that science when applied to audio will probably never fully understand.

My motto with hi-fi? Trust your ears (if they're good, and mine are), not an oscilloscope. Have faith in your hearing acuity and worry not. If it sounds better then it *is* better. Manufacturers can't do this, though

Marco.

[jcbrum]

The human ear is a complex thing that science when applied to audio will probably never fully understand.
Marco.

I think it's the bit in between that matters

[Marco]

I absolutlely agree, and my bit says valves and Class A sound better despite not measuring better

Marco.

[Mike]

i

and produces "musicality" and "involvement" which many people like.

And surely that is the most important thing with a HiFi system? That it's owner "likes" what it does, no?

and yet I run a Class A valve amp which my ears tell me offers superior performance

Fair enough!...... Hmmm, but I wouldn't be so sure that yours runs 'purely' in class A Marco, I think it pumps out a bit too much power for that, could be wrong though. Probably doesn't matter, it will no doubt at least be substantially operating in class A and how often do you whack the volume all the way up anyway?

Like you say, if it sounds right and you enjoy it, that's all that matters!

Cheers,
Mike.

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

Marco a reply re- your question;

"Therefore I couldn't give a donkey's bollocks what MEASURES BETTER"

About 2" Diameter and don't taste very nice - Pleae don't ask how I know this

Andy - SDDW

[Mike]

Something to do with Spanish sausages maybe?

[jcbrum]

I think they taste nice ! Spanish Sausages that is, I thought it was the Italian ones that had the spherical objects in 'em.






At least that would explain some of Marco's opinions !





JC.

[Mr. C]

JC,

Forever the wind up artist, still in-search of the eternal place to rest your ever ever increasing ego-gathering device
Would love to meet up this week Jc?, you are only a mere 40 minutes from ourselves, I would be greatfull for you to show me how good you ad9's are.
I am prepared to be enlightened in a home enviroment Jc
Guys
Personally I have only ever heard 2 Class "a" amplifiers that sounded 'acceptable' one valve, the other solid state, the rest are just pale approximations of amplifiers imho.
I also believe your amp Marco genuinely does not produce 60watts of Class 'a', to so you would need another amplifier of the same size for the other channel as they would be mono blocks
This is jolly fun thread chaps

[Mike]

I also believe your amp Marco genuinely does not produce 60watts of Class 'a', to so you would need another amplifier of the same size for the other channel as they would be mono blocks
This is jolly fun thread chaps

Hi Mr C

It's not just me then, who thinks 60W per channel is, er, 'pushing the envelope' for a pair of KT88's per side in class A?