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Review and Measurements of PS Audio S300 PWR Amp

WarmRide

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This is good news, I have one in my home theater and it does the job.
 

maty

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?!?

@maty,
What's the point to talk about the Denon 800NE here? Apples and oranges...
If THD+N appears to be wrong, how is it relevant to know about the performance of the Denon?... What are the calculations you made?

The price. If far field, with 88 dB speakers has enough power to play recordings with DR15. Modern commercial recordings < or << DR10.

I am always rethinking. For example, Nelson Pass's words about harmonics and how they can affect an excess of them to play complex music, I think my understanding has improved by increasing my knowledge.

H2 at -73 dB and H3 at -90 dB (its contribution is ridiculous to be 18 dB less, which is a lot of difference). SNR-A at 1 watt: 88 dB, very good in class A or class AB technology. Since the SNR is high, we can consider that THD = THD + N.

55052-wzmacniacz_denon_pma800ne_audiocompl_lab3.jpg


At 1 watt: 8 Ohms -> 0.15% THD +N. At 4 Ohms -> 0.25% THD +N.

At 5 watts: 8 Ohms -> 0.05% THD +N. At 4 Ohms -> 0.1% THD +N.


http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-thd.htm

-73 dB -> THD: 0.022

And if the H2 is with 180º, as NP likes, then you have great soundstage and depth. In addition, complex music will not be problematic or much less! -> Then I want harmonic profile with only H2, at -73 dB or maybe -84 dB, with 180º.

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pas...36588.html?s=6566180cad455c8161f50297e738095c

- End off topic -
 
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flowjm

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This is an important review due to the many products using these modules. The Emotiva PA-1 monoblocks use the same modules (I believe) but without the additional gain stage. I would imagine they measure the same or better. $630 per pair including freight in the USA, sales tax may be added depending on where you live.

Why on earth does anyone think negative feedback is bad?

Because it's negative, obviously. Perhaps it would help if it were renamed positive feedback.
 

maty

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Some designers said that traditional NFB more than 29 dB is a bad idea. Class A and class AB. With a lot of NFB you have very good specs, numbers but at the cost of musicality, a subjective paramenter.

Class D is other world.
 

Matias

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peng

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Some designers said that traditional NFB more than 29 dB is a bad idea. Class A and class AB. With a lot of NFB you have very good specs, numbers but at the cost of musicality, a subjective paramenter.

Class D is other world.

If I remember right this has been debunked, at least partially, and yes "musicality" is often used in a subjective way..
 

VintageFlanker

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Although this amp is ok, the 1200AS based Apollon has better specs, more power, better construction and is cheaper. Why would anyone choose the PS Audio??

https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-as1200-class-d-ice-power-based-amplifier/

View attachment 35418
As I said on others threads, I'm waiting for this one to be delivered this week (at least, I hope so...)

It's hard to say only based on pictures, but to me, the PS Audio seems to have a better industrial design/build.
 

solderdude

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Why would anyone choose the PS Audio??

Because it matches other PS Audio gear they have, perhaps they like the brand and like the 'info' they put out there, perhaps they like the looks ?
 

Matias

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the PS Audio seems to have a better industrial design/build.

The front of the Apollon is a thick aluminum slab which looks great imo. Cables inside are thicker and better managed, without the additional and unneeded buffer board. Speaker connectors and power IEC are of better quality. Iron sheet on the bottom for better heat dissipation. Front power switch too.

And the modules themselves are night and day different in specs and power.
 
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Ralf Stocker

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It is frightening: PS is a premium manufacturer and prices are the same. Once again the quality is horrible!
 

Matias

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Because it matches other PS Audio gear they have, perhaps they like the brand and like the 'info' they put out there, perhaps they like the looks ?
Those are valid "emotional" reasons, but not very rational I suppose.
 

LTig

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Because it's negative, obviously. Perhaps it would help if it were renamed positive feedback.
iiiìiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...silence
 

maty

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If I remember right this has been debunked, at least partially, and yes "musicality" is often used in a subjective way..

Some designers said...

That these two trends exist among designers is a reality, with traditional amps.

To my knowledge it is not proven that much NFB is not counterproductive or the best. Links? Class A and AB.
 

boXem

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Some designers said...

That these two trends exist among designers is a reality, with traditional amps.

To my knowledge it is not proven that much NFB is not counterproductive or the best. Links? Class A and AB.
https://linearaudio.net/sites/linearaudio.net/files/volume1bp.pdf
Page 14
Before you write that Bruno P. = class D, have a look at page 15: "In a flight of fancy I set a friendly audio company in the south of the Netherlands on this by suggesting a method of wrapping almost 60dB of loop gain over the full audio range around a valve amplifier using a third order loop. Whenever it was stable it sounded immaculate. Measured rather well too."

It's not a question of trend, it's a question of difficulty. Having both stability and a lot of loop gain is difficult.
 

AudioSceptic

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This is an important review due to the many products using these modules. The Emotiva PA-1 monoblocks use the same modules (I believe) but without the additional gain stage. I would imagine they measure the same or better. $630 per pair including freight in the USA, sales tax may be added depending on where you live.

Why on earth does anyone think negative feedback is bad?
Sorry if this is OT but the PA-1 really does seem too good to be true <https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...pa-1-balanced-class-d-power-amplifier-review/>. Can someone get one to Amir?
 

ahofer

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Some designers

To my knowledge it is not proven that much NFB is not counterproductive or the best. Links? Class A and AB.

I’m struggling with this- *not proven*...*not counterproductive*. Proving a triple negative sounds difficult.

Based on listening tests and measurements so far, I think the burden of proof is on you to prove that much negative feedback, or feedback in general, IS audibly counterproductive.

Can you prove that it isn’t not so? :)
 

VintageFlanker

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Why the huge case? Literally a waste of space.
Actually, it is not. Apollon choose to put it in a deeper case on purpose. The one on the picture is 292mm deep without binding post. Many customers want this size to stack with their others gears.

Once this is a custom product, you may ask to Apollon to build it in a shorter case (I did), 185mm deep:

1570542231166_AS1200-Icepower-Stereo-Amplifier-Apollon-Front.jpg
 
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