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Starke Sound AD4.320 Review (Multichannel Amplifier)

Mike-48

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Just before the last graph, the review says "We do see the benefit of the linear amplifier...." Shouldn't that be linear power supply?
 

ta240

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Well, the headline on the site says it all:
View attachment 156031
They don't understand Class-D :facepalm:

It would seem like not only do they understand class D, they also understand the market they are aiming for; and they are honest and up-front about the desired end result.

"Combining the high efficiency of class D and the warm sound of class AB amplifiers"

They add harmonics to give an efficient amplifier a sound that they know some customers prefer and they tell us that they are doing that. It may not be what anyone here wants, but it is clearly what they list it as being.

It still seems silly to me, to test products that don't claim to be extremely transparent in their amplification and then shout "look the output signal isn't transparent" It is a bit like buying a vehicle to take to track days for racing but getting a raised up 4x4 truck and telling everyone it isn't good on the track.
 

levimax

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"Combining the high efficiency of class D and the warm sound of class AB amplifiers"
With class D now becoming popular I guess class AB is the new "warm tube sound". Why is it that "old" technology is always "warm"? I am so grateful for this site shining some light on all the BS surrounding this hobby / industry.
 

ROOSKIE

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Yah, crazy right? AB was never warm until class D sat next to it. Now
it is getting hot in here.
 

musicforcities

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U
Could be. The goal was to decide between the Emotiva ($1099) and the Starke ($1399) and my wife didn't have any idea of the cost of either and she had a very decisive opinion without any prompting from me.
ah…I thought you had the emotiva I’m in
It would seem like not only do they understand class D, they also understand the market they are aiming for; and they are honest and up-front about the desired end result.

"Combining the high efficiency of class D and the warm sound of class AB amplifiers"

They add harmonics to give an efficient amplifier a sound that they know some customers prefer and they tell us that they are doing that. It may not be what anyone here wants, but it is clearly what they list it as being.

It still seems silly to me, to test products that don't claim to be extremely transparent in their amplification and then shout "look the output signal isn't transparent" It is a bit like buying a vehicle to take to track days for racing but getting a raised up 4x4 truck and telling everyone it isn't good on the track.
Agree it’s so badly conceived. Make the amp clean and neutral.
Then make two preamps to match it, one ss and neutral and fir the other crowd one tube based preamp for that “warm” and distorted—aka euphonic— sound. Or hey, how about a built in tube buffer stage one could switch out of circuit? That product would sell…
 

voodooless

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Isn’t beryllium super toxic if touched or flakes/powders off? Like when you tighten down a binding post?

beryllium tweeters always come with various warnings etc.
It’s just one google search away

In solid form and as finished objects, beryllium copper presents no known health hazard.[citation needed] However, inhalation of dust, mist, or fume containing beryllium can cause the serious lung condition chronic beryllium disease, which restricts the exchange of oxygen between the lungs and the bloodstream
 

peng

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With class D now becoming popular I guess class AB is the new "warm tube sound". Why is it that "old" technology is always "warm"? I am so grateful for this site shining some light on all the BS surrounding this hobby / industry.

Some manufacturers, know very well that people would believe anything even if not true, if it gets mentioned enough times. My new class D amp sounds warmer than some tube amps I have heard, now if all ASR members would say the same or something similar about their class D amps for the next 100 days, we'll see what happens..;)
 

peng

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They add harmonics to give an efficient amplifier a sound that they know some customers prefer and they tell us that they are doing that. It may not be what anyone here wants, but it is clearly what they list it as being.

It still seems silly to me, to test products that don't claim to be extremely transparent in their amplification and then shout "look the output signal isn't transparent" It is a bit like buying a vehicle to take to track days for racing but getting a raised up 4x4 truck and telling everyone it isn't good on the track.

Did they actually say they add harmonics, and which harmonics? From the FFT graph I can see a lot more 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th odd harmonics than the 2nd, 4th, 6th even harmonics. So are odd order harmonics such as 3rd through 9th responsible for the claimed warm sound? I thought it was the low order even harmonics, 2nd, 4th that contributes to the so called warm sound, all else (such as FR) being equal.

index.php
 

AudioJester

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Your giving them too much credit.
This wasnt a deliberate "warm" sound, looks more like they dont know how to build things correctly or use any form of measurement verification.
Amir has unravelled this type of company many times. They get by on hype and subjective reviews. I think Schitt was the only one who changed their ways.
 

antcollinet

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With class D now becoming popular I guess class AB is the new "warm tube sound". Why is it that "old" technology is always "warm"? I am so grateful for this site shining some light on all the BS surrounding this hobby / industry.
This. I've just cancelled a £600 amp order as a result.

Will go Class D in the fullness of time.
 
OP
amirm

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John, 320 watts RMS per channel into 4 ohms.
So they claim this thing is capable of 1,280 watts of power??? I would reply and ask them if they could provide a measurement that demonstrated this.

Edit, adding some power loss, this will be at the limit of a 15amp outlet in US can provide.
 
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amirm

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BTW, I was so shocked at the low output power that I pulled out my Purifi amplifier and measured its output power and distortion. It essentially matched what I measured originally on that. So no instrumentation error.
 

musicforcities

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adding some power loss, this will be at the limit of a 15amp outlet in US can provide.
Audiophile answer: run devoted 20amp power to the amp. Or risk burning your house down and or blowing breakers all the time.

Human answer: get more efficient speakers and don’t play them at Who Concert circa 1974 levels.

Human answer 2: I’m calling BS on their power numbers. I have a sunfire load invariant 2x300wpc (or so it is claimed). I doubt I use 100wpc ever. The inrush current on turn on causes a sag in power not only for that circuit but for adjacent ones. The lights are on a separate breaker and they dim almost to off for 1/2 second. Even with soft start, pulling 15 amps so suddenly off 120v is may cause breakers to trip if your house electrical panel is not recent. Especially if you are already pulling amps elsewhere l, such as air con or an electric heater or oven. If the transformers and filter caps are large enough that is to provide that much power (not as peak). Good at meant for switching supply that…
 
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ac3dtsthx

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BTW, I was so shocked at the low output power that I pulled out my Purifi amplifier and measured its output power and distortion. It essentially matched what I measured originally on that. So no instrumentation error.
Hi Amir,
Since you checked the instrumentation as A OK, have you checked the amp module boards are set to 120 volts and not 230 volts? Just to be sure also amp power setting is correct?
 
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amirm

amirm

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Hi Amir,
Since you checked the instrumentation as A OK, have you checked the amp module boards are set to 120 volts and not 230 volts? Just to be sure also amp power setting is correct?
I can't take a chance with that. The owner is returning the amp and I do not want to give an excuse to them that I opened it and messed with it. It is all packed ready to be sent to them tomorrow.
 

tomchr

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There seems to be switches for bridging on the back of the box. Could it be that the higher power numbers specified are in bridged mode?

Tom
 
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