Best amplifiers at each price bracket?

[lashto]

I had done this analysis previous, if it's of any help here.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pex-vs-purifi-vs-benchmark.13290/#post-397656

that is a very nice & useful table. Any chance to keep it updated and share it (e.g. as googledoc)
Something like https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...4i_eE1JS-JQYSZy7kCQZMKtRnjTOn578fYZPJ/pubhtml

 

[nemanja_t]

This table was kindly provided by a member of Focal group on FB. It includes amplifiers who double power from 8 to 4 Ohms, and have streaming capabilities.

 

[Thorskin]

Is there a point in buying a NC252MP over a a800?

How does a Allo Volt+ D comapre? Should it be included in the low bracket?

 

[Matias]

View attachment 72114
This table was kindly provided by a member of Focal group on FB. It includes amplifiers who double power from 8 to 4 Ohms, and have streaming capabilities.

I bet most of those would not actually double their power at 1% THD+N when going from 8 to 4 ohms. What happens is that the manufacturers, knowing that customers value this, they just rate their 8 ohms power "conservatively" lower so that it doubles when going 8 to 4 ohms. Noone can blame them for lower specs, right? If you check independent and standardized measurements you will see the true values. For example at Soundstage they have many.
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=19

 

[nemanja_t]

I bet most of those would not actually double their power at 1% THD+N when going from 8 to 4 ohms. What happens is that the manufacturers, knowing that customers value this, they just rate their 8 ohms power "conservatively" lower so that it doubles when going 8 to 4 ohms. Noone can blame them for lower specs, right? If you check independent and standardized measurements you will see the true values. For example at Soundstage they have many.
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=19

Sondstage has mostly high-end equipment which is not so interesting to me, but I have tried to find few pieces :

There was no H390 but there was H360 :

• Output power at 1% THD+N: 231.1W @ 8 ohms, 468.3 @ 4 ohms
• Output power at 10% THD+N: 281.3W @ 8 ohms, 564.7W @ 4 ohms

Gryphon Diablo 120:

• Power output at 1% THD+N: 133.3W @ 8 ohms, 241.3W @ 4 ohms
• Power output at 10% THD+N: 179.2W @ 8 ohms, 318.0W @ 4 ohms

Not exactly 2x, but 90% of that.

Although I see that Yamaha 2200 was entered as 80W, but I think it is specked as 90W/160W, so in that case we could say
that table entry was not correct.

In global, I think it is more then solid base for further discussion.

 

[tvrgeek]

Just got my Parasound 2145. First listen, it is fine. May be a tad bright, but my sub is not hooked up, so a balance maybe. Bream's guitar stays clean. Joan Baez sounds natural. Not done Harry James yet. For the sale price, $600 on my door step, pretty tough to beat. The other amp I had my eye on is the Schiit Vidar. Is it the equal of the HCA1500 when new? Difficult to say. That series had parts no longer available. I would love to see the schematic on the new one to see what they did. Big transformer, but very small caps. Still can't bring myself to a class D. March was the possible choice for an N-core.

Great old used amps, but the all need a lot of work. As I found, some replacement parts are NLA or can only bought in lots of 10,000 with a 6 month lead. I am re-engineering the power supply in my MOSFET amp and my Nakamichi pre. Distortion on both is higher than I measured years ago, so if they can be made up to snuff I do not know for sure. Nak PA-5, Adcom, Aragon, HCA-2200. Yea some really nice amps in the day. There was a small rare Krell before they got insane that was really good.

I see those who contest you can't beat the specs of the new class D. I agree in objective specs, but I am still not sure we know what to measure. A good example was the null test Hafler proposed. It petty much said his amps had no audible distortion, yet they were different in sound than others. Not only that, I was able to improve on them some while doing similar things to a Rotel and then they sounded closer. I wish I could spend some time with the better affordable class D, maybe I'll change my mind, but I want the safe route. None to be borrowed/heard around here.

 

[tvrgeek]

Just a thought when looking at specs. I see by some convention class D are rated at 100%, so numbers are terrible. But at 99%, the are excellent. So we can't just play numbers games. Give me specs at 20W maybe.