[Gallium Nitride amplifier] Impressions of the Mini Gan 5 by Premium Audio, pictures / video inside

[DonR]

but doesn't "distortion" is a combination, and interplay, of both amp and speakers? (and I supposed the volume at which you're listening too)?
Or are we talking about a totally different kind of distortion not related to speakers?

Some of the more difficult-to-drive speakers, those with a very low or complex impedance in the bass region, may require amps with better-controlled output in that region. The current demands can be extreme in some cases. Most modern mainstream speakers should be fine with almost any amplifier. The speaker usually has orders of magnitude more distortion than the amp but human ears are not particularly sensitive to bass distortion.

 

[MarkS]

Past a certain SINAD, more or less true. There are some that feature high distortion.

Show me a level-matched ABX test where one of these "high distortion" amps was shown to be audibly different.

 

[fpitas]

Show me a level-matched ABX test where one of these "high distortion" amps was shown to be audibly different.

I don't have one. Honestly, I don't really care.

 

[MarkS]

*sigh* Why make a claim that you can't back up if you don't really care?

 

[goryu]

*sigh* Why make a claim that you can't back up if you don't really care?

"All solid-state amps sound the same." seems like a claim that can't be backed up. Doubtful you have heard them all, and even if you had, while they may all sound the same to you, you have to way to verify that they sound the same to everyone, in every situation, nor could you.

 

[sonicnoob]

hey folks food

Some of the more difficult-to-drive speakers, those with a very low or complex impedance in the bass region, may require amps with better-controlled output in that region. The current demands can be extreme in some cases. Most modern mainstream speakers should be fine with almost any amplifier. The speaker usually has orders of magnitude more distortion than the amp but human ears are not particularly sensitive to bass distortion.

ah never thought about distortion in those terms! learning something new today

 

[sonicnoob]

I'd suggest looking at Hypex NCxxxMP based amplifiers. Or if you are willing to spend a bit more for the best of the best, the amps based on Purify modules, or the newer Hypex ones.

Alternatively if you don't mind buying importing from China and putting up with the support risk**, then topping PA9 is worth a look. There are rumours also of an upcoming PA7

** this is not for me though.


After that - just start by looking at any of the amps in the green/blue sections of the Sinad chart, short list from there, and then look at the more detailed measurements of the ones on your shortlist.

so I was curious and checked on Aliexpress for ampliers, oh man I saw a tube amp listing for $7800, and many other tube amps in the $2000-$3000 range. Chinese electronics ain't cheap anymore.

 

[antcollinet]

so I was curious and checked on Aliexpress for ampliers, oh man I saw a tube amp listing for $7800, and many other tube amps in the $2000-$3000 range. Chinese electronics ain't cheap anymore.

Tube amps have never been cheap, from anywhere.

 

[MCH]

@sonicnoob if you share your budget, the region you are and the features you need (inputs, balanced-unbalanced, volume control yes or not, remote..) and the power you need (or size of your room, speakers you have, if you listen loud or not much...) I am sure the guys here can give you a few good choices within budget.

 

[sonicnoob]

@sonicnoob if you share your budget, the region you are and the features you need (inputs, balanced-unbalanced, volume control yes or not, remote..) and the power you need (or size of your room, speakers you have, if you listen loud or not much...) I am sure the guys here can give you a few good choices within budget.

To be honest I don't have a hard budget because I don't know what price point is a sweet price point for audio equipment. I'm still learning all this.
I prefer to buy decent used equipment from the local used market (i'm in Socal so people the used market for audio is great).

Some info:
-My room is about 12' x 12'
-Martin Logan 35xti bookshel speakers (6.5" woofer), powered by an old Onkyo AVR, with a Martin Logan 700w 10" subwoofer
-Klipsch reference satellite speakers (3.5" woofer), powered by an old Klipsh iFi sound system with its own 8" subwoofer

You may wonder what the heck is going on with using both the Martin and Klipsch speakers. The way I set everything up is I group 1 Martin 35xti with 1 Klipsch satellite together (physically next to each other), and these 2 speakers effectively consitute a "4-way" speaker. Then of course on the other side of my room is the other "Martin-Klipsch" combo. Yes, I understand I'm mixing different equipment that most purists will cringe. But to my ears this setup gives a very full, deep, and immersive music listening experience that only huge expensive floor speakers could give.

 

[Rottmannash]

You can't go wrong with Buckeye NC252MP amp.

 

[sonicnoob]

hey folks,
a couple questions,
1) a local seller is selling a used Nord One NC500DM Dual Mono for $600 asking. Is this a decent price? I looked up this amp here on ASR and it's a decent amp, right
2) I also notice this amp has no sub-out. Ok, noob question, how would I connect an amp with no sub-out to my sub that has no high speaker input jacks? My sub does have the 2 RCA line-in connectors and the LFE connector (which is just one of the RCA connectors).

Also, I see that there is also a highly regarded Chinese amp Topping PA5" for $350 USD. Is this something to consider too? I like the small footprint of this amp.

 

[DonR]

hey folks,
a couple questions,
1) a local seller is selling a used Nord One NC500DM Dual Mono for $600 asking. Is this a decent price? I looked up this amp here on ASR and it's a decent amp, right
2) I also notice this amp has no sub-out. Ok, noob question, how would I connect an amp with no sub-out to my sub that has no high speaker input jacks? My sub does have the 2 RCA line-in connectors and the LFE connector (which is just one of the RCA connectors).

Also, I see that there is also a highly regarded Chinese amp Topping PA5" for $350 USD. Is this something to consider too? I like the small footprint of this amp.

You just need a speaker to line-level converter. They start at around $10 on Amazon.

 

[sonicnoob]

You just need a speaker to line-level converter. They start at around $10 on Amazon.

so ok explain how does it work to me. So for example let's take the R speaker, then are you saying from the R speaker (+/-) jacks behind the amp, then you run it to the R speaker AND at the same time run a special cable that combine the +/- ends into 1 RCA end, and then plug this RCA end into the R line-in of the amp? In other words, you're Y-splitting the R speaker at its +/- terminals? Then do the same for the L speaker?

 

[DonR]

so ok explain how does it work to me. So for example let's take the R speaker, then are you saying from the R speaker (+/-) jacks behind the amp, then you run it to the R speaker AND at the same time run a special cable that combine the +/- ends into 1 RCA end, and then plug this RCA end into the R line-in of the amp? In other words, you're Y-splitting the R speaker at its +/- terminals? Then do the same for the L speaker?

Yes, run it with a separate wire pair to the converter. The output of the converter can be hooked up to the two line-level jacks on your sub. I gather your sub also has a crossover switch or dial so that should also be set. Most converters have adjustments for setting how much signal to pass through so these need to be set as well. Start low and slowly turn up until the sub sounds the same as the speakers at the crossover frequency.

 

[sonicnoob]

Yes, run it with a separate wire pair to the converter. The output of the converter can be hooked up to the two line-level jacks on your sub. I gather your sub also has a crossover switch or dial so that should also be set. Most converters have adjustments for setting how much signal to pass through so these need to be set as well. Start low and slowly turn up until the sub sounds the same as the speakers at the crossover frequency.

Yes my sub has a crossover dial.
Can I get this cable/adapter below and run it from amp to sub RCA R/L line-ins?
Ancable RCA to Speaker Wire, [18AWG 6.5-Feet] 2-Channel Heavy RCA Male Adapter to Bare Wire Open End Audio Cable, 2-Pack

 

[DonR]

Yes my sub has a crossover dial.
Can I get this cable/adapter below and run it from amp to sub RCA R/L line-ins?
Ancable RCA to Speaker Wire, [18AWG 6.5-Feet] 2-Channel Heavy RCA Male Adapter to Bare Wire Open End Audio Cable, 2-Pack

No.

You will destroy your sub that way.

You need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/PAC-LP3-2-2-Channel-Output-Converter/dp/B00DHUA4YW

 

[antcollinet]

hey folks,
a couple questions,
1) a local seller is selling a used Nord One NC500DM Dual Mono for $600 asking. Is this a decent price? I looked up this amp here on ASR and it's a decent amp, right
2) I also notice this amp has no sub-out. Ok, noob question, how would I connect an amp with no sub-out to my sub that has no high speaker input jacks? My sub does have the 2 RCA line-in connectors and the LFE connector (which is just one of the RCA connectors).

Also, I see that there is also a highly regarded Chinese amp Topping PA5" for $350 USD. Is this something to consider too? I like the small footprint of this amp.

I'd not reccomend the PA5 - it has had problems as identifed in the thread here:

Poll for Topping PA5 owners only please.

Poll for PA5 owners to report product defects. Discussion for any solutions. I think it would be useful to get a handle on some numbers to estimate just how wide spread the issues are. Addendum: Here is Topping's response to the PA5 issues...

www.audiosciencereview.com

We don't know how big of an issue that has really been - IE we don't know the actual field failure rate, but Topping seem now to have discontinued that amp - which may be a pointer, and may have been their solution.

 

[antcollinet]

Your room is not large, and your speakers are pretty senstive, so you don't need massive amounts of power. Regardless of how "poor" avrs typically measure, their faults will (in most circumstances) probably not be audible.

So you need to have a hard think about whether changing your amp is actually going to deliver any significant audible improvement (if that is what you are looking for with a new amp)

I went through this exact same process two years ago (just as I was starting to read here). I had gone as far as auditioning an amp at home convincing myself I'd heard an improvement (I wanted the shiney), and placing an order.

As a result of what I read here, I listened again with a more impartial frame of mind - and cancelled the order. I'm still using the AVR, and it sounds great - especially with the MiniDSP Flex/Dirac I purchased instead of the amp - which has made a far bigger improvement to the sound than any amp ever could.

 

[sonicnoob]

No.

You will destroy your sub that way.

You need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/PAC-LP3-2-2-Channel-Output-Converter/dp/B00DHUA4YW

man thanks, would have been a disaster if i blew out my sub!
sheesh too many connection standards in the video/audio world