Someone who spent $20K on power amps and thought a whole load of knowledge of audio came included in the price.
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Master Thread: Are measurements Everything or Nothing?
- Thread starter aeroborne
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Master Thread: Are measurements Everything or Nothing?
It's a nice story. Believed and practiced by many, but I don't believe it was or is an effective approach. Plenty of anecdotal testimony. Not much else supporting the idea. I remember about the NS10 how it was commented... "if you can make it sound good on the NS10s, it will sound good...
audiosciencereview.com
Haven't gone anywhere, just got tired of the catechisms.Master Thread: Are measurements Everything or Nothing?
It's a nice story. Believed and practiced by many, but I don't believe it was or is an effective approach. Plenty of anecdotal testimony. Not much else supporting the idea. I remember about the NS10 how it was commented... "if you can make it sound good on the NS10s, it will sound good...
Well, it’s a numbers game… The problem is people only look at the numbers they understand, in this case it was price and weight.
antcollinet
Grand Contributor
That's odd - are you posting under two accounts?
There was a time when weight was a potentially significant number, if only by what it implied about the power supply(and/ or output transformers. Today, weight is mostly a shipping cost concern.
Anecdote alert: Back in my youth (during the pleistocene epoch), I noticed that clipping behavior was for me far more important than THD or S/N or IM, provided none of those measure were not extremely poor. In general, amps which compressed before they clipped were less fatiguing than those which didn't. These days, it is not necessary to strain back or wallet to acquire enough amplifier to meet reasonable volume needs without clipping. This limits the interesting numbers to five: speaker efficiency (1) and impedance (2), amplifier wattage (3), distance from speaker to me (4), and maximum volume (5). All the rest of the numbers are interesting, but not particularly useful to me as end-user.
Maybe, just maybe, the anointed might refrain from knee-jerk insults and politely suggest that the unenlightened first determine whether the above criteria are satisfied by their present (or longed for) systems, before publicly lusting after or extolling the virtues 100Kg door stops.*
* I just dumped c. 140 lb of A/B for 20 lb of D with zero regrets.
Nope. I can barely post under one and I'm beginning to think even that might be too many.
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antcollinet
Grand Contributor
Sorry if I misunderstood - but the post you replied to was linking to a post by someone else : @kawzx7
But the quoted passage was from one of my posts. Maybe I misunderstood. Quien sabe?
antcollinet
Grand Contributor
Not as far as I can see. The post you quoted was @ahofer replying to (and quoting) boomtheroom, who was quoting me. As far as I can see you weren't referenced at all.
Either way - all's good. You might have misunderstood being quoted. I misunderstood your post. These things are easy to mix up.
Disagreed.
Firstly, Measurments gave you only basic idea if device is good or not overall technically. For example SMS HO200 amp measured better that yamaha pc2002, but sounded worse in all aspects in the same setup. So, its false measurments/lie, mayby device fault, but cant say it was that exact case.
Secondly K9(pro) is great device as EM5 in terms of sound quality by overall people reviews same level of quality. Before EM5 I had topping d70s, so they are the same except topping a tiny bit more accurate/detailed at high spectrum, but tonally not that pleasant as EM5. EM was having a bit more bass (a tiny bit more/"boomy effect"), it was better for my setup.
Usually K9 pro used selling for 600$ or so. For 330$ K9 is very good deal and if you wont like it, you could sell it easily.
About measurments again, for example K371 is very close to harman curve, better than most Dan Clarks, does it mean it will sound better? No. If you will ask "what better" ask 10+ people/read reviews and make overall rate. That would be more "statistically accurate" decision.
If something play loud or even have good SINAD it doesnt mean it will please you at all. Allways look at quality through listening and overall people experiences and comparsions. The more the better.
Thirdly, I have not very costly setup. I would say medicore+, but any EQ through Roon, APO, passive preamps or just any volume knob will degrade sound quality.
Iam really surprised that people with years of music experince and so on even advise EQ. (btw havent tested DSP plugins, but if physical volume degrades sound, why should try.)
Each amp has its own characteristics/"sound character". So, you need to combine DAC/Amp/Headphone strong and weak points to compensate each other.
For example Some vintage SONY ES770/333 or their top version 555 will make sound very dense, soft and iridescent, but with distinct details at high. You wont find it in graphs I guess. Also you wont find anything similar like this series almost certain. Its unique character.
Arya Stealth, Edition XS, HD650 (if you dont mind sound will have some veil), but they are cheapest at used market. r70x if you dont like HD600/650 "veil" and want sound go straight in your head, without any "space" between you and music.
Good amps of top line where allways very costly. Thats why vintage is good cohoice if in good visual/internal condition. They will play as modern ones in terms of quality. Difference is too low, except price will be 2-10x more.
All modern amps Ive heard where poor. So would not recommend any, except cheap price range tier.
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No its not. Any change in signal will lead to "losses". Its just mathematical accurate, if signal goes longer path or will be affected by any modules.
Its not placebo. Any engeneer knew it. Current is not stable anywhere in electric devices. For example, any volume knob will show you that signal isnt perfect in any device, It was presented here in all reviews. Why "bypass" function where ever created then. So software is additional element that affect signal.
And, please dont tell me what I should present, until forum rules are not violated. You can type this to your friends in that manner.
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MAB
Major Contributor
I'm also unclear on who you are posing as. And what your posts mean.
oleg87
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Oh good, now we're using Head-fi as a reference
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This logic is:
1) any change to signal is a "loss". [initial premise]
2) analog circuitry, such as volume knobs and cable lengths, change an analog signal
3) routing digital signals through software adds latency (delay) to the digital signal
4) therefore software processing changes the digital signal
Thus: by that definition, any application of software results in audio quality loss because the signal is delayed and/or modified.
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MAB
Major Contributor
Now you are presenting your guesses and uninformed ramblings as fact. That’s even worse.
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