PS Audio M700 Monoblock Amplifier Review

[cistercian]

For the record, the tested amp is certainly usable. While I disagree with the added distortion I am willing
to pass that off as a matter of taste, however dubious.
But the pricing of said amp for what it delivers is criminal, simply put.

While the performance was equitably represented electrically...in terms of value it merits a panther reaching into
a piggy bank. There...I said it.

 

[amirm]

I'm not telling you anything about what you're allowed to do.

You did. You said no one plays at certain level at shows and I showed you they did. You then said that is not "domestic playback level." You therefore are saying people must play at a lower level.

I just challenged you to do a measurement topic on actual power requirements in domestic situations. You're just putting up barriers. You're the measurement guy... go for it.

First, I am not a "measurement guy." And certainly not your gopher. You think my time is free? I don't know why people like you assume it is. You come up with a pet theory but then turn to me to do the work to prove it! I didn't raise this topic. You did. Show us a proper research of reference level listening rooms and theaters and demonstrate people are using up less power.

Until then, I have shown you research into this very topic from ex president of Audio Engineering Society and Dolby fellow. Everything was analyzed from live music to reproduction requirements. The conclusions completely invalidate your theory. There is no need for me to replicate that.

 

[Racheski]

You're not paying attention.

No YOU are not paying attention.

I asked you these questions literally on the first page of the thread and you dismissed them. Now other members, including @amirm , are asking similar questions and you either ignore them, or provide half-baked anecdotal answers. If you think that you are smarter than everyone else, and understand science better than everyone else, then why are you here other than to troll?

 

[CDMC]

Here is an 86db/w speaker eating up 600 watts with dynamic music at not insane volumes. Room size can mean the difference between needing 100 watts and 400 watts to avoid clipping for the same speakers playing the same music at the same volume at the listening position.

 

[Xyrium]

Outlaw monoblocks....done.

I think Mr. PS Audio has been pretty fortunate given the favorable reviews that have been bestowed upon him in past years. His resume certainly isn't up to snuff for a person who is supposedly engineering amplifiers:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mcgowan-73101611/

 

[cistercian]

Here is an 86db/w speaker eating up 600 watts with dynamic music at not insane volumes. Room size can mean the difference between needing 100 watts and 400 watts to avoid clipping for the same speakers playing the same music at the same volume at the listening position.

WOW. This is why I love my HF horn and MF horn. Much less expensive to drive!

 

[USER]

And the smart ass of the week award goes to...

 

[restorer-john]

Can we just move this entire discussion to a new thread? This backwards and forwards sniping is wrecking @amirm 's excellent review.

 

[cistercian]

Outlaw monoblocks....done.

I think Mr. PS Audio has been pretty fortunate given the favorable reviews that have been bestowed upon him in past years. His resume certainly isn't up to snuff for a person who is supposedly engineering amplifiers:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mcgowan-73101611/

Your assessment seems fair to me.

 

[cistercian]

Can we just move this entire discussion to a new thread? This backwards and forwards sniping is wrecking @amirm 's excellent review.

It certainly seems to be derailing it. I am sure that was not intended.

 

[Racheski]

Manufacturer and engineer of what? What measurements? You have shared nothing of all that you say you have.

I have been to CEDIA theaters where gun shots would make my pant legs flap! In our own reference theater at Madrona before we moved, we measured 116 dB SPL peak playback level.

CES as a show is not a suitable place whatsoever for this kind of measurements. Unless you mean the suites in Venetian. In which case Harman had a demo of their Revel subwoofer. My pants were flapping again. It had such dynamics that a reporter that was sitting next to me ran out of the room!!!

If you think you can generate such bass with a few watts, or even a few hundred watts, you are sadly mistaken:

lol 2006

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

It certainly seems to be derailing it. I am sure that was not intended.

oh I'm quite sure it was

 

[GaryMnz]

He measures the amp and provides the data. YOU get to choose what data is important for you and your listening environment. Whether you have to listen at what level is not his business.

He is making claims based on his measurements, that certain dynamic range capabilities are an essential part of an amplifier spec. I'm calling him on both the dynamic range requirement and the associated power needs. You haven't read what I wrote.

 

[GaryMnz]

You did. You said no one plays at certain level at shows and I showed you they did. You then said that is not "domestic playback level." You therefore are saying people must play at a lower level.


First, I am not a "measurement guy." And certainly not your gopher. You think my time is free? I don't know why people like you assume it is. You come up with a pet theory but then turn to me to do the work to prove it! I didn't raise this topic. You did. Show us a proper research of reference level listening rooms and theaters and demonstrate people are using up less power.

Until then, I have shown you research into this very topic from ex president of Audio Engineering Society and Dolby fellow. Everything was analyzed from live music to reproduction requirements. The conclusions completely invalidate your theory. There is no need for me to replicate that.

Actually this here that you wrote:

"You did. You said no one plays at certain level at shows and I showed you they did. You then said that is not "domestic playback level." You therefore are saying people must play at a lower level."

That is a downright lie. Show me where I said that? Those exact words or even a variation on them.

I raised a valid question about what you wrote and the overall response of yourself and your sycophants has been to put your fingers in your ears and go lah lah lah lah.

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

sycophants

Here we go… watch it wind up from here

Objective: get himself a suspension or better yet, a ban, and then complain about it on other forums with indignant self righteousness

 

[restorer-john]

Remember we didn't get 96 db then, only 84 db, as 16bit converters weren't yet available.

Actually, we did get >96dB. The first CD player released (Sony CDP-101) used a 16 bit D/A converter. The Philips based machines used the TDA-1540D (14bit) oversampled at 4x to give comparable numbers to the 16bit converters.

Here's a nice little table showing (actual test results) of several of the very first machines. Note, the Akai CD-D1 used the Philips chipset with twin TDA-1540D (14bit) @4x OS and achieved a dynamic range of 95.9dB...

 

[Racheski]

Actually this here that you wrote:

"You did. You said no one plays at certain level at shows and I showed you they did. You then said that is not "domestic playback level." You therefore are saying people must play at a lower level."

That is a downright lie. Show me where I said that? Those exact words or even a variation on them.

I raised a valid question about what you wrote and the overall response of yourself and your sycophants has been to put your fingers in your ears and go lah lah lah lah.

Again, this is why we asked you to provide a precise definition of "real world dynamic range" and you were too lazy to do it.

 

[cistercian]

Well, this segue has been tiresome. Lets return to considering the amplifier that was tested.
Why would a manufacturer intentionally color the sound? I ask this because of the odd module
integrated into the amplifier. If one wanted to sell a house sound surely an outboard effects box
could be sold at a price commensurate with what the fans would pay.
I suppose the downside would be the users ability to A/B compare and discover they prefer uncolored sound.
But, then again, I see many aficionados buying tube amps for the warmth. I humbly suggest using an EQ in the
signal path and then exploring what you want. And if you crave distortion then you can reach out to obtain what
you seek...no doubt a variety of vendors will step up to fleece you, errr, I mean assist you.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Quote from Amir:
Ideally I like to see dynamic range of 96 dB so that we can hear the full range of CD's 16 bit signal without amplifier adding too much noise of its own. Fortunately the noise doesn't scale with power so if you turn up the volume, that issue remedies itself.

Quote from GaryMnz:
Certain dynamic range capabilities are an essential part of an amplifier spec.

Everybody, see the difference.

 

[cistercian]

Actually, we did get >96dB. The first CD player released (Sony CDP-101) used a 16 bit D/A converter. The Philips based machines used the TDA-1540D (14bit) oversampled at 4x to give comparable numbers to the 16bit converters.

Here's a nice little table showing (actual test results) of several of the very first machines. Note, the Akai CD-D1 used the Philips chipset with twin TDA-1540D (14bit) @4x OS and achieved a dynamic range of 95.9dB...
View attachment 77248

You know John, I bought a Sony CD player and figured I was set. I was wrong...very wrong. I bought a cheap one and after recently upgrading
to a Tascam CD200BT (horrible analog out) driving a RME ADI-2 FS I discovered how much of a fail my old Sony was.

Many probably suffered the same fate as I. I know players were made with good DAC's and good analog paths.

Mine was not. 100 dollars in 1990. CDP-291. Poor...I used it for 30 years John. 30 YEARS.
And now my hearing has declined. I am not happy John, not a bit. I never knew what I was missing...