No, no, Neurochrome provided the Universal Buffer. The power modules are Purifi 1ET400A (I bypassed the EVAL buffers).
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Purifi vs. Pascal - What is going on?
- Thread starter Lord Victor
- Start date
No, no, Neurochrome provided the Universal Buffer. The power modules are Purifi 1ET400A (I bypassed the EVAL buffers).
No idea what the other pascal modules sound like, but the one I had was very ‘sterile’ or non musical, but sounded extremely detailed technical… which was very impressive, but not necessarily fun/musical always. Maybe with som sort of warmer or tube front end…
That’s mine and a bunch of other people subjective/anecdotal experiences anyway
Though I’d say nCore isn’t exactly “musical” either… just less sterile. And the Purifi slightly less so. But neither “warm” per se. but that’s all relative of course.
The only class D I’ve heard I’d call ‘warm’ is Klank. But don’t know of any commercially available version of that amp sadly.
Aren't Klank amplifiers UcD? (I guess under license.)
If you mean
Why Do Tube Amplifiers Have Fat Sound while Solid State Amplifiers Don't"
Shengchao Li
Article Number: 8536
Permalink: http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=16062
That tube amps and SS amps can sound different isn't controversial. The author here is proposing an explanation for why (some) people prefer tube sound.
It's a Convention paper from 2011. That means only the abstract/precis, not the full paper , received peer review. It's by a single author, not associated with any research group I've ever heard of. English is clearly not his best language. It's a theoretical paper, primarily about results of tube amp simulations using simplified virtual amps that the author designed. You can read his hypothesis in the abstract on the AES site. In the Discussion he summarizes it again :
His background section relies on several papers about SS vs tube *guitar* amps.
Basically he's claiming tube amps can dampen bass distortion without affecting higher frequencies. And that's maybe why people like them.
He leaves it to the future to perform listening tests on actual gear to see if he's right.
You may be able able to access AES papers online at your local university library, especially if the school offers an engineering degree.
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BrokenEnglishGuy
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To me tubes are fun while you learn how to use a parametric EQ properly
Make a speaker sound fat with some filters its easy pizi
Make a speaker sound fat with some filters its easy pizi
Pascal UMAC Amplifier Modules are available within Blaze Amplifiers (subsidiary of Pascal). I needed an amp for a special boat install in Massachusetts and they were one of the few amplifiers that met the requirements and weren't having supply chain issues this spring, and so I ordered the Blaze Power Connect 3004 (3,000 watt 4 channel). https://blaze-audio.com/en_us/products/amps/powerzone-connect-1002-3004/ It was also important to have a standalone product with a web app with highly configurable DSP as it seems optimal to cut out the need for more rack gear space and associated expenses. Note: This post is more commentary on the web app interface and use scenario, although we like the sound we're getting.
While I am not qualified to answer the OP's question, I had the opportunity to install and listen to the Pascal Amp modules as they are in the Blaze amplifier referenced above. I was able to try it in a couple of settings (home and open air) from listening to prerecorded music to reinforcing live music performances. The amp sounded clean and enjoyable to listen to in a couple of different settings and works as intended, and find the web app extremely useful for changing settings and rerouting amp inputs/outputs and zone control, especially as there is sometimes a need for a FOH engineer for live music, and it's a very flexible setup all from the webapp where the system can be reconfigured, adn the settings can be backed up as different files on whatever device you use for your webapp.
Speakers: The Blaze Amp was connected to outdoor rated speakers: JBL 29 AV mains(which were also tested on ASR and are set for low impedance - 8 ohm) and a Bose mb210-wr subwoofer (2x10). The install scenario required outdoor rated speakers, otherwise the speakers likely would have been powered speakers and there would have been no need for a separate amplifier.
The main reasons for selecting the Blaze amp:
- I could download the specific speaker profiles online from Blaze for peak limiters (and bandpass) and push them to the Blaze amp via the web app and it's nice to know the speakers are protected regardless of the input signals.
- Using the webapp, I manually applied the recommended crossover filters from the speaker manufacturers for the mains/sub combo.
- There is a 3rd JBL 29 AV zone (mono) that can either be tied to the main zone volume or controlled through the app on another zone for independent volume control and is not crossed over, but run as a full range speaker. The speaker preset protects the speaker from allowing low frequencies as well.
The web app allows (https://ui.blaze-audio.com/#/dashboard)
- Routing of various inputs(GPIO, analogue, network) to 4 possible zones that have gain control and EQ, etc.
- Input signals can be mixed with one another and have priority ducking options
- The speakers can be routed to any of those zones.
- speaker polarity can be reversed through the App
- The FOH engineer during live music events wants all the speakers on separate zones so he can route to them from his digital mixboard and independently control the sub and mains, and other zones. Otherwise under normal circumstances for general music playback, the subwoofer and mains are routed back together in one zone with mains configured in stereo. I can backup a complete profile setup on the blaze amp and then reconfigure the amp and have another backup profile-file for another use scenario, and can reinstall these profiles from those saved files when using the webapp. This can come in handy for another installation as well where I can use the settings from a similar install scenario.
- Parametric eq's (on inputs and outputs) most useful when sitting in the listening space with mobile webapp to notch out frequencies from where one sits when sweeping with the built in tone generator. The listening space had the greatest influence on the final sound. There is no auto EQ feature yet, but imagine they could push an update if they wanted, and I would suggest that as a feature with a reference mic to save time on setup, although outside spaces were easier to deal with.
In conclusion, while not an engineer, I greatly appreciated the sound quality and degree of control the amp has from the comfort of the listening space and having a ton of functionality and power in a 2u form factor.
While I am not qualified to answer the OP's question, I had the opportunity to install and listen to the Pascal Amp modules as they are in the Blaze amplifier referenced above. I was able to try it in a couple of settings (home and open air) from listening to prerecorded music to reinforcing live music performances. The amp sounded clean and enjoyable to listen to in a couple of different settings and works as intended, and find the web app extremely useful for changing settings and rerouting amp inputs/outputs and zone control, especially as there is sometimes a need for a FOH engineer for live music, and it's a very flexible setup all from the webapp where the system can be reconfigured, adn the settings can be backed up as different files on whatever device you use for your webapp.
Speakers: The Blaze Amp was connected to outdoor rated speakers: JBL 29 AV mains(which were also tested on ASR and are set for low impedance - 8 ohm) and a Bose mb210-wr subwoofer (2x10). The install scenario required outdoor rated speakers, otherwise the speakers likely would have been powered speakers and there would have been no need for a separate amplifier.
The main reasons for selecting the Blaze amp:
- Class D (low power consumption for an off grid scenario running from an inverter)
- Pascal Modules (although not a requirement, they came up in multiple searches as well-regarded class D OEM modules that drive well respected powered speakers).
- Availability (supply) - Pascal owns Blaze so the Pascal UMAC modules are vertically integrated into their products as they satisfy their own class D UMAC supply needs and had inventory verses 10 months wait
- Four (4) channel output (although they have two channels as well)
- Power Output of the Power Connect 3004 - 3,000 watts (4x750 and bridgeable to 2x1500 or 2x750/1x1500) This is currently their highest output model as of writing this post.
- Highly configurable DSP - via a wifi connect IP web app (probably my favorite part of the amp besides the quality) Here's the demo of the web app which I had trouble finding when I googled so I'm dropping the link here: https://ui.blaze-audio.com/#/dashboard
- Flexible output - can drive 2-16 ohm and 70v/100v
- I could download the specific speaker profiles online from Blaze for peak limiters (and bandpass) and push them to the Blaze amp via the web app and it's nice to know the speakers are protected regardless of the input signals.
- Using the webapp, I manually applied the recommended crossover filters from the speaker manufacturers for the mains/sub combo.
- There is a 3rd JBL 29 AV zone (mono) that can either be tied to the main zone volume or controlled through the app on another zone for independent volume control and is not crossed over, but run as a full range speaker. The speaker preset protects the speaker from allowing low frequencies as well.
The web app allows (https://ui.blaze-audio.com/#/dashboard)
- Routing of various inputs(GPIO, analogue, network) to 4 possible zones that have gain control and EQ, etc.
- Input signals can be mixed with one another and have priority ducking options
- The speakers can be routed to any of those zones.
- speaker polarity can be reversed through the App
- The FOH engineer during live music events wants all the speakers on separate zones so he can route to them from his digital mixboard and independently control the sub and mains, and other zones. Otherwise under normal circumstances for general music playback, the subwoofer and mains are routed back together in one zone with mains configured in stereo. I can backup a complete profile setup on the blaze amp and then reconfigure the amp and have another backup profile-file for another use scenario, and can reinstall these profiles from those saved files when using the webapp. This can come in handy for another installation as well where I can use the settings from a similar install scenario.
- Parametric eq's (on inputs and outputs) most useful when sitting in the listening space with mobile webapp to notch out frequencies from where one sits when sweeping with the built in tone generator. The listening space had the greatest influence on the final sound. There is no auto EQ feature yet, but imagine they could push an update if they wanted, and I would suggest that as a feature with a reference mic to save time on setup, although outside spaces were easier to deal with.
In conclusion, while not an engineer, I greatly appreciated the sound quality and degree of control the amp has from the comfort of the listening space and having a ton of functionality and power in a 2u form factor.
I strongly agree with this idea. Tests have to be very well controlled and replicated to falsify it.
This means nothing.
OP
Lord Victor
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I mean, it’s categorically wrong to say it means ‘nothing’ - just that what I means might just be that people somehow all magically agree on the same delusion. Or that there is an actual sonic difference but it’s minute. Or it’s notable but a lot of people are deaf. Or people are just biased, one way or another.
But yes, in terms of objective audible difference in a perfect scenario, it might be nothing. But without conclusive tests it might also be something.
Far too few properly conducted blind tests out there to really say, in my personal opinion.
In this actual scenario/test (it’s a while ago now) my be guess is that the volume matching was somehow off, due to the modules having quite different levels of gain. I.e. user error.
At least I’ll chalk it up to that for now until I get the chance to test it again.
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