Well, I certainly don't feel that anyone was insulting you per se - I definitely
attempted to explain rather than insult... sorry if I failed in that. However, you also have to understand that your position is entirely contrary to Audio
ScienceReview, as you stated a subjective position as invalidating an objective one. Don't let it get you down... we've got several here that will back you up!
They get a ration of shit too, but they're tough and persistent.
Thanks Digicidal for expanding on the premise presented that I don’t know what I am doing. I can’t say the same of you because I don’t even know who you are and vice versa. After 30 years of owning and listening to a range of gear I know what good sound is just as I know what bad sound is. I like good music from any genre. Some of my best friends are DJs that play House and Techno. Some of my good friends are professional rock and R&B musicians. I sang as a choirboy with one of the best Cathedral choirs in Europe as a boy. My father was an accomplished pianist. My sister is a world class violin soloist that tours the world playing with the finest orchestras. My pitch is good (although my hearing is diminished slightly in one ear). I admit I am not knowledgable enough by a long chaulk, and love to learn, but through much experience and natural musicality in my blood, I know good sound when I hear it.
incidentally, I directly compared this against several other amps. I stand by what I said. It may measure like kaka, but it sounds bloody good especially for $499. You don’t have to believe me. But I know a good amp when I hear it.
It's not that "you don't know what you're doing" - actually I think some here probably bristled at the thought that
you knew exactly what you were doing... just not in the way you meant it.
I have a similar level of experience, though my pitch is horrible (and range worse) - but I have played piano for years (hate that too though) and have owned a crap-load of gear, and known many musicians - however, very little truly high-end gear and all of that used market goods.
The problem you will have here, and indeed in any scientific forum, is that - technically speaking - none of us "know good sound when we hear it" - at least not to the same level that an ADC of even dismal resolution does. That's why measurements are important.
What you're describing is that you know what
you like music to sound like. Of course you do! We
all do... and within a fairly reasonable margin - we're all right! However, the question remains... do you like this amp more than every amp? Do you know whether the amps you compared it to were more or less transparent? How can
we determine which amp is good, if it requires
your ears to test it in order to be truly valid?
The fun thing (for many of us at least) is when you start testing your actual knowledge in an objective sense... and if you're anything like the majority here - you'll find out that your brain is the most deceptive thing in your system... and is
not to be trusted ever!
Sorry if it comes off harsh, but stick with it... there's a ton of great research here, a ton of great people, and far more than a little expertise. (None of it related to me at all, of course). LOL! However, if you're not ready to have some walls torn down, then you probably want to move your castle to a different forum altogether.
For what it's worth, I've got a couple amps that I guarantee measure far worse than this one - as well as only putting out 5W - which I really, really enjoy still. I just now no longer confuse that with being
accurate (or
good in the pure sense) amplification at all.