What am I hearing?

[Riverhill]

I need some help to put myself out of my misery
I am trying to decide on an amplifier and don't know if what I am hearing is real or imagined

Current setup: Wiim ultra>Rotel RA-01>Pardigm mini-monitor v 7
Room: 10x12 office, wall of cabinets and shelves on one 10ft wall, couch on opposite wall
Goal: I wanted to have a deeper sound in the lower frequencies, better bass - not boomy, this is music only.

1. I tried to integrate a sub and could not do it. If it was loud enough to hear, I could easily locate it in the room
2. Changed to Monitor Audio Silver 100 - I am very happy with the sound, much better than trying to integrate a sub.

My dilemma: I also want a smaller footprint for the amplifier. I love the Rotel but it is too big. I tried a Wiim Amp Ultra, and i like it, but it felt like the bass was softer. When a tympani was struck, instead of being crisp it sounded like the note eased into it - a rounded sound vs a sharp sound. The rotel just seems to make the attack of these drum sounds and double bass notes sound quicker on the attack (struggling for words). I went back and forth between the rotel and the amp ultra, even making the amp ultra clearly louder and the sound persisted.

So my question is: am I imagining this and playing tricks on my mind, or there something i'm hearing that can be measured? I can change to a NAD C316 BEE and get the footprint smaller, stick with the Amp Ultra and trust i'm imagining things (because otherwise it is perfect) or crazy expensive option is go with a Atoll MA100 which is A/B and even a smaller footprint and fits the size of the Ultra better (but is 850$, almost triple the NAD)

Thanks for any help someone can provide
David

 

[DVDdoug]

If you aren't using tone controls or EQ most electronics will have flat frequency response and the bass (etc.) will be the same.

I am trying to decide on an amplifier and don't know if what I am hearing is real or imagined

If you're not % 100sure I'd say probably imagined. And/or it's not a big enough difference to worry about. I'm sure you ARE hearing a difference with different speakers.

If you've got the patience and someone (also with patients) to help, you can do some blind listening tests. If you can identify which amp you are listening to 10 out of 10 times in a level-marched blind listening test, it's NOT your imagination.

What is an ABX Test?.
Controlled Audio Blind Listening Tests (video)

 

[Riverhill]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately I don't have anyone around with enough patience with me to do a blind listening test...I don't think I have enough patience with MYSELF do do that test. I drive myself crazy.
So the core answer is that with well designed class D v A/B there is no measurable/perceptible difference in bass attack rate. (The analogy would be two cars that can both do 120 mph - same watts- butt one call get there in 2 seconds and the other in 8). D and A/B are equivalent?

 

[Riverhill]

*but one can

 

[RexrothPigeon]

So the core answer is that with well designed class D v A/B there is no measurable/perceptible difference in bass attack rate.

Yes, but it's not specific to class D. Competently designed amplifiers of any class should sound the same.

 

[Beave]

Bass "attack" (and decay, for that matter) depend largely on the speakers and the room, meaning that the placement of the speakers in the room matters a lot and ALSO the placement of the listener in the room matters a lot. Move the speakers a foot or so, or just move yourself a foot or so, and the bass response will be different. That matters far more than the amp.

 

[DVDdoug]

So the core answer is that with well designed class D v A/B there is no measurable/perceptible difference in bass attack rate. (The analogy would be two cars that can both do 120 mph - same watts- butt one call get there in 2 seconds and the other in 8). D and A/B are equivalent?

Not really a good analogy... If two amplifiers can put-out 100W they will sound the same until you go louder and one or the other hits its limits. If you don't use the power you don't need it. (Like you don't need acceleration or top speed in a car if you don't use it.)

Sometimes an amplifier can put-out a short term peak but can't put out that same power continuously. But that's almost the opposite of what you're perceiving. And since music is dynamic you don't need full-power continuously. And I believe the Wiim has more power available than the Rotel.

It's possible that the Rotel was hitting it's power limit and distorting, creating a "sharper" sound.

(The class of the amplifier doesn't tell you anything about its audio performance.)

 

[Riverhill]

OK, thanks everyone for the reassurance. I appreciate the input.
I don't think the Rotel was near distortion; it was at maybe 30% on the dial and I could turn it up much louder without anything I'd consider distortion.
I'll play around with speaker distance a little too see what I can hear (unblinded, of course).
Thanks again

 

[MaxwellsEq]

The analogy would be two cars that can both do 120 mph - same watts- butt one call get there in 2 seconds and the other in 8

Car analogies seem attractive, but rarely work in audio.

"Acceleration" in your analogy might be considered the ability of the amplifier to quickly get to a high current and voltage, so moving the speaker quickly. But in reality, that equates to the frequency response going higher than your hearing range (which all sensible amplifiers do).

"Top speed" in your analogy is equivalent to top power. But two 400W amplifiers have the same power. HOWEVER, a 400W amplifier with a gain of 10 will sound MUCH quieter than a 400W amplifier with a gain of 30 (if you don't correct for this elsewhere in the chain).

Some amplifiers are unable to sustain full power at low frequencies and high frequencies. Amir tests for this and most are good.