Not in the same realm as "the best book ever written" but the point is the sheer number of amps makes this question statistically impossible even with an empirical study with established criteria. However, the interesting thing is the range of technology (from tubes to various transistors) still used in modern day amps. Given that some amps made in the 70's are right in the mix. There are so many variables that influence the sound of the amp so you get into compatability opinions, etc. Some could be argued technically superior. Some are known to be reliable and maintenance free for years. So one could compile a stereophile category A list with no regard to price. It would be a large list. Krell is the utlimate to one critic while it is sterile and harsh to another. Some like tubes while others will say "so you like distortion?" The best listening experience I had was in the early 80's where Apogee Divas were being driven by Mark Levinson preamp and monoblocks. I owned Apogee Duetta Signatures with Threshold T400 (IGBT's) and Threshold fet10e preamp. The best and worst speakers. Unbelievably revealing so any weakness was audible. I would bring home a demo case with Transparent Ultra XLR interconnects (8 grand for a 3 meter pair). The difference was nauseating. Was it a $7,500 difference? Not for my budget. But those speakers could convey that information. I would love to have those speakers, a different amp, same preamp and the acclaimed Esoteric SACD transport and D/A.
Intellectual property even when patents are refused as as the so called intellectual property is public knowledge ??
40 000 $ out of a price of 45 000$ for so called intelectual property, product development, marketing, warranty, packaging ,dealer/distributor markup.
Yeah right
JTo sell something at grossly inflated prices one needs to thoroughly decieve and, it can get costly as people are getting more aware of these abuses. Seems this is where most of profit from the sales go instead of using it for R&D that could result in better products.
You sound young and naive modder interesting , let me know when u plan to market and sell ur audio designs ......
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I think many will agree if an amplifier makes loudspeaker speak as close as real, that amp was just best. But for nowadays available, most best sounding amps are just sounds good, no cracking, no whoosy whoosy, and so others they called listenable distortions.
Just want you to know
.I planned to sell mine next year, also I have a compact automatic synergy needle remover/steril, just dunno which one to sell.
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Ive been doing that for last 15 years, but automotive audio. In home based equipment I have investments in 3 audio companies.
Someone have more info on the Technical Brain TBP-Zero amp. Its regarded as another of the significant amplifiers of all times and as being an even better amp than the soulution ones. "Its excellent performance is due to the elimination of emitter resitors and is also patented according to articles.
I havent been able to locate any patents attributed to its designer in this respect in either EU, US or Japan itself. Anyone have more info ??
I havent been able to locate any patents attributed to its designer in this respect in either EU, US or Japan itself. Anyone have more info ??
In the mid 70s JVC did sold an amplifier the JAS11G that was using
Sanyo s Darlington pack STK0040.
These have no internal emitter resistors and JVC didnt add external ones,
just connecting the emitters directly together.
I did find one at the local scrapeyard one day in good shape
a few years ago...
Once at home a rapid examination of the beast and the harsh
crossover THD showed that one channel had one of the two
output device that was definitly open circuit.
The second channel did work , though.
That s even surprising that it managed to survive at least 30 years
before its owner did throw it surely because one channel did fail recently,
but it s worth mentionning that these output modules have integrated
VBE multipliers that can track the thermal variation quite faster
than usual heatspreader fixed separate T0126/220 devices..
Sanyo s Darlington pack STK0040.
These have no internal emitter resistors and JVC didnt add external ones,
just connecting the emitters directly together.
I did find one at the local scrapeyard one day in good shape
a few years ago...
Once at home a rapid examination of the beast and the harsh
crossover THD showed that one channel had one of the two
output device that was definitly open circuit.
The second channel did work , though.
That s even surprising that it managed to survive at least 30 years
before its owner did throw it surely because one channel did fail recently,
but it s worth mentionning that these output modules have integrated
VBE multipliers that can track the thermal variation quite faster
than usual heatspreader fixed separate T0126/220 devices..
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Pioneer vs Goldmund
So Goldmund kept the cheap tray mechanism, and upgraded the switching power supply, and possibly a few more upgrades. Also, Goldmund chose the Pioneer, not a Philips, not a Samsung.
It seems Goldmund really know what sound good and what not. Imo, you don't need to invest on new technology patent or new amplifier topology to find a good amp because everything is already on the table. What you need is a knowledge about what sound good and what not.
If Silvermund make an amp with $2000 production cost and $2500 price tag and Goldmund can make a better amp with $200, how much do you think Goldmund should sell the amp? The answer will be more complicated for enterpreneurs or marketing division than for engineers or accountants.
I think knowledge is a valuable investment/capital. Otherwise, Goldmund will hire all of you to be the Chief Engineer.
So Goldmund kept the cheap tray mechanism, and upgraded the switching power supply, and possibly a few more upgrades. Also, Goldmund chose the Pioneer, not a Philips, not a Samsung.
It seems Goldmund really know what sound good and what not. Imo, you don't need to invest on new technology patent or new amplifier topology to find a good amp because everything is already on the table. What you need is a knowledge about what sound good and what not.
If Silvermund make an amp with $2000 production cost and $2500 price tag and Goldmund can make a better amp with $200, how much do you think Goldmund should sell the amp? The answer will be more complicated for enterpreneurs or marketing division than for engineers or accountants.
I think knowledge is a valuable investment/capital. Otherwise, Goldmund will hire all of you to be the Chief Engineer.
oops, I'd be remiss if didn't add a fave...
Yamaha B-2V-FET. This is a real humdinger!
Adjustable gain, so can be used as a single input "integrated". Sounds good with pretty much everything that I have tried it with...and still coveted by a few...
If unaware of what this thing is look here . A pretty nice beast and one I'd put up against almost any amp out there. Muscular and musical...
Sony also had a few V-FET amps, and a couple of "proper" integraded amps. Yamaha had but the 2 , the B1, and the B2. I's love to get hold of one of the Sony integrated amps, as it would be a relatively compact solution. To think I paid so little for the old B2 that I was going to use it as a bass amp for sub-woofers for my wife, the basshead...
If wanting a little more info go to the Vintage Knob, then select "specials", then "V-FET"
Yamaha B-2V-FET. This is a real humdinger!
Adjustable gain, so can be used as a single input "integrated". Sounds good with pretty much everything that I have tried it with...and still coveted by a few...
If unaware of what this thing is look here . A pretty nice beast and one I'd put up against almost any amp out there. Muscular and musical...
Sony also had a few V-FET amps, and a couple of "proper" integraded amps. Yamaha had but the 2 , the B1, and the B2. I's love to get hold of one of the Sony integrated amps, as it would be a relatively compact solution. To think I paid so little for the old B2 that I was going to use it as a bass amp for sub-woofers for my wife, the basshead...
If wanting a little more info go to the Vintage Knob, then select "specials", then "V-FET"
I case of faulty STK0040 device it is very easy to create a discrete clone (only Vbe multiplier and 1 pair complementary driver BjT transistors so as BjT power devices, also 1 pair).
Often carried out, also by this model from JVC (long time ago).
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheets2/14/149839_1.pdf
BTW - who can post a schematic (or at least simplyfied schematic) of the DPA2S? - go to
http://www.electrocompaniet.no/products/dp/dpA2s.html
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Hi Nanook,
Look at #60 of this thread
.You still own the B2?
I bought one a couple of years ago; virtually every electrolytic capacitor in that one was gone, and actually it was a miracle that it still worked.
It had a complete modification with new capacitors and sounds like new since.
Be aware of it; when the amp dies it might be for good as the power vfets are unobtainium.
Around $500.
Then I can recase it in a fancier box and sell it for $5000.
Ofc I'll forget to mention what's actually on the inside, but then the case will cost more than the original and be sexier.
Not to mention that I'll have to be paid (around $4000) for the elaborate work of recasing and, most importantly, the fact that I know the $500 amp Goldmund makes sounds better than the $2500 Silvermund counterpart.
Knowledge learns that a +€10K CD player doesn't last that long with a transport mechanism that carries an MSRP which is way less than the entire CD player of -€200 it comes in, despite how it 'sounds'.
The reason I have an Eindhoven Pro mechanism of +€200 bare in my CD transport, also 'modified' , but by someone i've met for the first time a quarter of a century ago.
Both CD transport and DAC do less dollars together than a Goldmund Eidos CD, and i can chunk the DAC at any time for something better, but keep the transport rolling for at least a decade longer.
Pieter,
Sorry I missed your post (I've been kinda trolling a bit). I still own the B-2. Currently not using it, but I will again. I understand that the V-FETS are pretty much an impossible item to get. Can other FETs be substituted to salvage the rest of the amp? (or another power circuit developed?)
Please PM me with your experiences. (refurbish details, etc). Or email me direct...
Sorry I missed your post (I've been kinda trolling a bit). I still own the B-2. Currently not using it, but I will again. I understand that the V-FETS are pretty much an impossible item to get. Can other FETs be substituted to salvage the rest of the amp? (or another power circuit developed?)
Please PM me with your experiences. (refurbish details, etc). Or email me direct...
Hi Nanook,
Look at #60 of this thread
You still own the B2?
I bought one a couple of years ago; virtually every electrolytic capacitor in that one was gone, and actually it was a miracle that it still worked.
It had a complete modification with new capacitors and sounds like new since.
Be aware of it; when the amp dies it might be for good as the power vfets are unobtainium.
Gee Homey, i think Mr Wayne just made you a compliment
Young and naive or Old and foolish ............... he choose the latter ...
My Brother in Law Bruce had a dear friend pass away - and his wife said that he wanted Bruce to have this old beat up tube amp that needs the capacitors replaced and a couple of new tubes. The original owner had always meant to get around to doing it but never did because he didn't know electronics.
So now my B-i-L Bruce has asked me to help him out with things. I'm very tempted to tell him that I'll give him $50 bucks for it and use a couple of the tubes. Sadly - he may not know beans about electronics - but he does know his amps - so trying to con him out of this amp won't work.
This is an old school - boat anchor heavy - Marantz 8b
The 1st photo is just something off of the internet and not one of the amp we are working on.
The 2nd photo shows Bruce's 8b - there is gonna be a lot of fun playing around with this one.
So now my B-i-L Bruce has asked me to help him out with things. I'm very tempted to tell him that I'll give him $50 bucks for it and use a couple of the tubes. Sadly - he may not know beans about electronics - but he does know his amps - so trying to con him out of this amp won't work.
This is an old school - boat anchor heavy - Marantz 8b
The 1st photo is just something off of the internet and not one of the amp we are working on.
The 2nd photo shows Bruce's 8b - there is gonna be a lot of fun playing around with this one.
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Dats worth alot more than 50.00 bucks .....
tee-hee - shhhhhhhhhh............
He already knew that anyway - just my luck.
I had another fried that attended an estate auction last month. There was this big old stereo console sitting around and he guessed that no one else looked inside at the amplifiers because he won the bid with $50. Inside the console were two McIntosh 275's and a Mac pre-amp
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