If it tickles your nun handles and affirms your beliefs about amplifiers, then enjoy. If not, pass it by. Amplifiers that have a very low output impedance, very low distortion, flat frequency response, and are played well within their power delivery capabilities will sound the same when compared at matched volume levels. What would cause such amplifiers to sound different?
It's all entertainment, folks!
Amir entertains his audience, I entertain mine.
I think my audience is more fun.
I agree. Your audience is more fun. You are also more fun than Amir. Sometimes ASR is useful, and there are some very prepared people there. But I think you have contributed more to the world of audio reproduction.
The key is that the amps must be used within working parameters that are dictated by the intended load. Then I am quite sure they will be indistinguishable. But the working parameters are not the nominal parameters of the amplifier, they are much narrower, and depend on the speakers.
Assume two amplifiers with the same distortion. But one is SE other is Push-Pull. Totally different harmonic profile.
Assume tow amplifiers with the same distortion. But one relies on very strong negative feedback, the other has no global feedback.
Do you expect these to sound exactly the same?
I have 50 amplifiers at home, I have yet to find two to sound exactly the same.
As long as people understand that I can do very low distortion if I want,
then I don't mind - this is entertainment for me as well.
I think the problem with this whole discussion is that some people think technical perfection and good sounding are essential the same, while for many it isn't. I know those technical perfect gain on a wire amps and speakers, they are good tools for me in a music studio, but sound boring.
Those who are a bit coloured in a controlled way are often more lively sounding, and bring me more joy while listening to music. The same count for the technical inferior fullrange drivers and vynil records. We know they are not technical the best, but they sound the best to our ears, and that is what count for us. I'm not making speakers for good graphs and measurement, i make speakers to enjoy the music i love.
And yes, i have the ACA and love the sound, and i have a tube amp that I also love. And i have a neutral class D amp i mainly use to test speakers and do measurements, becuase the sound is to sterile for me to really enjoy music (altough it's a technical very good amp).
And if you like very neutral amps, that's good for me. As long as you enjoy the music i don't care what you like. Not everybody like the same, and the variety in options is a great thing i think, because so everybody can choose what fits his needs.
Those who are a bit coloured in a controlled way are often more lively sounding, and bring me more joy while listening to music. The same count for the technical inferior fullrange drivers and vynil records. We know they are not technical the best, but they sound the best to our ears, and that is what count for us. I'm not making speakers for good graphs and measurement, i make speakers to enjoy the music i love.
And yes, i have the ACA and love the sound, and i have a tube amp that I also love. And i have a neutral class D amp i mainly use to test speakers and do measurements, becuase the sound is to sterile for me to really enjoy music (altough it's a technical very good amp).
And if you like very neutral amps, that's good for me. As long as you enjoy the music i don't care what you like. Not everybody like the same, and the variety in options is a great thing i think, because so everybody can choose what fits his needs.
As long as people understand that I can do very low distortion if I want,
then I don't mind - this is entertainment for me as well.
That’s what baffles me. As if you have no idea how to make an amp that can measure well, they say “Pass Labs amps don’t measure well. I don’t recommend it.” OK!
It seems a lot of people spend a lot of time trying to get the best sounding amp.
In my case as a rock guitarist I spend most my time trying to make it sound different !
Echo, soft distortion, wah wah, flanging, phasing etc etc are all good.
I use a very old soft limiter from a 1980's Wireless World circuit.
It has 2 transistors in an op amp feedback loop with a pot to increase/decrease distortion.
In my case as a rock guitarist I spend most my time trying to make it sound different !
Echo, soft distortion, wah wah, flanging, phasing etc etc are all good.
I use a very old soft limiter from a 1980's Wireless World circuit.
It has 2 transistors in an op amp feedback loop with a pot to increase/decrease distortion.
All amps sound the same until you enter a room where speakers are powered by PL amps 
. Makes me smile every time. Another funny observation was when I first heard the very first FW sit, was much tubie than all fancy tube amps in the next rooms so if you ask me (I build speakers): yes they do sound the same but xa30.8 would be the sameiest I will stay forever
. Makes me smile every time. Another funny observation was when I first heard the very first FW sit, was much tubie than all fancy tube amps in the next rooms so if you ask me (I build speakers): yes they do sound the same but xa30.8 would be the sameiest I will stay forever Re post #212
Ive though about the video and if anyone watched it right through as a New Zealander Id though id like to post the link below and hope I'm not upsetting anyone because Garry Morrison of Pure Audio whose class A amp was mentioned to a large extent Died at the beginning of this year so here is the link about him. some one can delete this if its not the place for it. To Nelson and others id Like to add in my opinion My first F5 I reckoned was a equal to the first Pure Audio / Plinus but I'm unashamedly biased.
Obituary – Kiwi hi-fi legend Gary Morrison - witchdoctor.co.nz
Ive though about the video and if anyone watched it right through as a New Zealander Id though id like to post the link below and hope I'm not upsetting anyone because Garry Morrison of Pure Audio whose class A amp was mentioned to a large extent Died at the beginning of this year so here is the link about him. some one can delete this if its not the place for it. To Nelson and others id Like to add in my opinion My first F5 I reckoned was a equal to the first Pure Audio / Plinus but I'm unashamedly biased.
Obituary – Kiwi hi-fi legend Gary Morrison - witchdoctor.co.nz
Although I've known about PASS products for years.....I actually met Nelson at a trade show years ago and spoke at length with him and he won me over with his personality and wit...AND his design philosophy. But after years of working and not having any REAL HiFi in the house, I jumped back in bigtime during Covid lockdown. Built a Bob Latino Dynaco clone ST120 and bought so many pairs of speakers and other components that my livingroom looks like one of my HiFi stores did. Anyways, when I started searching for HiFi, friends suggest I start following ASR...So I did. And I bought half a dozen components based on his testings......And I returned nearly all of them as they just didn't sound good.....When I offered this situation over on the site, I was sternly told that "I just don't get what that forum is all about".....I was basically told it wasn't about listening, it was about testing!!!!!
When I started looking for a PASS amp, that my wallet would allow.....I found the ACA...PERFECT! I'm going to order two and do a Dual-Mono....But then a First Watt F5 Turbo v2 was available in the next town over for $500 so I grabbed it. LOVE IT! Nothing I have drives my Magnapan MMGs like it...NOTHING!...
But the whole " ASR test" of the ACA uncovers the soft belly of this whole hobby. If his tests are even close to accurate, a really, really bad measuring amplifier is charming the ears off lots of folks that are involved in this hobby as more than a passing fancy. I suggest most folks with an ACA have listened to more than just their ACA....If it was terrible sounding they would be everywhere on the used market and they are not......Simple deduction on my part...
Thanks for letting me ramble......
When I started looking for a PASS amp, that my wallet would allow.....I found the ACA...PERFECT! I'm going to order two and do a Dual-Mono....But then a First Watt F5 Turbo v2 was available in the next town over for $500 so I grabbed it. LOVE IT! Nothing I have drives my Magnapan MMGs like it...NOTHING!...
But the whole " ASR test" of the ACA uncovers the soft belly of this whole hobby. If his tests are even close to accurate, a really, really bad measuring amplifier is charming the ears off lots of folks that are involved in this hobby as more than a passing fancy. I suggest most folks with an ACA have listened to more than just their ACA....If it was terrible sounding they would be everywhere on the used market and they are not......Simple deduction on my part...
Thanks for letting me ramble......