Which amplifier "style" would be best for complicated / symphonic music?

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ShB66

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Joined 2004
#1
Semi theoretical question.
I noted that you mention here and there that you listen to a specific style of music, and don't play it loud.
I have several amplifier style (F1 is one of them) and couple of stereo loudspeakers. Each channel have 2 box - high and low - which located in different spot at the room.
I was wondering which amplifier style do you think will be best for the above mention type of music.
its not the loudness that I'm after, but the resolution and line separation.
thanks.
 
#2
When the music gets complicated and/or dynamic, there is more tendency
to favor the amplifiers with lower measured distortion.

I think this is because the intermodulation distortion that accompanies
complex material is a aggravated by even low orders of harmonic distortion.

Of course, YMMV....
 
#6
What is lower measured distortion?
I think both ACA and MoFo does very good with complex music. I have relative sensitive speakers and impedance never goes below 4 ohm.
On paper the big class A/B or D amps has the lowest measured distortion figures.....even measured at 1W output? …..or I could be wrong here…..hopefully...
 
#8
The new Chord Ultima amplifier would work well but you would have to sell your house:


Output Power: 780W RMS per channel @0.05% distortion into 8Ω, 1,400 RMS per channel into 4Ω; waveform continuous at 5Hz to 20kHz 

Total harmonic distortion 0.0005 per cent (at 1V) 10Hz to 20kHz (8- or 4-ohm loaded)

Phase intermodulation distortion: 0.0005 per cent


Interface intermodulation distortion at 75 percent rated power into 8 ohms resistive load was 0.0002 percent at 1kHz


Peak output current: exceeds 500 amperes

Read more at Chord Electronics launch ULTIMA flagship amplifier and preamplifier | AudioStream
 
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#13
lhquam said:
I have homebrew variants of both the XA25 and the XA30.8 and prefer the XA25. Perhaps I never got the XA30.8 parameters right.
Click to expand...
Same here, so I guess I never got XA25 right... hehe 🙂. From my memory (from different shows) both original amps are top amps on the market if you ask me. I just think .8 is more universal amp for any type of music.
 
#14
PKI said:
Same here, so I guess I never got XA25 right... hehe 🙂. From my memory (from different shows) both original amps are top amps on the market if you ask me. I just think .8 is more universal amp for any type of music.
Click to expand...


I totally agree about possibly not finding the "Pass-Perfect" circuit parameters, but there is a lot more involved in personal preference:


  • speakers
  • listening room acoustics
  • musical preferences
  • age of ears -- hearing
  • ...
What I noticed is that the XA25 sounded more like a live performance with the percussive sounds acoustic guitars and pianos. This is probably due to a combination of the high damping factor and high slew-rate of the XA25.
 
#15
I agree about everything you sat about XA25. "My brew" is just too polite in the mid range and there is nothing I can do to make it more forward without being too harsh. Saying that I think it throws deepest soundstage I've ever heard. Again, as you say: speakers, room, music. I was listening it paired with all accuton speakers and I do like hard/heavy stuff lot 🙂.
 
#16
two of my guys , both having Dynaudio Contour - one of them 1.3 , other 1.8 - fed with Iron Pre and Babelfish J , were jaw dropping when they heard T-Bed iteration of Babelfish M25

result - both amps are reworked to Babelfish M25 ; even if there is not overall feedback to thighten things a little , nor excessive power ..... Berserking effect is dominant enough to justify expenses of changing th eguts

in case of Contour 1.8 , 4R impedance is resulting in amp's 40W in A class , then Klunk!! and 10W more , topping at 50W/4R

so , everything is matter of context ; many commercial amps of significant pedigree and doubled or quadrupled power , are eating dust of eeenyweeny Papamps , no matter how simple they are

of course that , when things are getting complicated ( meaning on software side) that calmer Papamp could be better ; but , as I said , I much prefer way of overindulging with speakers not just me , but amplification too ..... then everything is easier

if you're working something on your amp , you can use Walkman to feed speakers directly :clown:
 
#17
Nelson Pass said:
When the music gets complicated and/or dynamic, there is more tendency
to favor the amplifiers with lower measured distortion.

I think this is because the intermodulation distortion that accompanies
complex material is a aggravated by even low orders of harmonic distortion.

Of course, YMMV....
Click to expand...
I have a little theory; much of the music we listen to in the west uses the equal temperament scale, consequently only the octave intervals of the fundamentals being played fit accurately within the harmonic series. The more complex the music, the more dissonances created by the second harmonic distortion.
 
#18
Nelson Pass said:
When the music gets complicated and/or dynamic, there is more tendency
to favor the amplifiers with lower measured distortion.

I think this is because the intermodulation distortion that accompanies
complex material is a aggravated by even low orders of harmonic distortion.

Of course, YMMV....
Click to expand...

Interesting and this explains why I struggle to find an amp/speaker combination for my music tastes. I prefer dense and fast music: death-metal and late Beethoven-style chamber music, high-energy improv jazz and noise.

As much as I love the sound of single-ended amps + broadbanders I just doesn't work too well with that kind of music.

Is there a middle ground? That is a lit up, luminous sound that won't collapse when it gets busy?
 
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