0.00002% THD — Can we say “essentially no distortion” yet?

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AmpDesigner333

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I recently simulated the circuitry for a new spin on our amp technology....

With very realistic component values and some clever tweaks, I was able to get THD at rated lower down to 0.00002%.  Yes, that’s FOUR zeros.

Interestingly, the original purpose of the changes was to increase damping factor at high frequencies, which these new circuits also do quite well.  The simulations take a long time, some more than an hour for a very particular scenario, so I run them in the background when there’s time.

What amount of THD (or lower) do you believe is “essentially distortion free”?

jjss49

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lower distortion is good if it leads to good sound

it should not be an end to itself

sympathetic distortion can be a positive in the pursuit of lovely sound

Scroof Neachy

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What amount of THD (or lower) do you believe is “essentially distortion free”?

.00000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000001%
« Last Edit: 7 May 2021, 12:51 am by Scroof Neachy »

Docere

What is the benefit?

At what level is distortion audible? What orders of distortion are responsible for what psychoacoustic effects? Do the ratios of the orders matter?

navi

.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001%

I think you are missing a '0'

JLM

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Do we know how to measure distortion that collates to what we hear at very low levels?

NoDisco

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What natural processes contribute to distortion? What is their threshold under standard conditions? There’s your limit.

opnly bafld

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Someone must have felt it was a little slow on the Cherry Amps forum.

AmpDesigner333

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Do we know how to measure distortion that collates to what we hear at very low levels?
NO, but realistically speaking, people in high-end claim a lot of things than are simply BS.

opnly bafld

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Audio companies have been there a lot longer.  :wink:
THD has been a known measurement for years and yet there is no correlation* between it what people hear.
It is used (and has been for decades) by many as marketing to sell product to "number buyers".

*Obviously very high distortion can be heard, but I think we all know that is not what I'm referring to.

RDavidson

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NO, but realistically speaking, people in high-end claim a lot of things than are simply BS.

Right. So wouldn't claiming "essentially distortion free" just be more marketing hyperbole?

rollo

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Yes you can very well done.  :D Just like a Japanese Reciever now  :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: I'm sure your stuff sounds better sorry could not resist  8)


charles

opnly bafld

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On another forum someone wrote off an amp as being "junk" even though he really didn't know anything about it.
The reason? The manufacturer rated the power at 1%. 
 :roll:  :duh:

Edit: Moved the emojis to below the last sentence since I'm not faulting the manufacturer at all for their "specs".

RDavidson

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And that's fine. Numbers folks have their opinions and can buy what they like. If the manufacturer was really concerned about this audience, I'm sure they could've come up with a different way to write their specifications that would still be accurate and satisfy said audience. But yeah, to dismiss a piece of gear without listening is... :slap:

Scroof Neachy

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I think you are missing a '0'

You’re absolutely right. I’ve gone back to my post and made the correction.

Tyson

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And that's fine. Numbers folks have their opinions and can buy what they like. If the manufacturer was really concerned about this audience, I'm sure they could've come up with a different way to write their specifications that would still be accurate and satisfy said audience. But yeah, to dismiss a piece of gear without listening is... :slap:

It's like buying a meal based on how it measures. 

RDavidson

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It's like buying a meal based on how it measures.

 :lol: Maybe more like not buying a can of soup based on a moderate amount of sodium listed on the label. :lol:

Tyson

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:lol: Maybe more like not buying a can of soup based on a moderate amount of sodium listed on the label. :lol:

Well, based on sodium content measurements, the inexpensive soup actually outperforms the expensive soup.  Don't fall for snake oil soup!

Letitroll98

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:lol: Maybe more like not buying a can of soup based on a moderate amount of sodium listed on the label. :lol:
Although I'm careful about any sodium in the food I buy, I don't really care if the level is pretty low or vanishingly low.  I am concerned about high levels of sodium.  Same with THD.

planet10

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With very realistic component values and some clever tweaks, I was able to get THD at rated lower down to 0.00002%.  Yes, that’s FOUR zeros.

...What amount of THD (or lower) do you believe is “essentially distortion free”?

It is pretty well established that single number THD is next to meaningless, what does the spectrum look like? IMD? And Class D, IIRC, how well suppressed is the HF modulation.

dave