[AllanS]

Simple question about feedback with what’s likely to be complex answers.

The author in the Positive Feedback review below relates his experience with a Manley SE/PP 300B as the basis for judgement he passes on negative feedback.  He had this to say:” As you dial in more feedback, the soundstage depth decreases, like the doors closing on Mystery Science Theater 2000, the micro-dynamics are progressively sucked dry and your midrange bloom becomes a blip. Feedback is an equal opportunity spoiler—the effect is more dramatic when operating in SE, but it will still ruin your day if you're in PP."

I’m inexperienced enough that I don’t know what I don’t know.  Feedback seems to be one of those amplification 101 topics that I should have a working knowledge of so I’m interested in your experience.  Do you find the same to be more or less true?

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/stellar-m1200-power-amplifier/

[FullRangeMan]

As you dial in more feedback, the soundstage depth decreases,
He is correct in all these details mentioned, its very useful tips to consider before buy a new amp, best sound are no NFB but I would add 6dB of NFB is yet low, its usual use 18dB or more.

[Rusty Jefferson]

Nothing in audio is cut and dry. There is great equipment on the market or diy built with feedback that sounds simply amazing, and equipment without feedback that doesn't. It's like everything else, how it's implemented, how speakers react to the load, etc.

If you only use amplifiers without feedback (generally low power and with high output impedance), you will also have to use a very limited variety of speakers that will play nice with them, and that's fine.  This is one of the places where audio moves into a philosophical discussion about following a particular path to audio Nirvana. Like all discussions about finding Nirvana, there's many directions people are traveling from to arrive there.