What exactly is MOSFET and does it have a signature sound?

WEEZ · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 May 2006, 12:09 am »

...just fwiw, my mosfet amp isn't overly lush; but it IS relaxed. The mids and treble sound somewhat tube-like; but not the bass. Very airy and smooth in the upper mids with zero fatigue factor.

To me, a mosfet amp (if well designed) does not sound like a tube amp. The difference is the bass. Even when tubes do bass well- the sound is still different than solid state. Mosfets sound similar to tubes in the mids and highs- but still different.

Hell, I've heard tubed amps that sound like solid state, too. But there isn't a transistor amp made that sounds like a tube amp. It just that mosfets contain some of the qualities of tube sound. Just not ALL of the qualities.

How's that for (3) paragraphs that say almost nothing

Ya gotta hear it for youself. Then you'll know

WEEZ

_scotty_ · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 May 2006, 03:54 am »

Here is a fact to ponder. All switching amplifiers have Mosfet output stages
due to the switching speed requirements and few if any of these amplifiers appear to have sonic characteristics that are similar to the amplifiers mentioned in this thread. Perhaps the sound these analogue amplifiers have is due more to circuit design and the amplifiers output impedance rather than being due solely to the presence of mosfets in the output stage or input stage.
Scotty

boead · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 May 2006, 01:02 pm »

Have two classic MOSFET amps.

An early 80’s Kyocera (65wpc), $1000 retail. And I have an early 70’s Sansui AU-9900. Both have 4 MOSFETs four channel. Both sound entirely different.

I bought the Kyocera new back in the 80’s, I had compared it to McIntosh, Aragon, Adcom, NAD, Forte and some others that were popular at the time. It was the overall winner for sure. Tube like? Well, sort of I guess but only in the sense that it wasn’t harsh like most solid state amps were and are. Its bass is good, typical solid state in nature, its highs aren’t overly bright and harsh and its midrange is its strongest point which are warm with a large soundstage. Really great amp that no body knew about.

The Sansui classic is definitely tube like. It has a mid-bass bloom that is very noticeable, its top end is somewhat rolled off and its midrange is deep and dark. Definitely a lack of detail overall.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #23 on:** 29 May 2006, 01:55 am »

Quote from: _scotty_

Here is a fact to ponder. All switching amplifiers have Mosfet output stages due to the switching speed requirements and few if any of these amplifiers appear to have sonic characteristics that are similar to the amplifiers mentioned in this thread. Perhaps the sound these analogue amplifiers have is due more to circuit design and the amplifiers output impedance rather than being due solely to the presence of mosfets in the output stage or input stage.
Scotty

Interesting _scotty_....as I mostly like the digi/switching amps I've heard (better ratio of 'good' vs. 'bad' than SS/non-swithcing amps I've found - tho I do love my Odyssey Khartago Mono Extreme's)...then MOSFET's in certain applications may be okay (for me).

So there you go folks....everything in this little hobbyist obsession is what you hear; specs can't and don't tell the whole story

warnerwh · « **Reply #24 on:** 29 May 2006, 06:12 am »

"So there you go folks....everything in this little hobbyist obsession is what you hear; specs can't and don't tell the whole story "

Seems that we've gone full circle again. The quote above is as accurate as it gets.

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #25 on:** 29 May 2006, 07:24 am »

The quote above is as accurate as it gets.
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both you are wrong the secret is in recipy cooking