[maty]

New owners, new business policy I suspect: blind, deaf & mute

Solid State Power Amp Reviews

https://www.stereophile.com/category/solid-state-power-amp-reviews

May 1, 2018

-> https://www.stereophile.com/content/mark-levinson-no534-power-amplifier

Measurements?

[JohnR]

That's just one example. Maybe JA is on vacation?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/constellation-inspiration-stereo-10-power-amplifier

[timind]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Mark Levinson review referenced was in the "Follow-up" section where measurements aren't normally provided.

[poseidonsvoice]

Maty,

That review of the ML 534 was a FOLLOW UP review to the objectively measured ML536 reviewed in July 2017. They share similar design topologies and Larry Greenhill wanted to see if the cheaper 534 would sound as good as 536 - that’s all.

It’s not the right way imho but I guess they were running out of pages in the magazine (the 534 is near the end).

Best,
Anand.

[maty]

The change in property and the hecatomb that I suspect is looming in the world of expensive class AB SS amplifiers... is to believe that traditional brands are pushing for policy change.

Let is hope you are right!

[JohnR]

OOo kay. "Hecatomb" - a sacrifice of 100 cattle(although apparently 12 will suffice) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecatomb

Thanks for expanding my vocabulary today 

[maty]

In Spanish has more acceptions:

http://dle.rae.es/srv/search?m=30&w=hecatombe

I wanted to say:

2. f. Desgracia, catástrofe.

2. Misfortune, catastrophe

[JohnR]

Here are the ML536 measurements:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/mark-levinson-no536-monoblock-power-amplifier-measurements

[Tyson]

The change in property and the hecatomb that I suspect is looming in the world of expensive class AB SS amplifiers... is to believe that traditional brands are pushing for policy change.

Let is hope you are right!

Are you implying that SS amp manufacturers are putting pressure on Stereophile to not publish measurements, for some reason?  And if so, what reason?

[maty]

Because the BIG class AB poweramps have bad measures and they are very expensive. And now, after more decades, there are a true alternative with much better specs and much lower price.

It will cause the closure of many small businesses => pressures via advertising ... the current business model of high-end audio will suffer a shock. Knowing this they will try to stop it.

It has happened before in other business sectors when a disruptive event occurs, as is the case.

[Tyson]

Because the BIG class AB poweramps have bad measures and they are very expensive. And now, after more decades, there are a true alternative with much better specs and much lower price.

It will cause the closure of many small businesses => pressures via advertising ... the current business model of high-end audio will suffer a shock. Knowing this they will try to stop it.

It has happened before in other business sectors when a disruptive event occurs, as is the case.

Meh, I disagree.  It's super easy for big companies to just make their own class D amps with great measurements. 

And I think the enduring sales of tube based equipment throws out the entire idea that many audiophiles are swayed by measured performance when making a purchasing decision. 

[brother love]

[maty]

You are wrong.

If there are a product with buffer+class D+PSU and very good specs, you can only differentiate the sound with the preamplifier and or DSP.

The BIG class AB poweramps are like the blue whales, the first ones in danger of extinction. After other whales. The disruptive element was the use of the harpoon gun and the big factory boats that made the costs much cheaper.


************* *************

I think is better to open a new thread if someone wants to discuss about the next future in high end audio.

[Tyson]

You are wrong.

If there are a product with buffer+class D+PSU and very good specs, you can only differentiate the sound with preamplifier.

The BIG class AB poweramps are like the blue whales, the first ones in danger of extinction. After other whales. The disruptive element was the use of the harpoon gun and the big factory boats that made the costs much cheaper.

Yep, they've been saying that about tubes and vinyl for decades and .... crickets.  Look some people will always prefer the sound of tubes, just like some will prefer the sound of big SS amps, while others will prefer Class D. 

Here's another truth - it's easy to get class AB amps to measure better by throwing a bunch of negative feedback into the design.  But it sounds worse.  So there's not a strong correlation between measured performance and sound quality.

And you are also acting like a company like Levinson or Krell or Theta or whoever can't just build their own version of Class D and sell it under their brand in a fancy case.  Which is already happening, BTW. 

You might say "but people can get the exact same performance for much cheaper!".  And I'd say that's always been true, even with tubes and AB SS gear.  Class D might sound amazing, it might be super small and super cheap.  But it won't change human nature.  It's our nature to always want big pretty boxes to put in our racks. 

[JohnR]

I sold all of my $30,000 Class AB amps as soon as I saw the writing on the wall.

[wushuliu]

Why is there no popcorn smiley?

[maty]

Too much negative feedback is bad idea in class AB, better specs but worse sound. Class D is a very different technology, different tricks.

I am the first to discourage amplifiers that use old or cheap class D and with the tweeter in active speakers.

Better a new thread.

[srb]

I think Stereophile stopped publishing measurements so people would stop declaring amplifier A was better or worse than amplifier B because of a 1dB SNR difference.

Comparing amplifiers on specs alone without ever hearing them is bad, bad, bad.
 

[ServerAdmin]

Why is there no popcorn smiley?

Code: [Select]

:popcorn:

[maty]

32 dB in the PS 700 mono.