Stewart Pinkerton wrote in message news:3DL%b.71916$4o.91981@attbi_s52...
On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 04:11:03 GMT, (Michael
Scarpitti) wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote in message news:vOr_b.387604$na.593417@attbi_s04...

purchase equipment only from companies that use DBTs in their design process?

No, because all cables sound the same, and all competent amps sound
the same.

Tautological:

If amps sound different, at least one is not 'competent'.

Correct.

Given that no amp is perfect, there are NECESSARILY differences, as no
amp can be perfectly competent.

Indeed not, but *many* amps are sonically transparent, i.e. they
*sound* identical, to each other and to the input signal.

I have heard obvious differences
between power amps. It is not even remotely possible for me to be
mistaken...

That is perhaps the most arrogant statement ever made on this forum -
against very stiff competition! Now, care to try that when you don't
*know* which amp is connected?

I had the opportunity to compare several 100–250 wpc power amps in the
mid-1980's, connected to my Stax Lambda headphones. These amps were
compared in my home. They were made by:

PS Audio
Harmon Kardon
Sony (2)
Denon
Hafler
Bryston

ALL were different. None sounded like any other, though the H-K
sounded closest to the Denon. I could clearly and repeatedly discern
one from another. There were differences in tonal balance, clarity,
and dynamics. I had no preconceived notion of any sonic
characteristics of these amps, and I listened to them all without
prejudice. The Sony TA-N88B, a digital amp, was my selection. It was
clearly superior to the others in every respect. This was a used amp
that had been recently overhauled; the others were new. Unfortunately,
this Sony amp kept dying, and Sony repaired it three times without
charge before I gave up on it. I then selected the Denon amp as being
the best among the rest.

You cannot argue away what I heard, or claim that 'bias' caused by my
knowledge of which product was which influenced my decision. I was
QUITE surprised by my choice (the Denon), as it was not the most
promising contender. I fully expected the Harmon-Kardon to walk away
with the contest, but its sound was dull and lacked the dynamic
response of the Denon, even though the frequency response was similar
to that of the Denon.

If 'bias' had anything to do with it, I would have taken the H-K, as
their literature was quite impressive. Fortunately, I went strictly by
waht I heard, and nothing else.

Now, are all these manufacturers save Denon 'incompetent'? I think
not.