I doubt it was psychoacoustics, you probably drove your amp into clipping
(which is al ot easier to do than you might think) which is when they start
to sound different.


Paul Vina




"Tony Fernandes" wrote in message
...
Well, Brian, although I don't want to dismiss several other senior
members'
tesimony about all amps sounding the same, I have to sympathize with you.
I
too feel I can describe in detail the different qualites of different
amplifiers. I dunno...maybe this is physcoacoustics as Soundfreak
suggests.
I still have a lot to learn, so who knows...maybe my opinion will change
over time..

So IN THE MEAN TIME I suggest you contact Pete Lufrano as FHLH suggested.
I
belive he has experience with several of the amps you mentioned. I've
heard
nothing but good things about Brax amplifiers, which he just happens to
sell. :-)

Having said that I want to know if you've auditioned Phoenix Gold amps.
ZX
series, or the newer Titanium series. I've been hooked on them for years.
The happiest I have ever been in terms of SQ was when I had my Nakamichi
CD-700 powering the aforementioned PG amps wtih the same Dyn 360 set you
have. The only bad thing I can say is I was running the entire system
actively with the built-in PG xovers and it sounded a little artificial.
Some people I talked to seemed to believe that the Linkweitz Reilly (I
know
I'm not spelling that right) xovers that PG uses are to blame for this.
When
I ran the system using the Dyn passive xovers this didn't seem to be a
problem...although this presented another problem in that at higher
volumes
it lost quite a bit of detail. I am currently in the process of getting
the
360 set into my Maxima and I'll be running the 8-inch midwoofer actively
and
using the Dyn passive xover for the tweets and mids. Kind of a balance
between the two problems I mentioned.

Well, more than you asked for. Hope it helps.

Tony



--



What's more likely? That an all-powerful mysterious god created the
universe and then decided not to give any proof of his existence? Or,
that
he simply doesn't exist at all? And that we created him so that we
wouldn't
have to feel so small and alone. -Eleanor Arroway, Contact

"Brian" wrote in message
om...
Please offer your advice on what amp to get. I've wasted a lot of
time/money and its time to seek some expert advice before going any
further!

I've managed to cram a Dynaudio System 360 into the front doors and
kick-panels of a 2003 Passat. (3-way system with 8" midbass, 3"
softdome midrange, and 1" softdome tweeter.) In the rear doors is a
Dynaudio System 240 (2-way system with 6-1/2" midbass and 1" softdome
tweeter.) All speakers are standard 4ohm.

I'd like to power these full range (no subs) using the Dynaudio
passive crossover boxes.

The amp characteristic I'm trying to achieve would be similar to an
Aragon 8008 (home audio amp). I've not been able to find a car audio
amp that sounds like it. Its a very neutral sound. Doesn't add
anything thats not already there, but just faithfully provides
everything thats in the recording.

Here's the amps I've tried so far:

PPI PCX-4125 (125W x4ch) -- I love the rich midrange and midbass,
but the highs are a little rough and there is absolutely no extended
highs ("air") at all.

Zapco C2K-6.0X (150W x2ch -- used to power all 4 speakers as a 2ohm
stereo load) -- This amp is incredibly clean-sounding. The extended
highs are immaculate. But it sounds thin in the midrange, as if
something is missing. The meat and potatoes just not there.

Butler Tube Driver Blue TDB-475 (75W x4ch) -- From what I've read, I
expected this amp to be the solution, but it sounds weak in the bass
and mid-bass and is just not neutral enough. It has an interesting
sound, but is somehow "fake", as if the sound is going through some
kind of sound processer to give it some sort of "effect". (I guess
thats what the tubes are adding to the sound?) The music just didn't
sound "real" to me.

I actually hooked up my Aragon 8008 home amp to run these Dynaudio
speakers, and it sounded perfect, so its not just a case of me
searching for something thats impossible. Is there a car amp that can
do what the Aragon can do? (If it was possible to convert the Aragon
to run on 12VDC, I would!)

Do you have any opinions on an amp that is very neutral, but also has
some "meat and potatoes" in the midrange and midbass? (that has the
rich PPI mid-bass/mid-range, but also with the Zapco's pristine
extended-highs.)

(4 channel is preferred, but not mandatory)

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated !! Thank you.