[Robert Peirce[_2_]]

The question was raised about whether you could tell the price of an amp
by listening to it. The OP thought not. I would argue it depends on
the load.

I have a pair of Apogee Divas that fried an inexpensive, but supposedly
very powerful amp. Meanwhile, my pair of old Classe power amps has been
driving them fine for 19 years.

The Divas go to very low impedance at some point in their frequency
range. If your amp can't produce the necessary current it isn't going
to sound too good, if it keeps working at all!

If by more expensive you mean able to handle the power load then yes,
you can determine the more expensive amp. If you mean something else,
then I don't know.

--
Robert B. Peirce, Venetia, PA 724-941-6883
bob AT peirce-family.com [Mac]
rbp AT cooksonpeirce.com [Office]

[Peter Wieck]

On Mar 30, 8:41*pm, Robert Peirce
wrote:
The question was raised about whether you could tell the price of an amp
by listening to it. *The OP thought not. *I would argue it depends on
the load.

I have a pair of Apogee Divas that fried an inexpensive, but supposedly
very powerful amp. *Meanwhile, my pair of old Classe power amps has been
driving them fine for 19 years.

The Divas go to very low impedance at some point in their frequency
range. *If your amp can't produce the necessary current it isn't going
to sound too good, if it keeps working at all!

If by more expensive you mean able to handle the power load then yes,
you can determine the more expensive amp. *If you mean something else,
then I don't know.

Hmmmm.... Much depends on load, sure. And inexpensive amps (today)
tend not to do well with very low impedance loads - which can be
equally true of many expensive amps as well. And some (relatively)
inexpensive amps do just fine even with low-impedance loads.

So, if there is a significant mismatch between the amp and the
speakers, that will show in the way that combination sounds - of
course. Much as all tires may roll the same, but putting a bicycle
tire on a Rolls Royce does not make for safety or longevity of either
the tire or the vehicle. Nor vice-versa.

I think that may be an apt analogy for this discussion as well. If we
define the term "amplifier" within very narrow bounds, then most items
that meet that definition will sound pretty much the same. But that
seldom obtains in the real world.

A 2-watt SE tube amp driving single-driver folded-horn speakers and
reproducing low peak-to-average signal cannot be expected to sound the
same as a 200-watt NAD driving Magnepan speakers using 20dB P/A
signal. Nor would the 2-watt SE amp be able to drive the Maggies, and
the NAD may not be quite suited to the horn speakers. Both may be good
at what they are intended to do - but "sound the same" without a bunch
of other parameters defined? Not hardly. One is a Hummer, one is a
Bicycle. Both may get you there - but they are most definitely
different and that difference will become more and more obvious as the
parameters expand.

So, it is perhaps true that all reasonably well-designed and made 50-
watt audio amplifiers "sound the same" when driving the same speakers
from the same source with the same signal. And it may also be entirely
possible to find parts and pieces that would extend this to amps
ranging from 4 watts to 400 watts - but that would have to be a very
carefully designed test.

Further, some tube amps clip differently than some SS amps, making the
differences between them instantly audible under clipping conditions -
one more parameter to be either controlled-for or designed away. And
is clipping really a "sound"?

Ah, well. At bottom one ought to enjoy what one has or strive to get
it to where it is enjoyed. And not be concerned after price, status or
(beyond the Significant-Other factor) looks.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Arny Krueger]

"Robert Peirce" wrote in
message

The question was raised about whether you could tell the
price of an amp by listening to it. The OP thought not.
I would argue it depends on the load.

I have a pair of Apogee Divas that fried an inexpensive,
but supposedly very powerful amp.

Please name it.

Meanwhile, my pair of
old Classe power amps has been driving them fine for 19
years.

I'm familar with some of those babies. Built to pretty high standards. Most
speakers will give out before they do.

The Divas go to very low impedance at some point in their
frequency range. If your amp can't produce the necessary
current it isn't going to sound too good, if it keeps
working at all!

If you want to drive low impedances, look at amplifiers designed for pro
audio use. Just about all of them will tolerate 2 ohm loads, and many of
them will thrive on 2 ohm loads.

[jeffc]

"Robert Peirce" wrote in message
...
The question was raised about whether you could tell the price of an amp
by listening to it. The OP thought not. I would argue it depends on
the load.

It depends on other things too. I've definitely heard the difference
between 2 good quality amplifiers, and the less expensive one sound worse.
So it can be done, at least sometimes.

But obviously, cost doesn't always go where you'd like it to.