2. misc-audio
  3. 956786121

Amp stands- Do they work?

I recently purchased a Pass Aleph 3 and loved it so much that I "had to buy" a pair of the Aleph 2 monoblocks. I have been A/B-ing them at my home for the last 3 weeks for most of my free time. The 2s have a lot more presence, but lack the for lack of better words "musical reality" the 3 has. Forgive me for the term, but if you've heard the 3, then you probably understand. Anyway, I have asked most of the guys at Pass Labs and they essentially tell me I am hearing things- that the 2s "have all the sonic characteristics of the 3, just more of it" I have eliminated all other variables except that the 3 is on the bottom of my rack (Salamander Archetype), and the 2's are on the carpet in front of my system. I am interested in anyone's input as to the impact a reasonable stand might have on the sonics of my amps. I currently am acting on this hypothesis and have put the 3 on the floor next to the 2's. If it is of any help the components are in order- my source is a Muse Model 5 transport, Illuminati D-60 digital, EAD 7000 MkIII D/A, Kimber KCAG, Muse Model 3 preamp, WBT 5151 -great cable!!!!!, Pass Amps, Nordost Red Dawn speaker cable, B&W 804s. Counterpoint PAC-5 conditioner, API Power Wedge 4A conditioner. Marigo RMX ref power cables. Amps are using stock power cables- Nelson Pass's recommendation. Thanks for listening and I look forward to any input.
tsquared

Showing 4 responses by 7p62mm

7p62mm
97 posts
 
Putting your amps on a set of stands may help by increasing air flow and may provide some protection from dropped beer bottles. Other than this I don's see how they can make a difference in how the amps 'sound'. It may be that you are over driving your speakers with the bigger amps. Note: this is a voice coil thermal issue and not a clipping issue.
7p62mm
97 posts
 
I agree with Nanderson's suggestion about evaluating the stands affect on the amp's sound with a double blind test. Also, Vxphan's suggestion to use concrete blocks during the test phase is a good idea. Don't be surprised if there is no improvement in sound. As Nanderson said once a person has spent a lot of money on something then he naturally wants to hear an improvement instead of realizing that there is no improvement and that he would have been better off stuffing the cash into a g-string. If you decide to use stands for heat disapation or cosmetic reasons then you will probably find that a well constructed set is all that you need. I.e.; you won't waste money on stands with tweako options such as gold plated audio grade feet. Good luck.
7p62mm
97 posts
 
I think that member Mikela doesn't understand what a blind test is. In this case you would have a friend set up the system in one of two configurations 1) with stands and 2) without stands. The person evaluating the sound is not told what configuration he is listening to. If he cannot determine when the stands are in place more than 50% of the time (the value he would get by guessing) then there is no evidence that he can hear the difference. For the test to be valid it should be repeated as many times as possible and all other system variables should be held constant.
7p62mm
97 posts
 
Nanderson, you don't seem like a bad guy to me. I think the proper approach is to take care of 1st order items like speakers first. Things where an average person definitely can hear a difference. Then worry about the 2nd and 3rd order effects if you feel the need. One thing in closing about the amplifier stands. They shouldn't be bank roll destroyers to buy. If they improve the system cosmetically or if they help the amps run cooler then they are worth while. There should be no difference in sound unless the amps are microphonic. So there may be a difference with tube gear; but, this thread specified solid state.
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