Hey Flseshler :
Then came the sterile sounding equipment for about 20 years.
Interesting indeed!! I thought when I heard ARC for the first time that the sterile sound was what they always had. I did not realize it had already changed. The pendulum does seem to have swung back a little. |
@Dutchydog
Was that to me??
|
Dammit, @photon46 - You just said Beetlejuice for the third time!
|
Has anyone ever heard a class D amp that did not sound thin, digital and without soul? I answer your question in my original posting. There was nothing that wrong with the Class D amps I listened to. As I've written, they sounded exactly like the Parasound A21. For this and many other reasons, I find this characterization of Class D no longer valid. You have to take each amp and listen. |
Interesting. It sounds like you prefer modern ARC to historical ARC, and
that you think ARC house sound (if I can call it that) has changed for
the better over a number of years but to your ears is not (at least the
integrated amp) quite on par with Ayre. I like to leave a lot of room for personal preference, so that's why I describe it that way. I would say I personally prefer Ayre, but is it a "better" amp?? I have a tough time saying it like that.
I say ‘interesting’ because if
anything some of what I’ve read on this site seems to lament ARCs
direction and pine for the good old days there. But maybe that’s more as
to service and old favorite employee departures than to sound quality. In the late 80s, 90s I was much more of a Conrad Johnson fanboy and could simply NOT understand the ARC fans. So this hasn't changed for me at all, what's changed, IMHO is the direction of the gear. I think even the modern ARCs can be improved with better caps, they love those red Wimas. But in any event, this is all VERY personal, and not a true measure of quality or engineering acumen. |
Hi @kren0006
I wouldn’t call the ARC the equal of the Ayre. I would call the ARC a very good integrated, one I could probably live with very happily.
I won’t wax effusively on it because my time with it was short. I would call the ARC a really great exemplar of what modern tubes can do, without sounding overly juicy, overly dark, or overly sterile.
Like a lot of other ARC products right now, the ARC integrated has the modern ARC sound. Extended, no longer as cool or sterile as old ARC (yeah, i said it, come get me) with the frequency extension and power. Easy to listen to and easy to get into the music’s ebb and flow
It may be too "middle of the road" for some, but I heard it with some medmium sized Wilsons and it was really good. Sasha’s maybe?? For the cost, size and easy of living with it is a very good integrated. If you like the modern ARC sound, and want a relatively small single unit to put in with no fuss, at a relatively low price point, it’s a great choice, IMHO.
Like everything, please listen for yourself!! :) Come back after listening and tell me I’m wrong. :)
Best,
Erik
|
Hey @atmasphere
That would make sense, but I've heard other amps which make the same claim, at equal or greater prices and for whatever reason I do not like them.
Maybe I should spend a couple of years listening to a variety of Class A/Zero feedback designs.
Best,
Erik
|
Hi Select!
I do indeed like class D.I haven’t heard that many different kits. Just old ICEpower and Hypex nCore.
But notice, I listed the ICEpower 250ASP (now 10 years old or more) as B .... the equal of a number of linear amps I’ve been able to listen to, and the better of some mega-buck amps which I'm not listing to stay positive. :)
There are probably even better Class D out there. I just haven’t heard them.
Best,
E
|
Though to be fair, while I reserve the right to disagree, I also can see how I may have disagreed in less than kind or thoughtful manners when fan boys/fan girls assembled.
I'll be more thoughtful.
|
And perhaps karma.. Now tell me.. REALLY ... you have never pissed in someones little quiet spot of enjoyment here??? I'm sorry, @elizabeth, but you are mistaking divine retribution which I may have gently handed out in pretty little gift bags with some thing else. |
I am struck by the hilarity of trying to write a completely positive thread, and still having people come in to spoil the fun.
I mean, I can’t write about amps I like. I can’t say "I heard class D amps and I liked them, pretty cool"
What else will cause me to get hen pecked by the peanut gallery?
I mean, let me write a short post on a couple of DACs I heard ... that has GOT to get them all frothy. For heaven's sakes gang, you have all these pretenses of culture and taste and this is what you do for giggles?
|
Hi Miller,
I'm afraid you have me confused with an employee of yours. I thought this was a forum to discuss our relationship with audio gear and share our experiences. As such I'm not really obligated to take your criticisms. I'm writing as I would talk, and explaining my goals as I go along.
Feel free to write better and show us how it should be done.
Best,
Erik
|
Hi Bob!
Ayre is a very interesting amp design. The diamond circuit is one I fell in love with and don't really know why, despite a number of serious criticisms of it's technical performance.
It falls short of perfection but I really love the sound. I also love the sound of it implemented as a headphone amp. The Pono and Codex are among the best headphone amps I've ever heard.
Now, as for the speaker amps.... this is going to sound really weird, because I can't really connect what I hear with a technical measurement.
Ayre amps provide a lush dark backdrop which I've heard in no other amplifier. I don't mean they are dark sounding (i.e. reduced treble) but that the sound seems to emanate from absolute nothingness and explode without boundaries. An effect I've not heard in any other amplifier.
The argument can be made that there are colorations... but if so I can't describe them with the normal verbage.
D'Agostino lacks that, IMHO, but then, that's an Ayre signature quality. D'Agostino is like heavy lightning. Utterly smooth, no noise, no grain, also without a limit into the treble or bass.
I find the D'Agostinos and Luxmans to be a lot more similar than they are different.
All the amps in the A category I've listed make the B class seem restricted, like not enough energy comes out in the bass or the treble, and have an utter smoothness and liquidity the B class lacks.
Best,
E
|
Hi Tim!!
Sadly I don't really want to treat this as a long term project, more of a one time posting. My ambitions right now are ridding myself of the excess furniture, tools and toys I have which I'm never actually going to use again.
Best,
Erik
|
I should point out that the Vandersteen, while it sounded great with Vandy speakers, was bandwidth limited. No idea how it would fare full range.
|
Class A:
Luxman +++
D’Agostino +
Ayre +
Audio Research integrated +
Vandersteen + ( short but man, I wish I could review for a long period! )
Class B:
Parasound A21 +++
IcePower 250 ASP +++
Rogue Integrated+
Bryston +
Items in a list are in no particular order. Treat all A the same, etc. |
