@jrareform in my experience you really don't even need a treated room or ultra high end gear. You just need a decent room, decent equipment, and a GOOD setup. I've been in several rooms that offer this (including my own) and the difference between amps is pretty instantly apparent.
Anyone else constantly curious about amps?
I'll start of by saying I have a really great sounding amp, the Mastersound Dueventi. It's a class-A tube amp running in PSET putting out 20 watts of power, which proves to be plenty in my room. I have other audio upgrades that would be more valuable. I've slowly been replacing cables, a new streamer would probably have the biggest impact in my system next, I'd like a new turntable now that I've stepped up my cartridge and phonostage...
But I just keep coming back to amps. For some reason I just feel a need to bring in something new. I can't afford it. It won't be the most high impact in my system. I don't really have anywhere to demo several of these options. But still, I've been on a two week long rabbit hole exploring solid state class A options like Pass and Sugden. I heard a top in system this past weekend with Jeff Rowland driving the system and I forgot how great those can sound, so I'm finding myself looking at their integrated. I know Norma amps sound amazing with my speakers, so I'm always tempted to bump that up the priority list.
Someone talk me off the ledge and help me with this sickness!
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@dogearedaudio I think that’s a reasonable statement, and it’s something I’ve thought about. I don’t feel on the day to day that I’m lacking power, but I have considered several higher power options. The class A power is consistently surprising. Like I said, I’m honestly quite happy with my amp. This is much more of the case of wondering eye than trying to fix a specific problem. There’s a reason it’s one of the longest standing pieces in my system. Even when I’ve demoed other higher power amps in my room, I still very much appreciate the tone of my Mastersound. That’s also why I have the curiosity around the Class A solid state options. I’ve not felt my power was lacking, so that makes me curious what similar powered SS would bring to the table. And in my original post I even mentioned the ultra high power Rowland options. That’s a direction I hadn’t previously considered, but after hearing their higher end products, I’m curious what the integrated would be like. Honestly the research rabbit hole changes constantly and I tend to refocus to systems that really stood out in my mind. I’ve only heard Rowland twice, and both times the systems really impressed me. I’ve heard Acoustic Research in a number of systems, some that I loved and some that didn’t appeal to me. Pass and Sugden have escaped my ears to this point, which is what has really sparked my curiosity. |
@jrareform this is the same guy who says a sound card is just as good as any DAC. |
It seems to me that in the quest to find the best sounding audio system, many audio enthusiasts may start out with the intent of upgrading their current system one component at a time, and eventually upgrade further components until the system is one that they are happy with. From then on, it seems that they tend to focus on what they perceive to be the weakest link in their system, and then routinely change out that component, whether it's a turntable, CD/DVD player, streaming device, amplification or speakers. |
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