Best Amp for Timbre, Depth and Spatial Resolution?

Geoffkit,

It was Julian Hirsch (RIP), a highly respected reviewer for decades. He did not say that amps (or any other compnents) that measure the same, sound the same. What he did say was that if the measurements of two amps were very good and close to each other, both will sound very good and then it is a matter of personal taste which one prefers. In other words, he established the objective, so the buyer could apply his/her subjective taste. Most reviewers today only focus on the subjective.

Neal

Geoffkit,

Yes, I think I follow! The reason the specs matter even if an amp or other component sounds good in a showroom is because that is a limited time audition in an environment different from your home, and anomalous specs may tell you there will be dissatisfaction over the long term when you must live with a component. I expect that Stereophile runs detailed measurements and discusses them at length for just that reason. By your logic, they are wasting their -- and our -- time. I don't think so . . . .

Neal

Geoffkit,

To answer your question directly, a videophile certainly would want to see the specs and any videophile magazine test results before purchasing. And while not determinative, I always review specs on speakers, amps, pre's, CDP's and DAC's as well as read reviews with measurements prior to binding, if for nothing else to see if there is an anomaly I should be listening for.

My point is -- the objective and subjective both count.

Neal

Geoffkit,

To answer your question directly, a videophile certainly would want to see the specs and any videophile magazine test results before purchasing. And while not determinative, I always review specs on speakers, amps, pre's, CDP's and DAC's as well as read reviews with measurements prior to binding, if for nothing else to see if there is an anomaly I should be listening for.

My point is -- the objective and subjective both count.

Neal