2. amps-preamps
  3. 167496-37252

Different amplifier class for different music genres?

I was reading a review of the Gryphon Antileon Evo in another forum and one user was saying that in the High bias mode the amplifier was excellent for classical music but not so good for metal or hard rock, perhaps softening the transients. For metal or hard rock he preferred the Low bias mode and he suggested that the Gryphon Diablo will be more suitable for this type of music (of course one is a final amp, the other an integrated one).

So the question is: does the class of the amplifier matter or better suit the type of music you are listening to? 

I have never owned a class A amplifier and I am itching to try some. I am currently using Hypex based diy monos driving Vienna Acoustics Mahler speakers.

greg_f

Showing 2 responses by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Greg_f, I am a class A fan. I also like big powerful amps. However, class A/B has come a long way. I have not yet heard a class D amp that thrills me but there are many available I have not heard and from a technical standpoint I see no reason why they should not be capable of first class sound. I have not used a Jeff Rowland amp and he has many fans. 
Your Mahlers are very intelligently designed speakers. Suspending the tweeter is a novel thing to do. They are 6 ohm, 90 dB/watt/meter speakers. A Pass XA160.8 would be wonderful as would Parasound JC 1+s or Atma-Sphere MA1's. At the less expensive end are the Parasound A21+, a killer amp for the money. The Anthem STR is another relatively  inexpensive powerhouse. It is always better to overpower a speaker than underpower one.
 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
@atmasphere, the most common myth? That might be a tiny stretch. Lets just say one of many:-) 

There is no difference in the power needed to reproduce an orchestral crescendo as there is needed to reproduce Slipknot. A good amplifier speaker match will play anything. You can not talk about the amplifier without talking about the speaker. The two must match. There are amps that will drive anything. They tend to be big expensive bruits. While a SET amp may sound OK on certain very efficient loudspeakers it will die trying to drive Wilsons. An amp is going to sound different depending on the speaker it is driving and a speaker is going to sound different depending on which amp is driving it although there will be some basic characteristics that won't change such as dispersion and imaging. 
More to discover