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Digital, Low Mass, ClassD, Less expensive, Let it happen!

Well here we are! Not that you can't go back and buy boat anchors, but now we know sound is better with low mass designs. Digital source? Yep, the tide has turned. ClassD amplification is also here to stay. Lower mass speakers, on their way back too. The audiophile hobby is getting less expensive and better sounding.

I guess we can debate this, but it's happening anyway. The hobby is simply growing up and becoming more aware of how to get great sound, and get it smart. There has been a lot of myths passed down when we only had paperback magazines, mostly for marketing, but the internet has finally caught up with audio reality. Instead of $20,000.00 components we have $20,000.00 whole systems (including all the trimming). Shoot, there are $5,000.00 systems that excel. The Trade Shows are changing, the market is changing and we are changing. Want to stay old school? No problem, there will always be old school and plenty of used gear (at least for our lifetimes). There will also be smaller niche companies that spring up to tempt us.

The hobby is entering a new era for the extreme listener. It will be a hobby of doing and exploring Electrical, Mechanical and Acoustical as equals. Components will be much smaller and more flexible, and more time will be spent on playing our whole music collection, and not just a few recordings. Many HEA debates will be making their way to the archives as the hobby grows closer to mainstream. Mainstream as in higher quality audiophile mainstream.

Are you ready? I sure am!

Michael Green


http://www.michaelgreenaudio.net/

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michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio OP
1,019 posts
 

"This thread has to be a joke." and "ridiculous generalizations"

You know, I think people who have not been exposed to what has been happening over the past 10 or so years in the way of amplifier innovation and those who have expensive over built high end audio products would say what you just have. Shoot if I didn't have expensive overbuilt amps to compare to I might find it a bit of a joke as well.

Post removed 
simon
53 posts
 
Michael,

I agree 100%. Over the years I've had my share of MBL, Boulder, Plinius, Levinson, Sonus Faber, Avalon, KR Audio, on and on and on. But times have changed and for the better. Case in Point, I've mainly moved to headphone listening these days. Bought a pair of Abyss 1266 phones, Wells Audio Milo and Chord Qutest as my main headphone rig. But I also bought a Pass Labs HPA-1 headphone amp for my Grado PS1000 cans. Just for grins I purchased a sub $400 Burson Fun headphone amp and added Sparkos Labs op amps for $80 to try on the Grados. Long story short, the Burson Fun with the Sparkos op amps annihilated the Pass Labs amp in every respect. Greater dynamics and drive. The HPA-1 would run out of gas at the 12:00 o'clock position whereas the Burson would cause ear bleed at the 10:00 to 11:00 c'clock point and sound way better doing it. More detail, wider and deeper soundstage. The HPA-1 was smooth and warm but the Burson made everything come alive. I'm not knocking Pass Labs, I've had several Pass units over the years but a 3K faceplate doesn't cut it for me anymore. For those that want the jewelry go knock yourself out. If I can beat a $3500 headphone amp for under $500 then that leaves me 3K for other things. 
erik_squires
16,056 posts
 
but a 3K faceplate doesn't cut it for me anymore. For those that want the jewelry go knock yourself out. If I can beat a $3500 headphone amp for under $500 then that leaves me 3K for other things.



Hahahahah! Well said.


My plan is to spend all my money on women and stereos, then squander the rest.


Best,
E

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Let it all hang loose. I went from full range Fulton speaker system to Class A all tube headphone system with World’s Most Modded Oppo to a very simple battery-powered Walkman CD system with original Sony Ultralight Walkman Headphones, all in the course of ten years. In the process I eliminated House AC, AC ground, wall outlets, wall outlet plates, power cords, fuses, interconnects, speakers, speaker cables, big honking transformers, a boatload of microprocessors, isolation systems, and room treatments.

And the sound is better in almost every respect. You dump a lot of noise and distortion along the way. If you could hear what I’ve heard with my ears.

No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks.
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