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How far have ss amps really come in the last twenty years?

I have owned and enjoyed my Jeff Rowland model 8 ( recently modded and upgraded by Jeff to the last version) for many years. I recently had the opportunity of comparing it ( after mods) to a few of the current ss models from Gamut, D'Agostino, YBA, Parasound, Sim audio, CH precision, Constellation,PS audio,Pass Labs  and Musical Fidelity. The results were very interesting, because to my ears and in the systems that we did the comparison, the Rowland held its own against all but the most expensive D'Ag and CH amps. Even those were only very slightly outclassing the Rowland in the areas of top end resolution...and a tad in the bottom end resolution. Now the thing is that the last revision to the Rowland 8 was designed by Jeff over ten years ago! 
So, my question for those more technically inclined than myself is...how far has the design of ss amps come in the last ten...or even twenty years? 
daveyf

Showing 2 responses by wolf_garcia

wolf_garcia
6,776 posts
 
MrDecibel...you said exactly this, "You stated you were in a band, so I believe your ears are shot, and unfortunately, you probably did not use ear protection." That's the comment I was referring to...and I also know different amps obviously sound different or I'd have no preferences...that would be boring...I can say that great amps get music to the speakers  in ways that can be tonally similar, but talk to any reasonably experienced electric guitar player and you can get the drift that all guitar amps are different, even among the same versions! I like the recent discussions about Nelson Pass researching (and atmasphere's further explaining) and implementing the adding of even ordered distortions into a circuit, as maybe that narrows the gap between a great tube amp's "musical" tone and that of well measuring SS amps, some of which also do a good job...my tube amps are a revelation of tonal "correctness," even to my recently cleaned old ears.
wolf_garcia
6,776 posts
 
I've spent 50 years or so as a professional musician in different bands, although in recent years I'm far more likely to gig playing solo acoustic (still play electric often), and to say "You stated you were in a band, so I believe your ears are shot" is ridiculous. Are the great long-term working recording mastering technicians in that boat? Ear issues will arise more likely with some musicians, but not all, and the ability to have excellent taste and an ear for what's right that develops over years of experience is something I cash in on often as a live sound mixer/technician, even though some tinnitus and inability to hear a dog whistle may be limiting somewhere. Also note that inna is here to win...hmmm....I think all well designed amps SHOULD sound somewhat similar as they're supposed to be replicating whatever goes into them as accurately as possible, with the subjective tastes of the listener finding what minor tone and coherency schemes fit them best...for me it involves tubes since they seem to get at the life in instruments more readily, or an early wind up gramophone could be great for lower arm exercise which has zero to do with this topic but I tossed it in anyway.
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