Many reviewers will lead you down the wrong path.


A lot of reviewers will tell you that they listen for something specific on certain records to see if things are correctly setup. Either they don't know what they are talking about, or it is very misleading. This is how you tweak a system. One: use the objective parameters, i.e., tonearm should be level with record being played; speakers should be so many feet from the back and/or side wall, anti-skate dial should match tracking force dial, etc. Two: slightly tweak things one way or another, until you hear what does what. When they tell you that from memory, they think such-and-such, ask their age. I would discount anything they say if they are over 50(I'm 55). When you find out what does what, you will know what to do. If the final answer doesn't have the treble that you've heard before, or has sibilance, or not enough bass, too bad. You do not use things to dial in things that you know exist. Your job is to find out what is best for what you are dealing with. Ignore all the other stuff. You'll be glad that you heard this from me. Go on to other parameters, but do not try to dial in one thing from one tweak. That is not how it is done. You listen until you hear what one thing does and put that right.
mmakshak

Showing 2 responses by erasmusj

Nothing a reviewer says about a particular product has any meaning because his frame of reference is undefined. Even when they compare products the comparison used is often unknown, unavailable or unusual in some way (deliberately I think).
I know its politically incorrect, but I have always found that specifications tell 80% of the story, and all that is required is a good listen to a selection of contenders to discern the subtle differences (and the specification liars).

To me 1.0% distortion in a power amplifier is unlistenable, while 0.01% is usually pretty good. (You need to watch the qualifications too.) No matter how much people talk about some kinds of distortion being less audible than others I have not found this to be the case. In fact I am completely allergic to anything labelled as warm, tubey, valve like, golden, dark (if dark means lacking in high frequencies) and so on.



Mmakshak.
Actually this wasn't my thinking, this has been my experience of innumerable amplifiers over a period of 30 years. The specs of for example the NuForce IA-7 are good but not stellar. I might be tempted to audition it if I were in the market for an amplifier of that power rating at that price level. If it really provides a better result than its peers, then that would show up from the audition.
No recommendation, review or brochure is going to change anything. Previous generations of this type of amplifier certainly have not lived up to their hype.