Dave, I have Soundlab A-1's, Accuphase C-290V preamplifier and MBL/Accustic Arts digital front end.
Chris |
What are your speakers?? Pre?? Source??? |
If you're just telling us that you don't prefer the 'Class A' sound, that's understandable. Class A is not the only way to good sound or else it would be the only type of amplifier people would buy. Just because you prefer one over he other doesn't mean you're missing the bus or it's a design issue - there are plenty of A/AB's out there that outperform single-ended Class A. But then again, substituting a better amplifier shows up downstream equipment. Maybe it's the preamplifier slowing things down. |
Band width and slew rate are not a function of eachother only potentially limited by one or the other parameter. In any event the slew rate is ridiculously quick, some other elements must account for percieved slowness. I don't percieve it in my class A tube amp at all. I think it is not physics but pycho acoustics with cues telling some listeners the sound is rich dense, or heavy and therefore slower. |
Stevecham writes: Slowness is a function of the source. Not completely. Regards, |
If you want to know if the amp in question is slow of fast - just look its bandwidth. Wide bandwidth is a property of the fast amp ( If I am not mistaken: BW = 1/Slew Rate) and vice versa.
All The Best
Rafael |
Slowness is a function of the source. What are you using? |
In the Black and Blue books of the the great German or was Austrian Oh that's right Vienese Philosoper Wittengstein explained at length . The only thing which anything tells you of itself, is limited to what it can tell you. Further you can't whistle about it either. In plain old Austrian if the thing called Class A amplification tells you it sounds slow -it does indeed sound slow. Logic will tell you that if A does not depends on how it's circuit. then you can count on A always being A. His obversations being limited to the fin de Ciecle or Saichel, when there was no abundance of anything, especially class A, so could he know? We are left to ponder.
Finally if it sounds slow is that so terrible? |
it's too easy to generalize. i am auditioning a class a amp with my magnepan 1.6s. i would not use the word "slow" to describe what i hear. my "reference" amplifier(s) is the vtl deluxe 120.
while an amplifier may have a peak in the bass, it may also be extended in the treble. depnednding upon the frequency response, such a situation may be described as "boom and sizzle".
the combination of attenuated treble response combined with an over emphasis in the region 80 to say 150 hz is rare in a class a amp, in my opinion. |
Dazzdax,
I think I understand where you are coming from. When I first heard my Nagra VPA tube amps (which are Class A), I experienced the same thing. In fact, when I first inserted them into the system, the music seemed less dense, and slow...there was no sense of urgency to the music. But there was a sense of "rightness" to the music that I cannot describe.
Your hunch about the lack of distortion is what my hunch is...of course over time, once my ears adjusted to the new sound, and now I no longer experience the "slowness".
Thanks |
The thing that makes this comparison tough is that in order to be valid, the amps you're comparing (class A to class AB, etc.) have to be the same in other ways as well . . . and this may not be the case in your experience.
I would hypothesize that the class A designs you're associating the "slow" sound with also are single-ended or zero-feedback designs that have a comparitively high output impedance, which will definately affect most loudspeakers' response in such a way as to change the way you percieve timing information. |
do you know for sure that the slow sound you have heard was attributed to the amplifiers?
I have never heard a system with a Class A amplifier sound slow. Slow sound is usually a result of overripe, fat and bloated bass. If the amps you heard possess that quality, then I guess it is what you heard.
Systems that overemphasize bass usually sound slower. Although there are amps that sound heavier in bass with softer highs than other amps, but it hardly is a characteristic of a pure Class A amplifier sound.
If I recall correctly from your previous posts, you own digital amps. Sound of digital amps is different. If you are used to one type of sound, you need to readjust and get used to a different sonic presentation if you switch to Class A amps. The sound is just different. Which is right, it's for you to decide. |
No. Some of the fastest rise times are from class A.
So if this perceived slowness you think you hear from pure class a, its something else in the system
What i have experienced from class A/AB (Pass x250.5) and class A, sa102, is an incredibly dynamic and lucid presentation. A fine example of a class AB (though it is biased for about up to 5 watts in class a) was my dna 225. Also good dynamics and sense of rhythm, but outclassed by the more expensive amps ive had.
Both the pass and plinius have very "black" backgrounds upon which the musical event is built. The 225 has higher noise floor and dynamic contrasts not as extreme. I think what you are hearing is the purity of the event and maybe used to a more hyped sound from lesser amps.
just my 2 cents |
