Watt War

I am a veteran. As always the soldiers are recruited from the young. I was in my teens when Bose attacked our high school with a multi-hundred watt salvo. Then came the Phase Linear. 200 massive watts!

At one point I myself was taken prisoner, placed in a dark basement, forced to sort and solder until I had created a Dynaco ST400. Like Captain Hilts I escaped many times- only to find all the stores occupied territory. THD, IMD, enemy propaganda everywhere.

For many years this went on. The nightmares, even longer. Only in recent years have I been able to talk about it.

In truth the war continues even to this day. The enemy you see is not what we think. Its not a thing that can be measured in watts. Its much more insidious. Its the ideology of technology. Meters uber alles.

The war has been won. But the battles rage on. Now leave me to enjoy my tubes in peace.

IMO the only real winners were the repair shops, FEDX/UPS, and anyone selling abdominal trusses.

Crown XLS1502! 300wpc/8ohms, 600wpc/4ohms. 9.8 lbs! $439! Look out all you manufacturers of 5-figure amps!

Ampzilla of course. Enjoy the music

I have never heard a "Chip amp", sound like anything other than a "Chip amp", once it is under a decent load.
And I really tried to embrace the "Class D", technology. 
But it was the wattage ratings they try to pull off with all class "D" amplifiers?
THAT, is what truly finished them for me. The final nail in their coffin.

We did! With mass marketing and lots of audio equipment rags to print glowing reviews of everything that passes through their doors we have no excuse not to own several amps of varying designs. Thanks to audio websites we can buy and sell at will for $.30 on the dollar and own some incredible gear. 

I owned and still own several Class D amps made from B&O amp modules.

They sounded identical to the Parasound A21s I had.  Sold the Parasound.

Eventually switched to Luxman which sounded better than both.

The idea that half-decent Class D amps have a sonic signature which you could somehow tell different from a linear amp by listening is bunk. Absolute rubbish.

The 70s ended.....sounds  nutty but that was how it ended.