What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?


Amplifiers include tubes (if not solid state), big transformers, lots of internal wiring, Power supply, cabinet, gain controls if you're lucky, connections for incoming and outgoing cables, Computer chips,  Control panels, semiconductor boards, design choices, age,  etc.

Of all this stuff, what contributes the most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?

 

 

emergingsoul

Showing 1 response by gbmcleod

An amplifier's "sound" is only apparent when connected to cables and a speaker. So it could depend on the capacitance of the speaker cable, or any steep phase angles the speaker has.

And, as mentioned, the power supply, which is why  the average receiver will not drive say, a Magnepan or some other type speaker  (hybrids, electrostatics and other exotic types) that places demands on the amp it usually can't handle.