@millercarbon The specs section is not really where most readers are going to look that closely, at least IMO. The information on the output is not highlighted in any way in the spec section. Like I stated, the extremely low output is not mentioned anywhere in the body of the review.
@noromance How many times have you utilized a 9 watt amp in your system with 87db speakers? I have heard a number of speakers with 87db efficiency that also drop down to below 2ohms, try driving these with a 9watt/ch amp. |
@mijostyn Agreed and disagreed. While I agree with you that basically the amp in question is essentially useless for the vast majority of users, particularly if they are using anything but horns. I disagree that low power amps do not have value. Some of the best sounding amps in my experience are low powered designs. The higher powered version of the same amp in many cases ( most cases?) are not going to sound as great as their lower powered brethren. YMMV. |
@billzame. Great points. In this particular review, there is actually no mention of the output power of this amp in the body of the piece. So, one could actually read the whole piece and not realize what that is!
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@millercarbon Chuck, If you don’t like my thread, I suggest you place it on ignore. |
@kevn, That’s a great answer, tells me that you are indeed a very smart buyer. Not so sure others are as smart as you, but I guess that is why they too would be in for a learning experience. |
@atmasphere Thanks Ralph. Your post explains a lot and is certainly very instructive. Apparently the amp has 10% distortion at 9watts. I would have to believe that this is audible. Therefore, a match to the most efficient speakers one could find would seem to be mandatory. Probably only a match to a horn design would be indicated...leading to the other issues you mention.
None of this is discussed in the review, I have to question why? |
@daj That is precisely what I am getting at. Although you seem to negate this, I believe that a reviewer has a responsibility to a reader to educate them as to what the possible issues (failings) of the product are...and not, as some of the other members here have commented on...simply to write advertising prose. Like Atmasphere commented above, this omission is actually pretty important, and leads to a failure on the reviewer’s behalf, IMO. |
The amplifier may not have failings in doing what it was designed to do, within its very very limited parameters. That’s not the point here, what is the point is that the reviewer never brought up the limitations that are inherent with a design like this. I think these limitations are severe enough to disqualify this amp from most people’s ability to utilize them successfully. Since there seems to be some disbelief that folks would buy this amp without already knowing its short comings, let me relate a story that happened recently to a very sophisticated and experienced audiophile friend of mine...This gentleman goes shopping for a new amp for his fairly inefficient speakers from the same dealer that he had acquired the speakers from. The dealer sells him a low powered amp that ‘should’ work with his speakers and in his room. My friend believes that this tube amp should work, as it had a very favorable review in an audiophile magazine with good crede. Unfortunately, after about a month of trying to get the amp to work well in his system, he came to the realization that the amp in question was simply unable to properly drive his speakers, resulting in not only a ton of frustration, but ultimately a significant loss when he came to sell the amp!
Now, IMHO if the dealer or the reviewer had mentioned the fact that this amp has severe limitation in its ability to drive less than ultra efficient speakers, do we all think that my friend would have made this mistake?
BTW, I’m not saying an Air Tight dealer would lead a buyer on in this regard with reference to this particular amp, but again, the reviewer said nothing about the amps severe limitations ( ok,different from failings). An omission that I believe was significant and unfortunate. |
@daj Please point to where I have stated I have a grievance with the amps designer! Not the case at all.
@mrdecibel Unfortunately, what a lot of folks rely on to get their education on an audio product is a review of said product in a well recognized audio magazine. Whether this is a smart thing to do or not is debatable, but I think most of us can agree that a lot of hobbyists give a great deal of creed to a rave review. As such, i think the omission I have been discussing is pertinent and problematical. YMMV.
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@p05129 You are right, I am NOT a seasoned a'phile, certainly no where near as seasoned ( whoever that means?) as you! ;0)
@aewarren Does it not concern you at least a little bit that the reviewer in the Absolute Sound ( NOT Stereophile) omitted the fact that this amp needs to be used only with the utmost efficient speakers. No others need apply. Ralph ( atmasphere) seems to get my point about this glaring omission, surprising that so many others seemingly do not!
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Folks, where do I give the impression that I am the one being misled from the article I quoted in the OP?
Absolute Sound is a magazine that is read by a wide variety of audience demographic. ( Most probably fairly experienced audiophiles, BUT NOT ALL!). I am fairly certain that there are people who are in the market for an amp that read reviews in these periodicals and rely on what the reviewer states. By omitting this very important piece of information, I personally believe that the reviewer is not doing any service to his readership. Clearly others think this is no problem, as they think that anyone who would consider such a purchase should either be a) fully educated as to its limitations from past experience or b) willing to accept that the buyer should be beware and as such if it is a non-working solution for their amp needs --well that's just too bad.
Interesting perspectives here from my point of view...and educational to me. |
@daj Perhaps you are trying to read too much into what I am getting at... |
@aewarren. Your posts say a lot about you. I certainly hope that you never find yourself in a position of disadvantage because someone failed to disclose something to you..
Maybe then we can talk about comprehension...or lack thereof! |
@kevn Kevin, perhaps you could answer my question. If you read the review I alluded to in my OP, there is no mention in the body of the work that the amp in question puts out a maximum of 9watts/ch and at 10% distortion. Furthermore, there is no mention of what kind of speakers would seem to be mandatory if one is to consider this amp. Given that you state that the relationship between components is a very complex aspect ( which I concur with), I ask this: if you had bought this amp and hooked it up to your 88db sensitive speakers, and the result was far from what you are expecting based on the review, what would your thoughts be? |
