I am far from an expert, but from what I have read, measurements aren't always a barometer of sound. As a subscriber to Stereophile, many times the measurements indicated on some high priced amps are not really up to snuff, yet despite the measurements, the reviewer will swear on a stack of bibles that the amplifier sounded excellent. I think every company has it's own unique sound bias and will seek to design it in their product. The quality of parts and even the type of wiring (copper vs silver) will also determine the sound quality. For instance, even with the same measurments, tube amps almost always present a different sound quality than solid state.
Why do amps sound different?
Hi folks, can anyone tell me why amps sound different? I know this is a very trivial question, but it isn't so trivial as I previously thought. For example: an amp can sound "warm", while the other can sound "lean" and a bit "cooler". These amps measure the same on the test bench, but why do they sound different? What causes the "warm" characteristic if the amp has pretty good measurements and frequency characteristics? It is certainly not measurable high frequency roll off, otherwise the amp sucks. Maybe one of the experts among us can elucidate this issue a bit. Thank you.
Chris
Chris