I noticed that at least some SMcAudio-revised McCormack amps have much lower input impedance compared to the stock models. I don’t know what specifically Steve does in the revisions that produces this, but given the results he clearly feels it’s a worthwhile tradeoff for improved sonics. But given Steve’s practical nature and Kirkus’s point about limiting the sonic benefit for 95% of audiophiles to accommodate a few outliers, the choice for a lower input impedance seems like pretty reasonable one in the scheme of things. No?
As a stupid follow-up question, does increasing the bias in a SS amp have an effect on input impedance? Or, put another way, could you increase the operating bias in an amp without raising the input impedance, and if you did that what would be the sonic trade offs? Of course there are Class-A amps that seem to have reasonably low input impedances, so maybe I answered my own question. Yes I know, I’m a moron.
As a stupid follow-up question, does increasing the bias in a SS amp have an effect on input impedance? Or, put another way, could you increase the operating bias in an amp without raising the input impedance, and if you did that what would be the sonic trade offs? Of course there are Class-A amps that seem to have reasonably low input impedances, so maybe I answered my own question. Yes I know, I’m a moron.