A question on sound

[Jan]

I am following this forum for about 16 weeks, some topics are fun some informativ. But always better than what my wife watches on TV.

For a long time, the closest to audiophile I could get was caraudio. I could drive the 50m to the beach and enjoy music, without disturbing anyone.

Then I moved into the house construced and build my speakers driven by car amps.

I never had any problems with sound. If I compare my father siting in the room playing his Ovation or a recording of him, it sounds alike.

The only way, it may be different is the image and the dynamics.

Lets talk about image. The best I experienced was Grieg; Per Gynt; Sir Thomas Beecham, played on a Burmester system.

There was the orchestra playing 5 to 6m infront of me, well expanding into the next room. Than Brigitte Nielson appears 2m infront of the orchestra singing just wonderfull.

This is what I am after.

And now dynamics. I dont mean loud. If you are looking for that, go to a car audio show. I mean something like Huge Masekela; Hope, Stimela. Even if you know the cry is coming you have to be scared,surpriced by it. This has more to do whith speed, as if you could hear a squarewave to be square.

 

To me audiophil is more that sound. And it is defintely more than headphons (if you dont listen to dummy head recordings).

 

By the way, I hate backgroundmusik. If i want to meet Carlos Santana, I will listen to Havana Moon. And if I read your coments, I dont want to hear anything.

 

I hope you will tell me(us) what sound is for you

Jan

 

[shenzi]

The main requirement of an amplifeir is low distortion and power output. Car audio amps should be good but may have some compromises dictated by size, the voltage they use, the market they're addressing.

 

Try to hear a few good (which doesn't mean expensive) home power amps or a competent receiver of at least 80w per channel. More power = less clipping and will result in better dynamics (or speed, if you like). It is particularly important for orchestral music which can have a huge dynamic range. That's why so many low powered amp makers demo with light jazz and solo instruments - ask them to stick on a Neilson orchestral piece and they go a bit pale.

 

Regarding image - something with a well rated PSU (so a bass transient in one channel doesn't clip the other) and good crosstalk spec will help. When I last went buying an amp, an early Rega model managed to make the music sound practically mono. And they let it out the design shop like that!

 

Watch out for some of the 'tuned' amps, where a specific sound has been sought. They can sound attractive but the wider the range of music (especially classical) the more chance you turn up tracks which don't suit the tuning. Fortunately they are usually the overpriced makes.

 

Have fun trying a few out.

 

[Jan]

I tried quite a few.

Some of those really sounded. But would I really buy an amplifier that sounds?

 

The biggest advantage of a car amplifier is the PSU. Its a batterie capable of delivering up to 1000+ Ampere. Show me a PSU that is delivering that much power.

The secound is that good car amps are mono. So I have 4 amps. 2 for mids and highs(pasive crossover 6dB at 5000Hz) rated 100w, +-3dB 25-100000Hz. And there is lots more for the woofer.

 

But this is not the point.

Ether it sounds right, that is natural, or wrong, that is harsh, soft, colored.

So amplifier sound? Hopefully not.

 

PS: Power does not translate into "speed"( could it be headroom) just into max output.

 

Cheers

Jan

 

[shenzi]

It sounds like you are sorted then, with regard to power amps. If you're driving the speakers direct and they're 8 ohm units you won't need vast amounts of current.

 

Regarding speed, I don't see where this comes from in amp terms (although I realise reviewers love the term). If an amp is underpowerd or bass heavy, it can sound slow as it can't make the sudden swings in dynamics. Other than that, I've heard components sound 'fast' because they have had a slight bass cut tuned in. Any decent power amp should be able to follow a square wave.