Re: Do all amplifiers sound the same?

On Thu, 8 May 2008 17:06:48 -0700, Peter Elem wrote
(in article <g004io0mgk@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):

> Some manufactorers admit that they Color or "voice" their amplifiers. 
> Audio Research does and of course there are the Carver solid state amps 
> that were supposedly voiced like tube amplifiers.

Actually Bob Carver's claim was that he could "null" one of his amps to
sound 
like any amplifier he chose. I was party to a demonstration where he made
one 
of his Carver amps sound like a conrad johnson tube amp. Whether or not he

actually did this in production, I don't know. But the question that I
have 
is why? Unless each amp was nulled on a bespoke basis, what good is that 
ability? I would think that such an ability would be best served in making

his amps as neutral as possible. 
 
> Another thing. I cannot usually tell the difference between two good 
> amps in an AB test.....But on first listening to an acceptional amp my 
> subconscious tells me it's good after the first few seconds. Maybe 
> that's what a "golden ear" is about.......

That echoes my experience as well. 
> 
> RobertLang wrote:
>> Can a manufacturer “color” the sound of their amps purposefully so that
>> they *do* sound differently from other amps? If you read the product
>> information you almost get the impression that’s what some may do?
Also, is
>> there any reasons why an Class D amp might sound differently from a A/B
or
>> why those two classes may sound differently than a Class A?
>> 
>> Let me make it clear that over the years I have been unable to discern
>> through subjective listening that audible differences exist among
>> amplifiers as long the amplifiers are operating within their design
limits.
>> To best insure that the amplifiers I use do not exceed their limits I
tend
>> to use large “beefy” amps with considerably more power than I would
>> probably ever us.
>> 
>> I do have criteria, however, when purchasing an amplifier as subjective
>> and perhaps shallow as they may be. Among the criteria are looks
(although
>> my amps are now hidden from view), size, rated continuous power of 300
>> watts + into 8 ohms with low rated distortion across the a wide
frequency
>> response and power bandwidth, a doubling of power or near doubling into
4
>> ohms, substantial increase of rated power into 2 ohms, input
sensitivity of
>> 1.5 V or less (for full output) because I employ a passive line stage,
and
>> an input impedance friendly for passives. Usually they tend to be of
mono
>> design (although that is not a criterion) even if contained in a single
>> chassis. 
>> 
>> I have found that if an amp meets those criteria in my system I really
>> can’t tell the difference whether it is in bass response, high
frequency
>> response, depth, width, height of sound stage, etc.
>> 
>> Robert C. Lang
>>