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Propeller Head Plaza Technical and scientific discussion of amps, cables and other topics. |
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Propeller Head Plaza Technical and scientific discussion of amps, cables and other topics. |
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In Reply to: Re: the guy's asking some good questions posted by Soundmind on June 13, 2006 at 13:40:21:
The fact that you grudgingly admit OTL amplifiers can be good undermines your whole argument that the technology is obsolete. Is it tubes as amplification devices you have a problem with, Soundmind or is it output transformers that facilitate the use of tubes with more conventional loudspeaker loads? What is your opinion of SS amps that use transformers like McIntosh? This is a company that is the epitome of build it convetionally and with great static measurements, and yet they use autoformers to couple the outputs.The fact that you admit an OTL done right can be good means that in fact the tube as an amplification device is most certainly not obsolete and is capable of very high performance. This is especially true with preamplifiers where loads are higher in impedance and much more stable than a loudspeaker. No transformers necessary (although I know some who find them desireable compared to a coupling capacitor).
SET amps perform miserably when asked to deliver power well beyond their intended power envelope. Many are specified a little more than optimistically. However, at low powers (below 1 watt) they are generally MORE linear than SS amps. This is because the distortion scales more directly with power in amps with little to no feedback. That is why the THD+noise of an SS amp is often highest at low power until the amp actually clips and a SET is most linear at the lowest measureable powers.
Now for conventional senstivity speakers this poses a problem when more power is required than can be delivered without clipping for the SET amp. A speaker with 100db/watt sensitivity will however, be only drawing a few miliwatts of power most of the time. Which amp is the most linear, Soundmind, at a few miliwatts??? I put my money on the SET at that power because at that power zero crossing distortion, present in ALL Class AB SS amps, will have a relatively big effect on the THD...and the sound.
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Follow Ups
- Re: the guy's asking some good questions - morricab 05:19:06 06/15/06 (1)
- Re: the guy's asking some good questions - Soundmind 14:48:39 06/15/06 (0)
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