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Re: What are we here for?

John...good point, so here is some fodder.

There are a couple of factors to be included in your discussion, source devices, and the role of specifications as a marketing tool.

The frequency response of microphones changed, keeping pace with the technologies mentioned, but dictated intially the requirements for the remainder of the electronics chain from recording to reproduction.
Ribbon type microphones were quite an advancement, and my favorites, the Neumann and Telefunken U47 condenser mics were a huge improvement, requiring much wider bandwith I believe. Low cost dynamic types then became popular, but the bandwith desired for the condenser microphones may have previously set the standard...

Also, consumer tube amplifiers designed in the 50's/60's were engineered for stability in general, requiring limited bandwidth...remember the first time someone told you that if you dis-connect a speaker lead when a tube amp is ON, the amp will "blow"? Try it with any Mcintosh or Marantz or Eico; of course they do not experience a failure. The term "phase margin" was fully understood by all but the stupidest of designers at the time. It is no wonder feedback amplifers are out of favour, how many current designers have read Bode's "Feedback Amplifier Design"? You could count them on one hand.
Could one design a stable tube amplifier with response to 300 KHz? Of course it can be done, but given the target build costs for the consumer market at the time, it was not even a possibility.

While I like to see full power to at least 100 KHz in a tube amplifier design, and do believe it increases the "realism" of the music,I also consider the Marantz 9 to be a wonderful sounding amp generally. It is steeply bandwith limited at both low and high frequencies; in fact I think it utilizes more reactive components than any other consumer amplifier. Then consider the following:

When solid state designs became popular, frequency response could be extended dramatically in feedback amplifiers, due to a large reduction in reactive coupling components, and elimination of the output transformer phase shifts. Direct-coupled, semiconductor bloated designs could result in some impressive specifications, but sometimes horrible sound. Was the high frequency extension actually sonically beneficial?

Comments?


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