Cleanest Amplifier

[limitkid7 5,000+ posts]

Should be for the better.
- Steve

alpine's using it now, i just wonder if it will become a requirement...

hopefully no more 800 max encripted on these sony and boozaka amps anymore.... everything rated by rms or will @ least explain to people the difference..

guess that means DHD will go out of business, except for at flea markets

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the most efficient amp on the market was class D which were at the most 80% efficient. Anyone who knows let me know please.

Theoretical efficiency on Class D amps is 100%. Theoretical. Best I have seen is around 85% real world. There are several companies advertising higher than that but I have yet to see it confirmed by an independent source.

That is just NON fact and opinionated bullsheist. JL makes very decent amplifiers but lets face it.......JL is known for subs.

Phoenix gold used to only be known for wire. Then Wire and amps. Now a bunch of people swear by their subs and speakers. People new to the car audio scene probably don't know that JL used to make only subs. Then they added the CW series of mids and tweets. Then they went to the range of mids and highs they have now and then they went to amps. The amps are solid as hell. They are not cheap and they make their rated power plus some. I have been seeing more and more cars using JL amps but nothing else from JL. Looks to me like they have developed a rep as an amp maker...

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Theoretical efficiency on Class D amps is 100%. Theoretical. Best I have seen is around 85% real world. There are several companies advertising higher than that but I have yet to see it confirmed by an independent source.Phoenix gold used to only be known for wire. Then Wire and amps. Now a bunch of people swear by their subs and speakers. People new to the car audio scene probably don't know that JL used to make only subs. Then they added the CW series of mids and tweets. Then they went to the range of mids and highs they have now and then they went to amps. The amps are solid as hell. They are not cheap and they make their rated power plus some. I have been seeing more and more cars using JL amps but nothing else from JL. Looks to me like they have developed a rep as an amp maker...

Well, I'll never own one. They charge wayyyy too much for them and in MY opinion they're ugly. Appearance makes a difference to me in case you haven't noticed. With the money you spend for 1 JL amp you could buy 2 from a different manufacturer that makes good amps as well. Just my opinion though.

Adam

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Not saying that I would buy one at retail but they are good amps. I kinds like the look myself. Not flashy, all business. Exact opposite of Audiobahn.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Exact opposite of Audiobahn.

You got that right.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suave.gif.858fc102f7646e678ee8af7e1fbc41d1.gif

 

[WarDrumz 10+ year member]

I am about to attempt to ask a question regarding this subject. Don't take your anger out that you have for the other posters on this thread out on me.

It's mostly curiosity.

Here it goes.....

I've always believed a watt is a watt.

BUT I've never understood what a 'watt' sounds like.

I was thinking..People that claim amplifiers can sound better than the next "might" have a point.

When a person posts "cleaner" refering to an amp, why does "a watt is a watt" always come as a response?

Like I said, to me, power is power, a watt IS a watt, but do all amplifiers have the same internals for the signal to travel through?

An amplifier is supposed to amplify the input signal right?

How can we tell that the out going signal, (the music), that we hear is an EXACT match to what the input signal was? Except to say it sounds cleaner/worse?

Bcuz if the music from the amp is slightly different than the original input signal, THEN amps COULD sound different.

Yeah a watt is a watt. But if one amp doesn't produce the signal exactly identical to the original signal then '50 watt amp A' could be putting out 50 watts of music that isn't identical to the original input signal, which could sound 'different'...while '50 watt amp B' could be thought of as "cleaner" bcuz the music sounds exactly like the input signal, only 50 watts more powerful.

So, if this is possible, again, IF it's possbile, then one amp could be thought of as being cleaner/worse than another.

Again, my whole 'maybe post' is based upon the signal traveling through an amp being slightly different in one amp, and another amp keeping the signal the same. So...if that isn't possible then just disregard everything before this sentence.

Does a damping factor play a role in low frequency output?

Bcuz I have had two amps of identical power sound the same until lows were played, and one amp played them 'strong & forceful' while the other made them seem 'faint'.

***I am talking about subwoofer amps.

*******Also my post is based on 'maybe if'. I don't believe I've stated anything as fact. Just 'maybe'.

 

[WarDrumz 10+ year member]

If my previous is post sounds stupid, which it could to someone who understand amps, bcuz I don't, then please just say that it isn't possible. Something to that effect. Bcuz the last thing I need is someone making an inflamatory remark that gets a 100 post argument started.

Again, it's just a 'maybe if' post. Not facts.

Thanx.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Let me ask you a question....Do head units all sound the same? Do all speakers sound the same? NO they do NOT. I believe all amps sound different than one another. Others may disagree with me but I could care less. In my opinion an amplifier by one mfg leaves a "sonic signature" on the sound it amplifies. One may sound brighter than the other or one may be a little bass heavy. You may not be able to differentiate between the 2 in a "blind test" and quite frankly that wouldn't matter to me if I could or not. Picking an amp is the same as picking a set of components or subs or a head unit or even an eq or x-over. If all components reproduced everything without changing the sonic characteristics of the signal then ALL amps or any components would be equal. But they don't so therefore they are NOT equal. Instead of picking an amp based on power output, people should listen and pick based on the sound. You could even make the same argument on rca interconnects making a difference in the sound, which I whole-heartedly agree that they do sound different. A pair of the same build and quality and price may not have much of a difference but you take a $90 pair of Monster Cable interconnects and do an A-B comparison with a $5 no name pair from Wal Mart and the difference would be very noticeable.

I guess thats all I have on this subject.

Adam //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suave.gif.858fc102f7646e678ee8af7e1fbc41d1.gif

 

[tobz 10+ year member]

Actually, you would be surprised at the lack of noticeable difference between the Monster Cable and the Wal-mart interconnects.

Not too mention you're an idiot and I would like to see you prove to anyone that you can tell all the different "amps sonic signatures". I could hook up a set of speakers and run a handful of different amps and you couldn't tell a difference.

Oh, and if you can, there is like a gazillion dollar amp challenge if you pass a blindfold test for this very topic...

T.J.

 

[tobz 10+ year member]

Sorry for the idiot comment, I'm at work, and crabby.

T.J.

 

[wal1885 10+ year member]

tobz for that amp challenge thing isn't one of the requirements for the amp to be set in the flat position? (like not on high pass or low pass)....just wondering

 

[tobz 10+ year member]

It would make sense. I really have no idea.

Because that would be getting into the realm of signal processing, x-overs, etc.

 

[Breogan24 10+ year member]

I don't know if i could pass a blindfold test either, maybe it's just pyschological. I swear by my PPI Power Class amp. All amps have different specs, I think there is an art to having transistor configurations. I am no expert, but don't the different configurations make a difference in the linearity of the output -vs- what the input is. I mean all the amp is supposed to do is Amplify, but there are other factors along the way to reproduce the sound the EXACT same way it was input. For example take the frequency response of most amps, 20hz -20khz, yes this the audible range of human hearing. But my amp has a frequency response of something like 4.5hz-100khz. I read that this allows the music to be played easier by the amplifier. If you had to lift 100lbs, would you want a person that can lift up to 101lbs, or someone that can lift up to 1000lbs. I think that is what that reasoning is trying to prove. I think the next big concern is the law of diminishing returns. Maybe it's not MUCH more worthy to spend big bux on an amp, when a very similar, slightly inferior model will suffice. I know when i replaced my Clarion amp with my PPI amp the speakers played things i never heard before. Just my opinion.

 

[wal1885 10+ year member]

It would make sense. I really have no idea.
Because that would be getting into the realm of signal processing, x-overs, etc.

I do not know too much about the way amplification works but once you do get into the realm of the signal processing/x-overs isn't that when amps change the way the sound comes out of the speakers? Don't these signal processors and x-overs settings determine the more pricey amps to the less inexpensive amps?(higher quality materials). I can see where people argue with a watt is a watt also and I think it is probably tru but all amp companies have different materials they use and does this not change the sound at all? I am not asking you to argue I am asking to be informed thanks.

 

[WarDrumz 10+ year member]

I do not know too much about the way amplification works but once you do get into the realm of the signal processing/x-overs isn't that when amps change the way the sound comes out of the speakers? Don't these signal processors and x-overs settings determine the more pricey amps to the less inexpensive amps?(higher quality materials). I can see where people argue with a watt is a watt also and I think it is probably tru but all amp companies have different materials they use and does this not change the sound at all? I am not asking you to argue I am asking to be informed thanks.

Thats kinda basically where I was coming from.

A watt IS a watt. But a 'watt' doesn't have sound to it on it's own, atleast not musically. I'm thinking that the internals of some amps may not produce the input signal as accurate as others. Therefore you 'might' have 50 watt amps that are 50 watts of pure accuracy (cleaner), and another 50 watt amp that is 50 watts of inaccuracy.

Could it be?