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<blockquote data-quote="helotaxi" data-source="post: 1471392" data-attributes="member: 550915">Probably you could tell a difference, but you still wouldn&#039;t be able to reliably tell the difference between the two amps.&nbsp; Truth is, the speakers introduce so much distortion that unless the amp severely colors the sound (i.e. a tube amp) the speakers (even the best audiophile component speakers) will mask most any difference in amps.&nbsp; The key to the RC challenge is that the power outputs are exactly matched and neither amp is being pushed hard so distortion from the amp is kept to a bare minimum and because the amps aren&#039;t being pushed, they both will have plenty of headroom so neither will have a dynamic advantage over the other.The sonic qualities of an amp only really become apparent when you drive the crap out of the amp.&nbsp; Some amps have severe distortion problems when driven hard (still before clipping).&nbsp; Some amps are also poorly designed and/or built and crossover distortion is a problem.&nbsp; This isn&#039;t harmonic distortion and won&#039;t show up in a measurement of it, but it is audible and sounds like poo.&nbsp; You can only really detect it with an o-scope.&nbsp; It really amounts to a broken amp IMO but it can be chased to poor design and/or cheap construction.I used to frequent a shop that swore by the old Targa and Sentrek amps.&nbsp; As long as you were judicious with the volume and bought more power than you needed and turned the gain down, they were great bang for the buck amps.&nbsp; Take it easy on them and you couldn&#039;t tell the difference between them and the Hafler amps that the shop owner had in his car.&nbsp; Try to get max unclipped power out of them, nevermind rated power, and they sounded like garbage.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="helotaxi, post: 1471392, member: 550915"] Probably you could tell a difference, but you still wouldn't be able to reliably tell the difference between the two amps. Truth is, the speakers introduce so much distortion that unless the amp severely colors the sound (i.e. a tube amp) the speakers (even the best audiophile component speakers) will mask most any difference in amps. The key to the RC challenge is that the power outputs are exactly matched and neither amp is being pushed hard so distortion from the amp is kept to a bare minimum and because the amps aren't being pushed, they both will have plenty of headroom so neither will have a dynamic advantage over the other. The sonic qualities of an amp only really become apparent when you drive the crap out of the amp. Some amps have severe distortion problems when driven hard (still before clipping). Some amps are also poorly designed and/or built and crossover distortion is a problem. This isn't harmonic distortion and won't show up in a measurement of it, but it is audible and sounds like poo. You can only really detect it with an o-scope. It really amounts to a broken amp IMO but it can be chased to poor design and/or cheap construction. I used to frequent a shop that swore by the old Targa and Sentrek amps. As long as you were judicious with the volume and bought more power than you needed and turned the gain down, they were great bang for the buck amps. Take it easy on them and you couldn't tell the difference between them and the Hafler amps that the shop owner had in his car. Try to get max unclipped power out of them, nevermind rated power, and they sounded like garbage. [/QUOTE]

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