Members wooden Posted August 11, 2005 Members Posted August 11, 2005 http://www.impamp.com/ Could it be useful in the studio? wouldnt the tubes color the signal?
Members Soundoor Posted August 11, 2005 Members Posted August 11, 2005 Originally posted by wooden wouldnt the tubes color the signal? Tubes add warmth to any audio signal.
Members 60hurts Posted August 11, 2005 Members Posted August 11, 2005 And depending on how they are used, they can add distortion to any signal, too!
Members MorePaul Posted August 12, 2005 Members Posted August 12, 2005 hell, adding warmth *IS* distortion lo-fi hi-fi so to speak
Members StompboxMan Posted August 12, 2005 Members Posted August 12, 2005 The Imp Amp is clean sounding and does not distort. The Nano head distorts.
Members MorePaul Posted August 12, 2005 Members Posted August 12, 2005 what they're talking about isn't necessarily the saturaion of, say, a guitar amp but coloration an amplifier may impart hell, all amplifiers (audio or other) distort the input to some extent perfect fidelity - the funny thing is that the end-goal of some hi-fi systems isn't absolute perfect fidelity, but musically pleasing playback
Members StompboxMan Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 Here's the iMP Amp's Specifications from the Manual. iMP Amp Specifications:Frequency response: 15Hz to 20kHz +0.5/-2.0 dB at 8 ohms, measured at 70 mW.No, it's not a misprint. The iMP is DC-coupled (no capacitors!) for radical sub-frequencyresponse. -3dB points: -3dB@10Hz. -3dB@22kHz.Output Power: 1 watt/channel at 12 ohms. .750 watts/channel at 8 ohms. About 80mW at 5V rms driving 300 ohm headphones (such as the famous Sennheiser MD600.)Input: -20dB consumer to +4dB pro level via adjustable trimmers on bottom. Use +4dB(trimmers set counter-clockwise) for lower-impedance headphones for best noise specs.Noise: Better than 80 dB S/N at 1kHz.Residual Hum: Less than 0.2mVAC at 60Hz plus harmonics.Power Supply: UL-listed 12VAC at 1A (1000mA).
Members MorePaul Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 Prob the specs those guys would be most interested in is THD and IMD
Members zachary vex Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 8^)ears. that's what my emoticon is missing. ears.
Members fantasticsound Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 Some of you guys just don't get it. I can't speak to the validity of Zach's new toy, though I have little doubt it would be worth owning just on his previous products. Yes, tubes color sound more than high quality solid state electronics. So, what? And harmonic distortion? There's a legend of an audiophile amplifier that produced in the neighborhood of 40% harmonic distortion. Not .04%. Not even 4%. 40%. Guess, what? It was repeatedly given the best marks by audiophiles for great sound. I wouldn't want to use that amp for mixing or mastering (It would likely obscure nastiness that other sound systems would reproduce.. not good!) but for my listening pleasure? Why the hell not? Remember, most people are listening to compact speakers driven by the crappiest solid state electronics known to man. You think a $30 - $60 pair of computer speakers sound good?
Members MorePaul Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 Don't get me wrong Fantastic I was sort of concerned that the topic would get misinterpreted - discussing audio gear is as dangerous as discussing computer OS choices Audiophile and brand specific audiophile..a field of landmines at best ;^) that's sort of the point (please review my 1st 2 posts) I think it was the intention (well mine at least) to discuss that part of playback systems Yes, tubes color sound more than high quality solid state electronics. So, what?.... I wouldn't want to use that amp for mixing or mastering (It would likely obscure nastiness that other sound systems would reproduce.. not good!) but for my listening pleasure? Why the hell not? That's the kind of - in what context is something appropriate? Does it fit the intented use? the taste of the user? that's the so what those guys were looking at which is why I suggested the specs of interest would be the distortion characteristics...It's merely a parameter of performance that can aid in that discussion I think the knee-jerk is to assign absolute value judgements, but we're adults and don't have to that
Members MorePaul Posted August 13, 2005 Members Posted August 13, 2005 Originally posted by zachary vex 8^)ears. that's what my emoticon is missing. ears. o8^)o If you're OK with extended characters we might be able to come up with better ones
Members fantasticsound Posted August 15, 2005 Members Posted August 15, 2005 Originally posted by MorePaul Don't get me wrong Fantastic I was sort of concerned that the topic would get misinterpreted - discussing audio gear is as dangerous as discussing computer OS choices Audiophile and brand specific audiophile..a field of landmines at best ;^) that's sort of the point (please review my 1st 2 posts) I think it was the intention (well mine at least) to discuss that part of playback systems Yes, tubes color sound more than high quality solid state electronics. So, what?.... I wouldn't want to use that amp for mixing or mastering (It would likely obscure nastiness that other sound systems would reproduce.. not good!) but for my listening pleasure? Why the hell not? That's the kind of - in what context is something appropriate? Does it fit the intented use? the taste of the user? that's the so what those guys were looking at which is why I suggested the specs of interest would be the distortion characteristics...It's merely a parameter of performance that can aid in that discussion I think the knee-jerk is to assign absolute value judgements, but we're adults and don't have to that Understood. That's why I stay away from anything that resmbles "audiophile" conversation. I have absolutely no use for $300 interconnects, $8,000 amplifiers or $35,000 speakers. People often quote specs on distortion without knowing what they mean. And many times, even if they know the definition and applications, they still don't understand which specs are most telling of an amp's performance. One of my favorite classes at Columbia College was about specs, what they mean and how manufacturers misrepresent or skew information to make their product look like something it's not. I'm not accusing you of anything. Just pointing out that harmonic distortion in an amp designed for relaxed listening (and I don't see anything on the site where Zach suggests this a reference amplifer) isn't all that important. We've just been trained to believe it is.
Members MorePaul Posted August 15, 2005 Members Posted August 15, 2005 That's cool - I just didn't want to gt my comments mis-interpeted (the "some folks don't get it blade" swings around out of control and cuts everyone's head off and we are left with ugliness where a conversation stood) I think the conversation grew from the Warmth/distortion thing in the first 2 posts - which is why I was addressing what I was addressing not a subjective quality of listening (which is why I brought up warmth is a distortion -- do many want warmth? yes, and if warmth is a distortion...welll..then they want...) hey, FWIW my little HH SCott still runs a couple of B&Ws and I like the sound (hence the Lo-Fi Hi-Fi crack) ...the clean/warm thing...it's star bellies, we get told that it should be clean and it should be warm and people can chase their tails for a perfection yes, marketing should not be allowed to use specs it was simply my intention to point to the spec we would be interested in when looking at the warmth/distortion issues ugh, audiophile is insidious though - sometimes is raises it's ugly little head not in oxygen free cables and glass plinth tables but in which codec people will use of how they have an EQ set
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