Comparing a Yamaha s301bl to a rega elicit mk5 - a/b on some paradigm 800fs and they sound the exact same. Looking at the specs it makes sense - I don’t know why I’d ever use the full wattage of even the Yamaha without getting hearing damage and the THD being 0.019% vs 0.004% makes no functional difference. Are high end amps the new snake oil? What exactly are you getting for 10x the price here (besides the rega having less features and the rega brand name?)

  • chemistcarpenter@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Been through a lotta amps. A LOT. Solid state and tube. I owned some. Others were loaners. In recording studios, switched from Crown to Hafler. No one else knew about the switch. Almost caused a riot. Oh my Lord did everyone pick up on the change! Now, in my house, since all amps basically sound the same, I can share that Krell loaner lasted 3 days before I took it back. Audio research tube amp lasted about a month. Phase Linear 700 was musical and enjoyable yet utterly unreliable. Hafler amps came and went. The XL-600 still has a place in my heart. Bryston is ok. B&K is not. Audiosource is cringe. VTL monoblocks somewhat magical. Mark Levinson! Those were the real deal. Yamaha, Rotel, NAD! You kidding me? Adcom! The big one has authority. Almost there, but not quite. Pretty damn close though. Boulder is the real deal. At least 40,50 different power amps. So what’s still in rotation? Sumo, The Power. IMO the best solid state power amp built in the US bar none. Harman Kardon Citation (my favorite still and an absolute powerhouse) and an oh so pretty Proton. (The Proton is not at the same leagues, but the big green vu meters at night. It’s a beautiful one)