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From: twiston@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk (twiston)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Hi-Fi amplification question.
Message-ID: <917@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk>
Date: 23 Jun 89 09:08:11 GMT
Reply-To: twiston@prlhp1.UUCP ()
Organization: Philips Research Laboratories, Redhill, UK
Lines: 20

Why is it that building a good Hi_Fi power amlifier is not as simple as
building a decent class B output stage with a healthy power supply, (overrated
transformer big caps etc) and putting this into the feedback loop of a fast
high voltage op_amp?

I'm confused by Hi-Fi magazines who discuss in great detail the subjective 
merits of two very similar in design amps and manage to pronounce one a 
conclusive victor and trash the other when inside they must be electronically
almost identical. Does anybody know the secret? I read yesterday about a French
design of class A tube amp which retails at over 1000 pounds and sells well,
yet the reviewer stated in his technical report that if he had found such a
poor performance in a 100 pound integrated amp he would have and i quote;
"relegated it to the dustbin". 

If the amp sells well it must sound good or maybe its just a status symbol.
Surely the proof of a good Hi-Fi is that it sounds good to the ear. 
-- 
Wayland Twiston Davies (twiston@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk)
Philips Research Labs, Crossoak Lane, Redhill, SURREY RH1 5HA
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