Wow! I didn't expect this: I think I'm done w/ analog amps (receiver or separates) (1 Viewer)

[FeisalK]

Nigel,

Stereotimes has a short take on the XR45 in comparison to a tube and another SS amp

In any case - a lot of the posters on Audiocircle, AudioAsylum and our very own thread starter here Kevin take their audio equipment very seriously enough to be critical of what they choose to use.

Most of all I would only use magazines (any) as a guide to purchase decisions and prefer to trust people on here who have actually used the equipment themseves. As for "professional" reviews, you'd be hard pressed to find any more so than Edward JM's sub reviews on here - which you wont find in print.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

Joe,

There's an analogy that helps understand digital vs. analog amplification. Imagine a bathtub full of water but the water with a slow drain. There are two different ways to control the water level. The first is to vary the amount of water coming out of the faucet (this is the analog method). The other method is with a constant amount of water from the faucet being turned on an off (this is the digital method). The water is the current driving your speakers and there are 2 different ways of controlling it, varying the intensity (analog) or on/off combinations of constant intensity (digital).

Hope this helps

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Here's another take on aftermarket AC cords:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...s-12-2004.html

 

[Danny Tse]

The Panasonic XR-series receivers have what they called a C7 connection, which looks like an "8" laying on its side. Audio Advisor carry 2 aftermarket power cords that terminate in such fashion....

PS Audio Punch power cable

Audioquest NRG-1 power cable

On the other hand, one can purchase an IEC adaptor and use any aftermarket power cord.

 

[DonnyD]

I've been reading this post with much interest and it has me wanting to try one of the new Panny digital receivers. Just wondering how many have gone this route and what did you get rid of because of it?
Also, why hasn't some of the "big" receiver producers jumped on the bandwagon?

 

[NickSo]

THey're starting to..> Panasonic, kenwood, HK, Sony (higher end), i believe pioneer has one with digital amps...

Where can i find more detals on this Teac Tripath amp?? I cant seem to find much on google

 

[FeisalK]

Nick

1st hit on google (search for: teac tripath) was to audiocircle?
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/v...ic.php?t=11728

lots on AudioAsylum
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=amp&n=55390

and you can buy it at J&R for $99
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3668124

it's a 3 channel amp .. so 200 for 6 channels isnt bad.

hmm... decent prepro + $200

 

[FeisalK]

Pioneer's slimline receivers C300, 301, 501 and 502 all use digital amps tho they don;t say which technology. In fact their receivers (except the higher end ones) all use "Pioneer Hybrid Amplification" which i haven't been able to fina out anything about (probably for lack of looking hard enough). I think all the slimline receiver/player combos have digital amps (Sony - s-master, Yamaha)

talking about applying the TEACs as power amps, Flying Mole (Japanese) do an interesting multichannel power amp
http://www.flyingmole.co.jp/en/produ...616/index.html

Donny, big guns are doing stereo at the moment (TacT, Bel Canto, PSAudio) although PSAudio have a massive multichannel digital power amp (5 to 7 1kW per channel modules!) and there has been talk about adding a processor in their forum (last year?)

 

[BruceD]

I believe the only companies currently using the PurePath (formerly Equibit) DAC/amp digital chips from Texas Instruments are;

1) Panasonic
2) Kenwoood
3) TACT

IIRC, the rest of the digital amp solutions by all the other vendors take analog inputs (or a signal after the DSP and/or DAC) that are run through an additional A/D/A cycle.

 

[NickSo]

Feisal: THanks for the links.. but just curious, these are amps right, then wouldn't they take in an analog signal?

 

[FeisalK]

Nick, all the amps take analog signals - in which case there's probably an additional A-D conversion; Panny users say this is transparent (on the analog inputs) although everyone recommends trying the amp out using the digital input.

Bruce, the amps other than the PurePath - can they not take a digital input at all and work totally in the digital domain? It would seem strange to me that they won't

 

[BobRoulier]

I recently sold my B&K ref 50 rotel 1075 combo in favor of my kenwood 7100 receiver. Smoother and more detailed than the ref 50. I saved a bunch a money and have no regrets.

ps they make my paradigm sigs sound great


Bob

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Just as amazing as the sound of the Panasonics and the Kenwood 7100 receivers is the gear that people are giving up un favor of these digital amped titans. I was about to buy a new Onkyo/Adcom for around $2200, and just like you BobRoulier, I now have absolutely no regrets whatsoever w/ my $220.00 Panasonic XR50....except wanting a 7-channel Panasonic or Kenwood. The first one to bring a 7-channel version of their Pure Path receiver to market gets my money.

 

[Danny Tse]

Actually, almost every mainstream manufacturer has introduced a receiver with digital amps, with Sony doing this from about 2 to 3 years ago. Pioneer has one in its line for the past 2 years. Here are some more....

Sherwood Newcastle R-903

Onkyo TX-LR552

$5,000.00 Yamaha MX-D1 digital power amp

Yamaha DVR-S150 HT receiver with build-in DVD player

 

[BruceD]

Correct, all the other digital amp technologies take analog inputs only.

Even those inside a receiver (Sony, HK, etc.) use a DAC for the D/A conversion first before the additional A/D/A amp cycle.

 

[Dave_vega]

i'm also interested in what type of cord I should get for my XR-50 that will be in tomorrow

 

[FeisalK]

Bruce, D2Audio (inside HK) says they take all kinds of input

http://www.d2audio.com/default.aspx?...roduct+Line&k=

not sure about the rest tho. just seems counterproductive to do a D/A A/D not to mention chancing degradation and interference

 

[seng-choe]

Anyone tried digital receivers with small speakers like the MS genie or the KEF 2005?

 

[NickSo]

yeah, i dont see a point if they take in analog, convert to digital and then amplify it digitally...

 

[Danny Tse]

Hmmmm....

With the exception of the TEAC A-L700P mentioned above, all of the mainstream products mentioned are receivers. They can receive a digital signal directly, whether through coax or Toslink, from a CD player/transport, thus bypassing the player/transport's DAC.

Even with the TEAC, the sound quality of this 30 watts/channel power amp has been described as "stunning".