QuestionQUESTION: Hi Robert,
I am in a dilemma about whether to buy a Class AB amplifier or a Class A amplifier. I have more or less selected a class AB type simply because of heat disadvantages of Class A and the consequential heat degradation of circuits and components. I want your perspective on this.
I am buying a stereo amplifier of Chinese origin and would like to about your experiences with Chinese equipment.
As far as music is concerned, how much are tubes preferable? I am not going to buy a tube amplifier that has tube jutting out, but was wondering how a hybrid amplifier that has tubes in the pre-amp stage or power amp stage would sound when compared to a Class A or Class AB amplifier.
Thanks and Regards,
Chandan
ANSWER: The pro's and cons of class A vs class AB have diminished with advances in technology. Even though the cycle of the class A certainly holds a more purist approach to dealing with transients the advent of fast switching power supplies has made it virtually imperceptible to the trained ear as to which one sounds better. Hybrid tube is generally more effective in the preamp stage since the signal is being injected with a certain amount of harmonic distortion in order to achieve the warmth that our ears want to hear to make sounds seem ambient and live. In both cases the ONLY time it will make a difference is when you are referring to performance (not audiophile components). The price difference usually being in the range of 3 to 4 times more costly for performance equipment. I almost hate to say it but it has become indisputable amoung audio experts, that the Chinese (providing you are dealing with the right companies) have surpassed the Japanese, American, Austrailian, Canadian, European manufacturing techniques. They learned how to copy them all because all of the afore mentioned wanted to make their components less expensive to manufacture (years ago) so they lost their secret potions (so to speak). If you do your homework you can find a Chinese amplifier in the $1,200 to $1,500 range that will out perform just about anything you can find and not be either class A or tube hybrid. Check out Red Rose. His amps are made in China. That's Mark Levinson.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you very much for your reply Robert.
I would like to know your preferred Chinese brands for Integrated amplifiers. My budget is only $500 and in that I have shortlisted Dussun DS99, Jungson JA99D and some Shanling model. I didn't listen to any chinese amp till date but have decided to buy on the assumption that they must be good.
Thanks and Regards,
Chandan
AnswerI will be painfully honest here. I wish I had time to research them. I know their out there but Red Rose is the only name I can pull out of my hat. From what I remember that is the OEM price that Mark Levinson pays for one of those amps. I would start with tech reviews of performance equipment and let it take you to a place where someone of Marks ilk recommends an amp that is affordable. Let me know what you find.
