Interesting comments. In repairing and building gear I have found that just because something may seem "over built" to some, the manufacturer has designed it that way to work with his component. Think back to Counterpoint. The basic preamps were build with really nothing power supplies so that they were simply built to a price point. As you went up the line, separate power supplies came into play. One simple reason to move the transformer out of the main chassis was noise. The separate power supplies also had better parts to complement the preamp that made the sound better. Tube regulation, tube rectification, etc., were added to improve the sound. You can build a power supply to regulate the AC with a resistor and many cheaper preamps have just that.
My power supplies are about 30lbs for my DAC and preamps. Probably more than the amps most of you are using. It is not that they are overbuilt, but necessary to get the sound I wanted each component to reproduce, plus noise, etc. Parts quality are also part of the equation. Dueland capacitors for example, are much larger than other standard capacitors, they also weigh more so not so much over build but in there for sound which requires more space. Each part has a sonic impact. That was why Counterpoint used Plitron transformers as a recommended upgrade. Expensive and larger (and quieter) that the stock ones Counterpoint originally used. Does all this make a difference in sound quality, to me YES, to others, I cannot answer for them. But if anyone used Counterpoint gear and went up the ladder, they heard the differences. So I do not think that this means that something is not working up to par somewhere in the chain, this is part of the design implementation. Speakers may need to be of a more simple design with quality parts, but when filtering AC and making the sound quiet, dynamic, micro/macro swings, control bass, clarity extension of high frequencies, etc., it may be what makes one component sound better that the other. Solid State versus tube designs also require different implementation. So my point is, try doing that with a resistor to control the AC.
How many manufacturers use point-to-point wiring? Do you think that you could hear the difference in your components if they were point-to-point wired? Is that overkill/overbuilt or a better design implementation?
Happy Listening.
My power supplies are about 30lbs for my DAC and preamps. Probably more than the amps most of you are using. It is not that they are overbuilt, but necessary to get the sound I wanted each component to reproduce, plus noise, etc. Parts quality are also part of the equation. Dueland capacitors for example, are much larger than other standard capacitors, they also weigh more so not so much over build but in there for sound which requires more space. Each part has a sonic impact. That was why Counterpoint used Plitron transformers as a recommended upgrade. Expensive and larger (and quieter) that the stock ones Counterpoint originally used. Does all this make a difference in sound quality, to me YES, to others, I cannot answer for them. But if anyone used Counterpoint gear and went up the ladder, they heard the differences. So I do not think that this means that something is not working up to par somewhere in the chain, this is part of the design implementation. Speakers may need to be of a more simple design with quality parts, but when filtering AC and making the sound quiet, dynamic, micro/macro swings, control bass, clarity extension of high frequencies, etc., it may be what makes one component sound better that the other. Solid State versus tube designs also require different implementation. So my point is, try doing that with a resistor to control the AC.
How many manufacturers use point-to-point wiring? Do you think that you could hear the difference in your components if they were point-to-point wired? Is that overkill/overbuilt or a better design implementation?
Happy Listening.