Zero feedback amps


I knmow ayre VX1 is zero feedback design.What other amps are zero feedback and what are the advantages?
Nreddy
nreddy

Showing 1 response by bigtee

The Ayre V5x and all of the Theta amps(Dreadnaught I and II,) Citadels, etc. are zero feedback amps.
The advantage of the zero global feedback amps is they are just plain more musical, they image better and they are more holographic. They come closer to tube sound than any other solid state design without the tube drawbacks. I have also found the soundstage to be much deeper compared to negative feedback amps. Ayre (Hansen seems to think feedback causes time domain problems.) I don't know about all that but to me they just plain sound better.
I bought a pair of the highly rated JC-1's and yes, they do have better bass control in an absolute sense but the Ayre V5x I use now has better bass (as in musical definition.) The JC-1's did a poor job of sound stage depth even after burning in for months. The Parasounds have good side to side imaging but not front to back. They certainly didn't present the holographic imaging from wall to wall and well out front to way back in the stage with bloom, articulation and an ability to just hang images in space.
I sold the Parasound's and certainly have not missed them. They sounded "Hi-fi" to me. The Parasound is an excellent amp when compared to other moderate to high feedback amps. The JC-1's use about 29db of global feedback I'm told. When compared to some other high dollar amps like Krell and Levinson, it's right in there---just not the zero feedback amps.
I use Vandersteen speakers which take full advantage of the holographic imaging of the Ayre amp. I'm sure the JC-1 would fair better with some other speakers like Revel, Wilson and others that benefit from a "Balls to the wall (all about power) amp."
I also used a 4-ch Theta Dread I that is an excellent amp but like the Ayre better overall.
Negative feedback amps spec better and all that but after you listen to a no feedback amp, for me, game over!