2. amps-preamps
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Is solid state on the brink of extinction?

I am curious how many out there, like me, that have come to the conclusion the age of solid state, and perhaps tube gear, is closing.

In freeing needed cash from my high end audio recently, I was forced to look for a less expensive alternative. To my surprise, the alternative turned out to be an unexpected bonus.

I have notoriously inefficient speakers. I was sure I would have to sell them once I sold off my large solid state blocks.

Going on a tip from another amp killer speaker owner, I bought an Acoustic Reality eAR 2 MKII Class D amp. This tiny amp caused a revolution in sound benefits over my ss mono blocks.

My speakers gained in speed, depth, control, detail, range, clarity, and dynamics.

It didn't stop there. I also sold my front end, and bought a very cheap programmable digital DVD. It also proved to be better that my old disc player. My playback gained in detail, separation, depth, bass control, bass extension, and treble extension. The mids are just plain natural. Reverberation decay occurs evenly and naturally.

Has anyone else had a similar experience of moving from solid state or tubes to digital? What do you see as the future for solid state component producers? What of tube amps?
muralman1
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~mleach/ece4435/f01/ClassD2.pdf

Great link explaining class D amplifiers. I think the Bryston web site said it best, that class D efficiency will see it replace analog solid state in almost all consumer (read circuit city) electronics, but that valve, analog solid state (class A, AB) and class D amps will coexist in high end since all are capable of high performance if well designed and implemented with quality components.

That sounds very reasonable to me. Notice that new technology only ever seems to obsolete old technology in the consumer arena, but never in specialist arenas. Did CD players obsolete vinyl ? Did transistors obsolete tubes ? Have exotic materials obsoleted doped paper drivers ? Not in high end.
unsound
7,311 posts
 
Seantaylor99, electricity seems so have replaced winding megaphone-ographs. Somethings just take more time than others.
khrys
446 posts
 
Unsound, electricity has not replaced winding megaphonographs at all. It simply has taken over the winding. For a romantic evening would you prefer GEs incandescents with a space heater or some candles and a crackling fire?
unsound
7,311 posts
 
Khrys, electricity has replaced the winding and the megaphone. For a romantic evening, I'll take the candles and fire. If I had to choose one or the other on a day to day basis, I'll take the space heater and the incandescents.
khrys
446 posts
 
Unsound, if electricity has replaced the megaphone, i.e., non-electronically amplified sound, then why do we still have concert halls? Must be that "day-to-day" basis thing I guess. You prove Seandtaylor99's point exactly: new technology generally becomes mainstream but seldom displaces its predecessor for the special occasion. Cinema did not kill theatre nor did television supplant movies. No home stereo can bare to compete with LA's new Disney Concert Hall. I will concede however that Class D digital amps could be the perfect complement to incandescent light bulbs and space heaters, though the fluorescent afficionados are already cying foul.
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