what's the point?
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According to this article; the challenge began in 1990, for CAR STEREO amps, and- the question of home audio amps being included, didn’t arise until 2005. Then; they were included, in an added line to the rules. There’s no mention, as to whether any(home audio amps, that is) ever have been tested/compared, but- there are no records of anyone taking the challenge, since 2006, either. . https://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/193850-richard-clark-10000-amplifier-challenge/ Verbatim, from the article: "Do home audio amps qualify for the test? Yes. In the 2005 version of the test rules, Richard explicitly allows 120V amplifiers in a note at the end. How can people take the test? They should contact Richard Clark for the details. As of 2006 Richard Clark is reported to not have a public email account, and David Navone handles technical inquiries for him. Most likely they will need to pay a testing fee and get themselves to his east coast facility. Is this test still ongoing? As of early 2006, there have not been any recent reports of people taking the test, but it appears to still be open to people who take the initiative to get tested." |
OK, to better and thoroughly answer your question, there's a couple of points I want to make: - We are limited by measurements defined by about the 1970's and 1980's. These measurements have not progressed, despite the progress made in technology such as A/D converters, computer power, etc. - One thing I've noticed in general is that amplifiers are more susceptible to impedance changes in the load than we think. I think the traditional math / models of a voltage source, output impedance, load, don't really predict how amps sound with different loads or speaker cables. - Our ear/brain mechanism is capable of learning to pick out a lot more nuance than we think. Just as we are now using AI to train neural networks to distinguish cancer from images, I believe our neural networks also can lead to different tastes as well as levels of discernment. Now, as you may have seen, I sometimes question whether this is a good thing. - Amps with meters are much better than amps without meters. Best, E |
