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When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?

I've always been a little bit suspicious when gear costs more than $25,000 . At $25,000 all the components should be the finest, and allow room for designer Builder and the dealer to make some money.

I mean that seems fair, these boxes are not volume sellers no one's making a ton of money selling the stuff.

But if I'm listening to a $40,000 amplifier I imagine me Liking it a whole lot more just because it costs $40,000. How many people have actually experienced listening to a $40,000 amplifier.  It doesn't happen that often and usually when you do there's nothing else around to compare it to.  
 

I'm just saying expensive gear is absolutely ridiculous.  It's more of a head game I'm afraid. Some how if you have the money to spend, and a lot of people do, these individuals feel a lot better spending more money for something.  Now you own it, and while listening to it you will always be saying to yourself that thing cost $40,000 and somehow you'll enjoy it more.

 

jumia
jumia OP
528 posts
 

My gosh this has become very scholarly with respect to transients in a class D setting.

Isn't the harsh reality of class D is that it's to clinical and precise, and harsh. With class AB you get distortion and isn't that what harmonics is all about when you listen to music. It's all about the design and the colorations that are done by the amp designer. Most class D stuff is all about fitting lots of power in a small package.

And class D it's kind of cheap stuff so good luck making class d a preferable way to go

westcoastaudiophile
819 posts
 

@jumia +1 "Most class D stuff is all about fitting lots of power in a small package."

+at lowest cost

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,529 posts
 

I think most folks use dollar value in posts as a proxy for sound quality. I don’t think anyone assumes any $40K amp… but one well researched and which appeals to your sonic values as opposed to other less expensive amps also that play to your values.

Dollar value is used as a proxy for sound quality in order to remove our differences in sonic preferences out of the equation.

roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,245 posts
 

"Dollar value is used as a proxy for sound quality in order to remove our differences in sonic preferences out of the equation."

I don't think that is true for the majority. I think that it is for a small number.

larrykell
152 posts
 

I think there are a lot of good applications for Class D amplifiers, such as small devices that need small amplifiers, but I don’t have that constraint for my home stereo. Of course, I’m the idiot who bought a 175lb amplifier that I am unable to move. Perhaps with the help of one other person I can duck walk the thing into its shipping container.

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