"This Latest Digital Amp Is Great "

Daniel141K, Thanks for the additional comments. If you're a 300B (or SET, in general) lover, the digital stuff may/may not be for you, but it's definitely worth a listen, IMO. I really like the H20 amps, personally. While they won't likely end up as part of our mini arsenal of audio schtuff, they do sound fantastic. Again, just my opinion.
Regards,
Howard

I think that the "digital" amp revolution.......if you can call it that......is here to stay. Especially for 5(+) channel systems, where escessive heat, weight, and space are too much of a hassle for the owner.

Sure, I would like to sell everyone here one of our amps. But I know that they are not for everyone. They do "sound" different. Doesn't mean better or worse, just different.

As for the flavor of the month:

You bet. This month, one brand will be the one that gets all the buzz in the press. Then someone else comes out with a new module, and we will play musical chairs, following each new amp peddler that shoves one in their products. Sure, a few die-hards wills stick to their guns, claiming that theirs is still the best............they were the first, so they will always be the benchmark, etc., etc., blah, blah.

We have all heard this song before, just with different lyrics.

Ar_t You really need to identify yourself as a commercial individual in complete disclosure. To not do so is highly unethical. Your posts should be viewed with that in mind.

Unless you are someone who just "knows" what's technologically the best, I don't think what inside an amp should be of much concern to a listener. If it sounds good, then it is a good amp whether it's digital, tube, single-ended, ambidextrous or socialist (if an amp can be emotional it can also be a socialist).

It's very clear to me from reading his above two posts that Ar_t is a manufacturer and I actually appreciate the fact that he doesn't tout his product by name nor does he say that digital amps are better than competing designs.

I thought that I did mention that I was a manufacturer. Maybe not in this thread. Sorry for the confusion. I am mainly here to answer questions, as my products have been mentioned by others, and it resulted in confusion since I was not the one who brought them up. When your phone rings, and people tell me that someone is talking about our amps, it only made sense to see what was going on. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here. Although, the exposure doesn't hurt.

I would prefer to answer questions that are technical in nature, but not specifically about our products. No sense in helping the competition. Most of us are regular guys, trying hard to make a living by making good sounding gear, that is affordable and a welcome addition to one's system. Small manufacturers have a hard enough time as it is, without the need to slit each other's throat.

But back to "digital amp" modules............

I can not see many of the "big boys" jumping on them with zeal. They have spent the last 20 or so years telling us that they have all the answers. How are they going to justify that they may have been wrong? So, that leaves the small fish to lead the way.

The problem that I foresee......and that is the crux of the thread, I believe.........is the fact that the technology is moving quite rapidly in this area, and this month's icon will be next month's trash. Personally, I do not want to seem to be "married" to one particular brand of module. We all know that it will be out of favor soon, and anyone trying to sell amps with them will be beating their heads against the wall. (I went through this back in the late 80s everytime a new CD player became the new rage. I would get stuck with last month's hot ticket, and could not give them away.)

So keeping that in mind, I am sure that many of you will understand why I am usually reluctant to get into details of our products. My goal is to make a good sounding amp, regardless of what mystery module is hidden under the hood.

From a consumer standpoint, are you satisfied that you have purchased a quality unit, or do you fret that it might be out of favor soon? Yes, I realise that the market frquently has a "designer jeans" mentality. But if you worry too much about the flavor of the month, are you ever really going to be happy?

As for "mine is better than yours........"

Let's face it: most of the amps use the same parts. How much different can they be? Sure, there are differences, but trust me........there isn't all that much you can do to make them sound radically different from the next guy's. Subtle differences does exist, mainly in how they will respond to a wide range of different systems.

As I have mentioned before (no, not in this thread!), I think that anyone can buy any of the new "digital amps", and if the sound meets their approval, you can feel assured that it will sound good for many more years. Your decision on which one is best really becomes a matter of who you feel more comfortable doing business with.

And yes.......as I have said......not everyone likes the sound. Simple as that. Just don't ask why, because I don't have all the answers.