What are the Rules of Thumb to Mate Tube Amps with High Efficiency Speakers for Maximum Musicality?

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,684
4,473
963
Greater Boston
Why wouldn't I use listening to Led Zeppelin or Rush to evaluate an amplifier?

Heaven forfend, I don't want to start a genre war. Let's just say I prefer to use acoustic music for equipment evaluation.

I do too, Tim. There is nothing that is more important to me than believability when it comes to performance with unamplified live music as a reference.

However, rock is great, even essential in my view, to evaluate bass and rhythm & timing. Problems with the latter are less obvious on classical and classical avantgarde, my musical main diet, but on a subliminal level they will also be important there, and rock reveals it all (it doesn't need to be "classic rock"). Jazz is also good for that, but I found that especially digital components tend to have, or used to have (it was a really bad problem in the past), rhythm & timing problems with in particular rock. Fortunately, my current digital is a veritable rhythmic animal, and can compete in that area with any turntable.

So yes, I think Caesar was entirely correct to use listening to Led Zeppelin or Rush to evaluate an amplifier, at least particular aspects thereof.
 
  • Like
Reactions: the sound of Tao

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,443
13,473
2,710
London
Fortunately, my current digital is a veritable rhythmic animal, and can compete in that area with any turntable.

You mean one that rhymes with any, like Peter's SME?

Or do you mean literally any
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,684
4,473
963
Greater Boston
You mean one that rhymes with any, like Peter's SME?

Or do you mean literally any

Any that I've heard so far, which is far more than one.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
(...) Fortunately, my current digital is a veritable rhythmic animal, and can compete in that area with any turntable. (...)

You are a very fortunate person. I am not able to make such general statement. Probably because of poor digital transcription or recordings, different mastering and added sense of rhythm brought by the electro/mechanical vinyl recording and playback, many jazz and rock LPs have more rhythm than the equivalent CDs in my system.

I would love to discuss the why's in a peaceful and informative separate thread, but I fear this is a subject that unfortunately will quickly degenerate in a brand/format war. :(
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,684
4,473
963
Greater Boston
You are a very fortunate person. I am not able to make such general statement. Probably because of poor digital transcription or recordings, different mastering and added sense of rhythm brought by the electro/mechanical vinyl recording and playback, many jazz and rock LPs have more rhythm than the equivalent CDs in my system.

I would love to discuss the why's in a peaceful and informative separate thread, but I fear this is a subject that unfortunately will quickly degenerate in a brand/format war. :(

Yes, I have been extremely critical of digital in the past when it comes to this issue, and I have my own ideas as to why digital is (used to be) challenged in this respect, but you are right, the subject would quickly degenerate in a brand/format war. There will also be those who will deny that the problem exists in the first place ;).

Here are interesting links from an era where digital was really bad at rhythm & timing, but I suppose you know them already:

Pace, Rhythm, & Dynamics (Martin Colloms, 1992)

Pace, Rhythm, & Dynamics: One listener's lament
 

KeithR

VIP/Donor
May 7, 2010
5,144
2,812
1,898
Encino, CA
Why wouldn't I use listening to Led Zeppelin or Rush to evaluate an amplifier?

Heaven forfend, I don't want to start a genre war. Let's just say I prefer to use acoustic music for equipment evaluation.

because they want electric guitars to sound real?

i find it hard to fault anyone's choice in demo music - its what they listen to and want to sound good.
 

assessor43

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2018
312
194
128
I am not sure there are any set rules. I have heard some great systems with valve, solid state, electrostat and "box speaker". Different systems approach getting to the end result differently. How I judge is i like a system that to me seems like it does not have a volume control. I can listen at low to moderate levels and feel like I am not missing anything or need to turn the volume up. Many different types of setups can get you there. I think getting there comes with experience, sometimes many years. lol
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing