[shasty]

Do amps just not get bashed at all?
I've been researching for quite a while to find a good amp, and most, if not all, amps get good reviews regarding sound quality that are reviewed here. Yes, I've seen many complaints with quality control and dysfunction, but I've rarely seen someone bash the sound quality of an amp.

I feel like if any review of the amp is 'good' by default, and others are 'better'. Most affordable amps have reviews that point out small sonic flaws, but they are "great for the price," "have unique flavor of its own," or "amazing with certain headphones". Many obscure amps also tend to be praised by the few who venture to buy them. I just feel like any headphone amp, if matched well with the sonic qualities of the headphones, are practically safe bets.

I'm just wondering, where is the equipment bashing in headphone amp section?? Why aren't there as many definite "wow this equipment just sounds terrible" consensus present in other forums?

 

[FallenAngel]

Amps are all praised at their specific price points. Lots of people of course have only experienced one or two amps and they review and comment on their new upgrade and how much they like it.

 

[hew]

Why give attention to the crappy amps?

 

[shasty]

Okay, I'll bite and set an example:
I thought total bithead was underwhelming at best. The sound was veiled, with little clarity, compared to Emu 0202 + SOHA or even Echo indigo sound card I have right now. Not only that, it had a low hum that could be heard in no or low volumes that bothered me when listening to ER-4P, PK2, and K181DJ. Yes, it was much more detailed and powerful than my laptop jack, but it just sounded dead compared to many other dac/amps I have tried and not very enjoyable.
Yet, when I search bithead I only see recommendations and good words about it.

 

[Gbjerke]

Well one of the reasons people bash headphones is that they dont like the sound signaturel If you have headphones you already like, and use it with an amp, you're half way there.

 

[Covenant]

Things tend not to get bad reviews, because a bad review is always an invitation for a flame-war with the fanboys to start.

Most people who are dissapointed with an amp will either onsell it or return it quietly, rather than post their dissatisfaction. For one, all the fans of that amp (or that manufacturer) will jump in and assure the poster that its the wrong tubes, the wrong opamp, the wrong headphone synergy, or just "not his taste". Why go through that whole process of defending yourself against people, who just want to tarnish your reputation so that your dislike of a certain product they hold in esteem is nullified? Additionally, if the poster wants to be able to onsell the amp then it behooves them to not post too much negativity about it

 

[robm321]

I hadn't really thought of that, but you are right. I guess the headphone gets blamed for being amp dependent.

 

[moonboy403]

This is probably what's happening. A head-fier totally new to the game upgrades from no amp to any amp and they think, "oh, this sounds great!". As he keeps upgrading, the same thing will happen. Since most people don't side-step when they get a new amp, so they don't know any better. This applies to me as well. That's why you need to go to a meet and hear them for yourself.

But now that I think about it, I did side-step a few times between the Keces DA152, LD MKIII, Audiotailor Jade, and Opera Consonance Cyber 10. The MKIII really disappointed me given its stellar reviews and impressions while the Jade exceeded my expectations. IMO, it all comes down to relative performance in a given price range since no amp really sound bad per se.

 

[shasty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant /img/forum/go_quote.gif Things tend not to get bad reviews, because a bad review is always an invitation for a flame-war with the fanboys to start. Most people who are dissapointed with an amp will either onsell it or return it quietly, rather than post their dissatisfaction. For one, all the fans of that amp (or that manufacturer) will jump in and assure the poster that its the wrong tubes, the wrong opamp, the wrong headphone synergy, or just "not his taste". Why go through that whole process of defending yourself against people, who just want to tarnish your reputation so that your dislike of a certain product they hold in esteem is nullified? Additionally, if the poster wants to be able to onsell the amp then it behooves them to not post too much negativity about it

That's very true. But I still want some people to come out and express their disapproval and the reasons behind the disapproval. It'll make my decisions much easier

When most amp threads are littered with praises, it's hard to make decisions especially if the amps have similar sonic signatures.

 

[Kawai_man]

Ive searching all morning and ive seen quite a few threads bashing most portables as having crappy quality .and a I saw a couple threads bashing amp/dac combos a little bit compared to a separate DAC and amp. I personally want a separate amp and DAC but its hard under 160

 

[Skylab]

I have given a few portable amps a bad review. But I really haven't gotten a home amp to review that sounded BAD, so far. Certainly some do sound better than others, but I think FallenAngel hit the nail on the head - amps tend to get reviewed, whether formally or not, in their respective price points.

For example, the Qinpu Q-2 sounds nowhere NEAR as good as a RWA Isabella. But taken on it's own, the Qinpu sounds OK. And one is $80, and one is $4,000

 

[Mofferino]

I've wanted to verbally destroy the MEIER 3MOVE for quite some time, but I'm afraid to get lynched if I do

Anyway, the lack of bashing (as you so delicately put it) probably has to do with the fact that people rarely like to admit mistakes, IMO. No one likes to spend hard-earned cash and then realize they threw their money the wrong way. Also, a lot of users (including myself) has little or no solid reference and might therefore be more likely to uncritically applaud hardware that might not fully deserve it.

 

[IPodPJ]

Funny you brought this up. I was on the phone with Jude last night and we actually got into this discussion. The reason there aren't too many negative reviews: how many people do you know that are going to sit down and listen (for an extended time) to an amp they don't like? Not too many. I heard quite a few amps at CanJam that I didn't like at all and therefore I spent no more than a few minutes listening to them.

 

[shasty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have given a few portable amps a bad review. But I really haven't gotten a home amp to review that sounded BAD, so far. Certainly some do sound better than others, but I think FallenAngel hit the nail on the head - amps tend to get reviewed, whether formally or not, in their respective price points. For example, the Qinpu Q-2 sounds nowhere NEAR as good as a RWA Isabella. But taken on it's own, the Qinpu sounds OK. And one is $80, and one is $4,000

I actually click you and headphoneaddict's reviews of low-end amps with some anticipation that you'll totally trash the amp. Sadly, that hasn't happened yet.
I think I'm accustomed to reading bad reviews from my former subscription of Maximum PC; those guys were ruthless.

 

[Skylab]

Here is one example if a "bad" review from me:

Quote:

> Storm B-3 (No web site that I know of – in the USA can be purchased for $220 from EBay). I was asked by the manufacturer to review this amp. I do not have the original Storm B4 anymore, but the maker indicated that the B3 was better. I really do wish I had the B4 still, because I was pretty impressed with the B4, but not so the B3, I am afraid to say. Build Quality: A: Better than the original B4 – the volume control doesn’t scratch, and it’s a solidly built, attractively designed amp. Treble: B: The treble is reasonably neutral. There is a noticeable tough of grain though, AND the amp lacks extension and air. I wouldn’t want any more treble energy, and with bright cans it might not be a great match. But in general the treble is extended and clean. Midrange: B: The mids are colored. It’s not a strong coloration, but they are colored – there is a slightly “hooty”, oddly recessed quality to them that is immediately noticeable, and for me detracts from the performance. Bass: B: Good bass quantity, but the bass seems kind of indistinct. Adequate, but nothing to write home about. Neutrality: B-: Uneven sounding, and somewhat colored. It simply ISN’T neutral. And that’s a problem. Soundstaging: B: good width, good depth. Average performance here as well – many amps I have heard do better. Transparency: B-: Every amp I have in house at the moment crushes the B-3 in terms of transparency. Some B3 owner is sure to say I’m nuts, or that mine is broken. But it isn’t. It works fine, and I put more than 250 hours on it before reviewing it. While the rest of the portable amp universe seems so be moving strongly forward, sadly, that is not the case here. At $220, the Storm B3 is impossible to recommend, and IMO needs to go back to the drawing board.