[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Actually, if one looks at the data sheet for the OPA541, and the THD graph, it's performance is WORSE at 100mw output than it is at 5W output.

 
Yes, that's typical of class A/B output stages. The discontinuity at crossover (i.e. when each side of the output turns off and on) is at the same level regardless of output so as your output levels go down, the percentage of distortion goes up.
 
Quote:

Granted, the general situation is that such THD in a tube amp is typically dominated by even order harmonics, which are considered fairly benign musically.

 
The dominance of even or odd ordered harmonics has to do mostly with topology, not technology. Single ended solid state and tube amps will generally be even order dominant while push-pull solid state and tube amps will generally be odd order dominant. And with transformer coupled tube amps, you can actually end up with odd order dominant even with a single ended amp. Also, it's not so much even order versus odd order so much as high order versus low order. Higher order harmonics tend to be more audible as they're not as well masked by the fundamental.
 
se

 

[Skylab]

All the more reason why reading an op amp data sheet is not going to tell you how an amp is going to sound. Your advice to people to not worry about it is most wise.

I'm sure glad I don't worry about THD percentages when I listen to vinyl

 

[Audio Addict]

The Dark Star with almost any headphones will be at the Chi-Uni-Fi 6 event tomorrow, June 16th at the Sheraton Chicago Northbrook from 10 am to 5 pm.  If you are in the Chicago area, come out and give it a listen.  There will be a lot of other great equipment available to compare with as well.  
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/606623/chiunifi-6-official-thread-june-16-2012-sheraton-chicago-northbrook-10-am-to-5-pm#post_8323780

 

[Stevtt]

Somebody ask Ray if his DAC is ever going to surface.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Somebody ask Ray if his DAC is ever going to surface.

 
What DAC?

 

[grokit]

Exactly.

 

[attilahun]

Speaking of late responses, I did ask Ray at the meet if he was still planning on releasing a dac.
He said yes but he's been swamped building dark stars.
I've been anxious for an rsa dac for a long time.
Would be a great match with my own rsa amps.
Come on Ray! Don't keep us hanging.

 

[The Monkey]

There are lots of excellent DACs out there.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Quote:

Exactly.

 
Quote:

Somebody ask Ray if his DAC is ever going to surface.

 
Quote:

 
What DAC?

 
I laughed.

 

[ianmedium]

It does always tickle me how the folks who are obsessed with numbers and individual parts then go on the be the most forceful with their opinions!

They simply do not take into account that it is how all those numbers and components are thought out and then put together that is I feel even more important than the components on their own or measurements. Personally I choose my musical experience to be emotional rather than analytical which, if all the musicians that I have worked with over the years are anything to go by prefer also.

I have heard many products that appear perfect in specification and frequency measurements but sound wholly un-musical in their presentation, they lack involvement where it Matters most.

Though I cannot speak for this product I can for my SR71-B which I have owned for almost a year now. I actually wrote to Ray the other day saying how much I enjoy the musicality of his amp, how it involves me and allows me to fully engage with the music. To me, that is far more important than mere numbers.

It is why I never go to the sound science section, one will never convince someone who refuses to think outside the box in terms of bit rates so I don't bother, I just enjoy the difference in terms of emotion and feeling that I get from listening to Wav as opposed to 320k.. Call me a heretic!

 

[El_Doug]

Heretic?  Perhaps... but not because you distance yourself from science.  Rather, a heretic because I have never had trouble getting emotionally involved in music played through free airplane headphones - if you need to pump cash into a system to get swept away by the music, it doesn't really matter if the cash outlay matches parts, circuit, R&D, etc. or not. 
 
Quote:

It does always tickle me how the folks who are obsessed with numbers and individual parts then go on the be the most forceful with their opinions!
They simply do not take into account that it is how all those numbers and components are thought out and then put together that is I feel even more important than the components on their own or measurements. Personally I choose my musical experience to be emotional rather than analytical which, if all the musicians that I have worked with over the years are anything to go by prefer also.
I have heard many products that appear perfect in specification and frequency measurements but sound wholly un-musical in their presentation, they lack involvement where it Matters most.
Though I cannot speak for this product I can for my SR71-B which I have owned for almost a year now. I actually wrote to Ray the other day saying how much I enjoy the musicality of his amp, how it involves me and allows me to fully engage with the music. To me, that is far more important than mere numbers.
It is why I never go to the sound science section, one will never convince someone who refuses to think outside the box in terms of bit rates so I don't bother, I just enjoy the difference in terms of emotion and feeling that I get from listening to Wav as opposed to 320k.. Call me a heratic!

 

[attilahun]

Hi all,
I'm borrowing a friend's dark star and am worried about the spikes scratching the power unit.
The top section is so light, it seems that it could easily slide off and scratch the top as others have reported.
Has anyone tried to find rubber feet instead of spikes?
I'd like to try some vibrapods but they apparently leave marks on everything.
Is there a simple solution?

 

[Radio_head]

Don't stack the two components.  Put them next to each other or on different shelves.

 

[attilahun]

Don't stack the two components.  Put them next to each other or on different shelves.

That does seem like an easy solution.
I'm a little pressed for space but may try to figure out.
Thx

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

Don't stack the two components.  Put them next to each other or on different shelves.

That the way I have them. I actually have the power supply unit in a different cabinet behind doors so you dont' even see it. The yonly thing shwoing in my audio rack is the amplification unit. Even behind those doors the power supply does not get even warm.