Quote:
I believe IanG is referring to my BHSE when we listened to both it and his LL, but I must make it clear, we weren't doing a test. Ian is just suggesting that if someone wanted to do a proper comparison test then it should be blind.
The time we listened to both amps with my SR-009 and his SR-007, both amps weren't on that long so they didn't have time to warm up. I've learnt since that the BHSE transforms into a different amp after it's warmed up which I feel to warm up properly takes around an hour. You'll have to ask Ian if the LL sounds any different when warm.
But, by the end of the evening's listening they had been on for well over two hours.
And, on a general point. if one has to wait such a long time for an amplifier to stabilise - whether it be the BHSE or the LL - then that must raise the question of whether one wants to buy it or is happy to leave it on all the time.
(... if I was driving the 160 miles from here to London (three hours) and I felt that the performance of the car was transformed only after one hour I'd be less than impressed.)
Of course, this perceived change in sound cited by some listeners after a long warm up could be a technical amplifier thing (which I would say is a design shortcoming) or a human thing (namely that we, ourselves, warm up). The first issue can be tested objectively
to some degree but my bet is that that won't happen here. Maybe there is some research into the second issue that anyone sufficiently knowledgeable can throw some light on.
Why don't we simply say what we think with all the irrational reasons that go with it. Namely, for example, that I prefer the LL to the BHSE. I am glad I bought it. David prefers the BHSE to the LL. He is glad he bought it. I'm not going to criticise Dave for his purchase and he is not going to criticise me for mine.
I guess the arguments will continue. I might dip in to read them if I come back here once a month!
