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Testing audiophile claims and myths
Jul 7, 2013 at 4:09 AM Post #2,056 of 17,336
Maybe they fixed it since I last checked, but I recall mp3ornot.com has some problems:
- the files are not level matched (the 320 kbps version is louder by a few tenths of a dB)
- it is possible to guess which file is which simply from the time it takes to load them (obviously, the larger 320 kbps version takes longer)
In any case, no one claims here that 128 kbps MP3 is transparent (or at least it only is with "easy" tracks).
 
It is only nit picking, but 3/3 (12.5% chance of random guessing) is generally not seen as a statistically significant result.
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Jul 7, 2013 at 2:20 PM Post #2,057 of 17,336
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prog Rock Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif
[snip]
 
25. Stereomojo Digital amp shootout 2007
 
Various amps were tested blind, in pairs where the preferred amp went through to the next round. The winner was one of the cheaper amps called the Trends Audio TA-10 at $130, which is the tiny one on the top right of the pile
 
http://www.stereomojo.com/SHOOTOUT2007INTEGRATEDS.htm
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Legendary Post!  And I'm so glad this thread is still active so I'm not figuratively yelled-at for reviving a dead thread... but I have to reply in reference to this item above. 
 
It is so exemplary of what I've come to take to be a truth.  What the listeners so often are responding to is not the utmost in clean/clear/linear fidelity, but pleasing distortion.  The amp doesn't produce much of any power to the speakers at the frequencies where the impedance peaks to several dozen ohms whether due to driver or crossover resonance making for non-linearities of the speaker's frequency response, and it's not too hard to believe during listening trials and A/B comparisons that music dynamics had the amp reach these distortion levels found on their specs page:  High Power 10% @ 15W 4ohm, 10% @ 10W 8ohm.  ...but those non-linearities and distortions added to the speaker's reproduction, sounded good.
 
Jul 7, 2013 at 4:25 PM Post #2,058 of 17,336
The funny thing is that it's based on a cheap tripath ("class T") chip and you can get populated boards for less than $20.
 
It's not only low power but also suffers from high nonlinear distortion at higher frequencies (e.g. high odd-order harmonics at 1 kHz), intermod. distortion and rolls off the frequency response about 1 dB at 20 kHz.
 
Jul 7, 2013 at 5:27 PM Post #2,059 of 17,336
A rolloff of 1dB at 20kHz isn't even worth mentioning.

The thing that is interesting about that test is that the descriptions of the sound of the individual amps are different every time they are compared.
 
Jul 7, 2013 at 8:37 PM Post #2,060 of 17,336
Well, in terms of audibility it isn't, but nevertheless imho an amp shouldn't start rolling off like that in the audible range.
 
Jul 18, 2013 at 2:02 PM Post #2,062 of 17,336
The product name "grand illusion" may fit what the product is about, but visually the name "grand repulsion" would be a better fit.
 
Jul 18, 2013 at 2:35 PM Post #2,063 of 17,336
Jul 18, 2013 at 2:38 PM Post #2,064 of 17,336
Jul 18, 2013 at 5:08 PM Post #2,065 of 17,336
Quote:
ab initio said:
 

The funniest thing is that after they charge 4 grand for a couple of cables, they'll still hit you up for that $12 shipping charge!
 
Cheers
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I'm sorry any product that costs $4K is not allowed to have generic heat-shrink as part of its build.  are you kidding me?  No custom molded ends or proprietary strain-relief...that's BS.  I don't care how much "silver foil lubricated with unicorn tears" are enclosed in that beast, it still looks cheap and unrefined.  Grand Illusion indeed!
 
Hope that helps,
Hi-Five
 
Jul 18, 2013 at 7:10 PM Post #2,067 of 17,336
But, don't they sell $10,000 replacement electric outlets to plug those into?  They're leaving money on the table!
 
...and yes ... I should just ignore the miles of copper and aluminum and countless high wattage breakers along the power path, believing somehow only the last 5 feet matters... yes, yes, sure, sure. 
 
psst ... I gotta bridge for you to buy ... just 1/2 the cost of power interconnects.  Please paypal $$$ to "usuk_sendmoney@suckerborneveryminute.com" and it's yours.
 
Jul 18, 2013 at 8:29 PM Post #2,068 of 17,336
Quote:
hi-five said:
 
I'm sorry any product that costs $4K is not allowed to have generic heat-shrink as part of its build.  are you kidding me?
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Ha ha, I was thinking the exact same thing as well. Then I realized they only shrink-wrapped it to hide the cheap connector they used.
 

 
Cheers
 
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