In smart tube designs, the LED is functional, providing reference voltages and/or biasing.Nowadays tube amp has a LED below the tube, which is much brighter than the tube itself.
Wait! Solid state amp has LED as well.
In smart tube designs, the LED is functional, providing reference voltages and/or biasing.Nowadays tube amp has a LED below the tube, which is much brighter than the tube itself.
Wait! Solid state amp has LED as well.
Let's recall it's just a matter of (objective) measurements vs (subjective) feelings.
Let me exemplify it another way:
Some years ago, I had some knee trouble. MRI showed anatomic joint disorders and the radiologist said I'd never be able to play tennis any more based on the images (read measurements). Before prescribing some physio and medication, the sports physician reminded me that radiologists only cure images, not people nor symptoms. After the physiotherapy was finished I started playing serious tennis again since then without (subjective) trouble.
Conclusion is that feelings may win against facts.
Same for audio stuff. People don't listen to distortion/noise but to sound/music. Measurements are crappy but they like it ? so be it. I'm happy for them. Same for stellar measuring stuff which some may dislike.
If some stuff pleases you whatever reason, go for it, and if not don't. Just admit that what pleases you may not please someone else
as are claims that distorted or colored sound is more transparent or accurate than measureable flat frequency response.
Perhaps you meant 'less transparent'?
I misread it first time around. Thx.Pure subjectivist audiophiles typically do not "claim" that their fairy-dust enhanced systems are "less" transparent.
I misread it first time around. Thx.
The distortion measurements he gets are perfectly in line with what Amir found . . .
For comparison, here's a properly-designed tube preamp (since we want to look at tubes used for line-stage only), the Audio Research Reference 6E:
And here's a badly-designed tube preamp, the PrimaLuna EVO 400 :
And output tubes have a nice feature where they glow red just before going full Chernobyl.I despise those LEDs below 12AX7's and the like, especially when the LEDs are any color other than orange! Let the tubes glow for themselves.
One explanation is people like it because of the distortion, not in spite of it. I'm not claiming this, but logically it fits.
OTOH, people letting sight of the marketing touting tubes and all the claims like it for what they think they are hearing rather than what they are hearing. That logically fits as well.
We here on ASR of course know what is needed to pick between the two hypothesis above.
Well, the truth is that people hear what they think they are hearing. The brain processes the information from the hearing apparatus. What people hear and what measuring equipment measures are two different things.
People like what they like and if they like distortion, they like distortion. It is what it is and it is the reason people buy this kind of product. It is their money, their ears and their brain and they are free to do as they choose.
Notice to members to please do this. Providing free access to measurements is a gift and we need to return the favor by linking to the review.If you are going to use graphs from Stereophile in posts, I would appreciate you linking to the original reviews. My measurements of the Audio Research preamplifier can be found at https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-reference-6se-line-preamplifier-measurements , the PrimaLuna preamplifier at https://www.stereophile.com/content/primaluna-evo-400-preamplifier-measurements
Notice to members to please do this. Providing free access to measurements is a gift and we need to return the favor by linking to the review.
Nope. Radiologist was definitely right. Similarly, some people (rarely but it happens) suffer (small) acute myocardial infarction based on ECG without traditional big symptoms.Regarding your knee experience, could it be that the MRI (measurement) was not problematic but that your radiologist got it wrong (interpretation)?
Measurements do help, provided someone reads / interprets them the right way.
Thank you for maintaining measurements in the review and keeping looking for rational explanations to what Stereophile reviewers reportThank you, Amir.
John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile
That’s true, I apologise for leaving out the proper links. Unfortunately the forum has a time-limit for editing posts so I can’t correct this in mine, but thank you for providing them for us.My measurements of the Sphinx V3 clearly indicate that the second harmonic is the highest in level, somewhat different from what Amir found.
If you are going to use graphs from Stereophile in posts, I would appreciate you linking to the original reviews. My measurements of the Audio Research preamplifier can be found at https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-reference-6se-line-preamplifier-measurements , the PrimaLuna preamplifier at https://www.stereophile.com/content/primaluna-evo-400-preamplifier-measurements
Thanks.
John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile
Let's recall it's just a matter of (objective) measurements vs (subjective) feelings.
Let me exemplify it another way:
Some years ago, I had some knee trouble. MRI showed anatomic joint disorders and the radiologist said I'd never be able to play tennis any more based on the images (read measurements). Before prescribing some physio and medication, the sports physician reminded me that radiologists only cure images, not people nor symptoms. After the physiotherapy was finished I started playing serious tennis again since then without (subjective) trouble.
Conclusion is that feelings may win against facts.
Same for audio stuff. People don't listen to distortion/noise but to sound/music. Measurements are crappy but they like it ? so be it. I'm happy for them. Same for stellar measuring stuff which some may dislike.
If some stuff pleases you whatever reason, go for it, and if not don't. Just admit that what pleases you may not please someone else