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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: Devid Berning amplifiers: the anti-trnsformers frenzy?
Post Subject: Different strokesPosted by Merlin on: 9/25/2007
I think it is a simple case of different strokes for different folks.
Drdna writes about communicating the essence of sound - I write about the essence of music. He writes about wondering what Coltrane was thinking. I write about hearing him looking across at Jimmy and Elvin, smiling, and taking off together as one. Of improvised unity and rythmnic togetherness.
What the Berning provides that I find utterly lacking in so many popular SET's is that rythmnic control, that feeling of all the musicians playing as one and with great joy. That's where the essence of the music lies to me - the essence of sound may lie in the precise timbre of Trane's tenor but in it's own it is just that - sound. Not music.
I'm pretty convinced that most SET's suffer rythmnically and I ddo not know exactly why. The OPT and PS regulation are the most likely suspects, the former measurably causing non linearities at the bottom end that is audible in most designs. The only SET I personally have heard that seems to over come these limitations to a great degree are the Border Patrol S20 and the Siegfried, although I would say the latter isever so slighly sluggish in comparison with it's PP brother. The PP design excites whilst the SET moves. Again a case of horses for courses.
For my tastes the two amps I mention get closer to providing everything I want than any others. I cannot live with timing failures. I find a jazz quartet utterly boring if they sound disconnected from each other - regardless of how wonderfully tangible their instruments sound. That's high end hifi not music.
In my experience, very few output transformers are transparent enough to not heavily impact on the signal passing through them. Some of the finer Japanese iron can sound delightful, but in most designs the non linearities at the frequency extremes ruin the illusion of reality all too easily depending on program material. As an aside, one listen to a tube vs SS Mcintosh dem will amply highlight the infludence the OPT has on the sound you hear. I personally thing David Berning's goal is a very important one - and one that has very clear benefits that are essential to me. Romy, you too are essentially trying to remove the non linearities of the OPT from the replay system in your own way but using iron dedicated to narrow bandwidths. David's solution seeks to achieve similar benefits on a more practical level. The 811 based Siegfried sold for $6K. The quality on offer at that price rather puts much of today's overpriced audio jewellry into perspective in my opinion.
Anyway, in closing we are clearly looking for different definitions of ultimate musical enjoyment and veracity. To me, the Bernings I have used have made many other amplifiers sound so utterly electronic as to almost seem broken. That would include Nelson Pass' designs - although I do rate his active crossover very highly. The fact that you will never find a Siegfried for sale speaks volumes. Proud owners are quite likely to take them to their graves! The new Western Electric design will be interesting.Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site