Comparing a Yamaha s301bl to a rega elicit mk5 - a/b on some paradigm 800fs and they sound the exact same. Looking at the specs it makes sense - I don’t know why I’d ever use the full wattage of even the Yamaha without getting hearing damage and the THD being 0.019% vs 0.004% makes no functional difference. Are high end amps the new snake oil? What exactly are you getting for 10x the price here (besides the rega having less features and the rega brand name?)
if you cant hear the difference, the component that you replaced was not the weak point. Either your speakers, your connects, or your room itself will not allow the superior amp to shine. If you are happy with what you have, awesome, congrats. If you are not happy and that is why you are looking at upgrading, I would look at the other items I mentioned and leave the amp for later when you figure out the choke point.
Pay for what you can hear and what you like.
I hear differences and I have preferences. Also synergy is needed for the pre and power amps.
Enjoy your journey to better music.
We’ll it’s like a car some cars are at different prices and build quality .
Amps sound different they always have its unique characteristics. At the end get what you can afford and like to hear everyone is different.
Personally I had a arcam avr31 sounds great and went to a McIntosh 8950. The sound was a lot more forward in my face I have no clue how that happens but it’s not something I cared about to I’m going back to arcam
Amp quality is Snakeoil? Well I guess my story might support either side of that argument.
I’ve got four very different amps, Fosi Audio BT10A ($50 class D), Nobsound 6P1 (all tube point-to-point wired single-ended-triode no global feedback, with upgraded caps class A, $386), ACA mono blocks (Nelson Pass designed common-source MOSFET single-end class A, $ 672 a kit), Hypex Nilai 500 Stereo DIY, (Hypex’s state of the art brand new class D design, $1279 as a kit).
I have passed a blind A/B between the Nobsound and the Fosi Audio (barely and at lass than 100% consistently). However, I definitely prefer listening to the Nobsound over the Fosi, by a lot.
The Nobsound and the ACA sound very similar. The ACA was more pleasant to listen to until I did the cap upgrade on the Nobsound and then I tended to prefer listening to it over the ACA. I doubt I could pass a blind A/B test between them, but the preference is a real thing that persisted over months of time.
The Hypex is the most recent purchase. And again the sound is not obviously different than either the Nobsound or the ACA, but my listening preference is even greater for it. I tended to get antsy listening before I got the Hypex and listening sessions rarely lasted over an hour ever, but now I’m listening much more often and for much longer periods, so there’s something about the Hypex sound that’s far more seductive and satisfying. I simply don’t listen to either the ACA or Nobsound anymore even though all it takes is the flip of a switch.
Considering the greatest contrast, at first blush the Fosi and the Hypex don’t obviously sound all that different. And, I would frankly be quite surprised if any casual listener could pass a A/B test comparing them in my system. But the fact is that I really just can’t stand listening to the Fosi for much more than maybe 30 minutes at a time and only occasionally, whereas now I listen to the Hypex every day typically for 2-3 hours, and it’s hard to tear myself away. The Hypex is just far more engaging out of all four of my amps.
There’s no difference, but also - there’s no consensus so people be arguing on the forums!
If the yams sounds better then buy it…
I said it multiple times, amps should not have a sound. If they do, they’re badly designed.
It’s the lack of a dedicated listening room! Mine is the den which has a giant sectional on one wall and full of toddler toys. Those really help with the resonances.