Do the same speakers sound different with different amps.?

 

Assuming a controlled environment where the amps are similar in spec (i.e. frequency response, THD, etc.) and are set to the same amount of current supplied and/or SPL? It would be very difficult to tell the difference between amps. Particularly on a moving motorcycle. I tried this years ago when I had audiophile ears (IMO anyway ) when I participated in a series of tube vs. solid-state amp tests using Rogers LS3/5A monitors and Seinheiser HD 600 cans. I think I was 50/50ish at best in guessing which was which amp.

Having said that there are reasons certain amps are more popular than others (noise, efficiency, size, cost, etc.)

 

There are differences in sound quality with different amps. You can test an array of amps that all have similar output ratings and have a range of clean signal. Some amps remain with a clean signal all the way to its rated output (or above) while others will make rated power with a horrible signal. Some amps create over rated power, some won't achieve its rated power.

Some of these differences can be noticed by a "good" ear and some would require a distortion detector or O scope to see. For me, I prefer a clean, warmer sounding amp over big power alone. With motorcycle audio, it's usually finding a balance between power available, sound quality, budget and amp dimensions.

 

This is another one of those controversial topics that is continuously debated and open to wide interpretation.

I'm from the camp that maintains you can't tell the difference between properly working amps operating in their undistorted performance envelope. While there are certainly differences in amp quality there should be very little difference in sound quality. Amps amplify...period. IMO if they color or distort the output audibly then something isn't right (and definitely something isn't right if you can hear the difference on a moving motorcycle). Participation in a blind listening test proved that to me at least.

Again, this is my opinion. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

!00% You go get a swap meet cheap china amp and and a JL Audio amp and report back.

 

Amps indeed do sound different....just think why there are so many guitar amps...the good ones do have there own unique sound....Fender, Marshall, Vox, etc....in home audio I've had Sansui, Yamaha, Adcom, McIntosh and others. Yamaha was the cleanest. McIntosh was the warmest. Adcom kicked ***. They were all different.

 

and here we go...

 

I'm positive you either haven't read what I've said, have a clue, or both.

give me a $5 used pos amp from wherever up against a $10K state-of-the-art amp where both are operating properly and in an undistorted test bed and I am telling you your ears won't be able to tell the difference in a blind test. Believe it or not.

I am NOT saying the $5 amp is equal to the $10K amp and I'm NOT saying both will work properly in all environments

anyway, as I said this is a debate that never ends.

 

A lot of old school guys still use Tube Amps. Peavy has started making them again and I am sure Ted Nugent uses a tube amp. A solid state amp just doesn't have that crunch.

 

I'm old school and I love tube amps. I was absolutely convinced they sounded warmer than a solid-state amp and would blow the doors off the Audio Design 20A amp my brother-in-law had brought to my attention. The company that made the amp set up a proper double-blind test and I was wrong. I just couldn't reliably tell the difference. I still kept my tube amps though