What Criteria do you use when buying an amp

[Steve Williams]

With the several threads here on amplification I thought it would be interesting to ask members what criteria they use when purchasing an amp

1. Power rating
2. Amplifier rating A, AB, D etc
3. How it integrates with your preamp
4. How it sounds in "your" system with "your" speakers
5. Bass response
6. Overall appearance
7. Tube vs SS
8. Push-pull vs SET
9. It's price/other

 

[amirm]

Tough poll Steve .

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I voted Option #4 - How it sounds in your system with your speakers.

Since my room is very small I am not really concerned with power. I would have voted for OTHER as price is key for me, but chose Option #4 as that would still have to be a requirement.

 

[Steve Williams]

It's a multioption poll. You can vote for more than one option

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

OOPs! I just noticed that.

 

[amirm]

It's a multioption poll. You can vote for more than one option

Oh .

 

[microstrip]

It's a multioption poll. You can vote for more than one option

Too late also! Anyway, how many options could we have chosen?

 

[RogerD]

I chose 1,2,4,5,and 7...the most important being how it sounds,power rating,amplifier rating,SS vs tube,bass response. There is also one other criteria that is not listed and that is the degree of transparency,but that might figure into how it sounds.

I will probably never buy another set of amps. I have found that if the amplifiers achieve my satisfaction in the above, then the source used or the preamp will have a far greater impact on the sound quality of the system.

No doubt there are differences between the different topologies,that's why I have both tube and SS amplifiers.

 

[flez007]

Option 4 overrides many of the other possible answers, like class A, AB etc, or matching preamp requirements....

 

[JonFo]

A key requirement for me: Ability to double wattage into each halving of impedance. Amps that can't do that, do not make my short-list.

 

[still-one]

Tough to decide but here are my requirements.
7. Needs to be SS
4. How is sounds and handles my speakers.
6. It needs to look good
the rest then fall into place.

Jim

 

[cjfrbw]

I want to vote with all the popular kids. I am tired of being a geek.

 

[mep]

Carl-Did you ever get permission from your wife to attend RMAF?

 

[FrantzM]

I want to vote with all the popular kids. I am tired of being a geek.

We don't think you are a geek Carl... You are among friend here .. Vote with your heart

 

[cjfrbw]

Carl-Did you ever get permission from your wife to attend RMAF?

Well, the hen's social schedule requires my presence at too many events this year, but I did get preliminary permission for next year. I am going to remind her and hold her to it.

I will have to console myself with extra upright paddle boarding practice in Santa Cruz harbor. I am about thirty years older and 80 pounds heavier than the average person doing it, so my progress has been incremental. I do see pudgy middle aged ladies wearing shorts and sunbonnets out there doing it, they kind of **** me off. It looks like it is easy when everybody else does it, not for me.

 

[mep]

Well, the hen's social schedule requires my presence at too many events this year, but I did get preliminary permission for next year.

My, my. Talk about being hen-pecked. Tell her you need your pants back and you’re going this year.

 

[LenWhite]

1. Power rating
2. Amplifier rating A, AB, D etc
3. How it integrates with your preamp
4. How it sounds in "your" system with "your" speakers
5. Bass response
6. Overall appearance
7. Tube vs SS
8. Push-pull vs SET
9. It's price/other

I chose 3 and 4 because I believe system synergy is a key component in audio reproduction. I also checked "other" because although I've owned tube and class A amps I had reliability problems with those types of amps. I have only one of each audio component and I care for the prospect of not being able to listen to music while equipment is being maintained or repaired.

 

[audioarcher]

I chose all of the above. I think you have to consider all of those things. Some are much more important than others but they all matter. Now if the question is which one is most important then I would choose 'how it sounds in your system'.

The type of speaker and it's requirements will narrow down the choices.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

not to be a spoil sport, but the list of 10 is missing 'speaker and room synergy' which dwarfs any other consideration for an amp. an amp must first allow a speaker to work properly in the environment it is in.

sure; i have my other important desirables in an amp, such as how it sounds, and how it integrates with the preamp.....but it's basic job (synergy with the speaker which allows the speaker to perform appropriate for the room) is a prerequisite.

an amp could be perfect on all the other issues but it would be off my list if it cannot do the basic things.

 

[cjfrbw]

My, my. Talk about being hen-pecked. Tell her you need your pants back and you’re going this year.

At least she likes having me around. I talk with a lot of furloughed males whose wives want them to get lost and get another job rather than hanging around the house.

She hasn't started putting pink ribbons in my hair, yet, so I think am OK so far.