Thank you Superfly for your post.
I have been reading this Thread and would like to thank you Lordoftherings for starting it.
I guess I have a few questions
1) Is it more important to have high Capacitors in the avr and why?
2) The surround sound and stereo sound quality, is it related to the Capacitors or the Transistors/ or does that have to do with the Dacs? What makes an receiver or a pre amp sound good for music and stereo?
Thanks
Well Than You very much Superfly, and a big Welcome to you at Audioholics.
By the way, I have several positive comments about this thread from various members. It is kind of a Reference thread, that when you use the search fuunction, it brings you exactly where you need to be, with the exact informations that you need to know. All the important links are here.
I know, I use it for myself quite often, and I found it very easy to navigate, plus find what I need. And there are tons of great tips from the various links.
It's almost like the Mother Thread, the one Ring that rules them all.
Now, to your questions.
1. Inside an A/V Receiver, you usually have two main block capacitors, and few more secondary ones. Now, the value of these two main caps do vary according of the price and size of the receiver; from 6,000uF to 56,000uF, about. The average receiver (about $1,000 list) has two 12,000uF caps.
The bigger value of the caps, the more dynamic range you can achieve, on sudden musical peaks, like Classical music, or an instrument like a piano for example. So yes, it is of some importance, in particular for the type of material you listen. But that's not all there is. Bigger does not mean better.
Some A/V Receivers can have two caps valued at 12,000uF (Microfarads) each, but have a big main power transformer, that will provide the necessary current to your speakers, and will generate the bulk of the load.
Now, you can have an A/V Receiver having two big 56,000uF for each of the two caps, that's 112,000uF total (like my Marantz SR-18), that also have a substantial toroidal transformer, and it will spit flames of fire from it's guts, just like a dragon. You got best of both worlds; lots of current (transformer), and lots of dynamic capability (big caps, almost the size of a can of Coke).
But it is all relative to how loud you like to play your music or your movies.
And yes, generally, the more of both, the stronger an A/V receiver, for high volume payback levels.
Here, I just answered your precise question with my understanding and experience. I ain't talking about power amplifiers, which is another totally different matter, as many more things are involved; like total cubic inches from the heat sinks, the number of output transistors and their value, and few more things. But the big four are: Power transformer in KVA, total Microfarads capacitance, total surface of the heatsinks for adequate heat dissipation, and total number of output transistors.
2. Sound quality. What makes an A/V Surround Sound Receiver sounds great for both Stereo Music and Multichannel Movie Soundtracks?
Also, from Analog and Digital inputs?
Ouf! Hmmm... Where can I start? It's a mix of everything together, just like a good meal, or a good cake, or a good wine. It's all about putting or implementing all the right ingredients that work well in tandem between each other. So, the analog section is important, with premium grade parts, like caps, resistors, and all that stuff, even the shortest path from the wiring is taken into account. More small caps is best, as a smaller cap delivers quicker, and recharged also much faster, that's why in an A/V Receiver, you also have some secondary caps with smaller value. The preamp section is one of the most important if not the most important piece of the meal, it's the entry, the one that tells you if the rest will follow suit, it's the true indicator. And it needs excellent parts there, like quality caps, resistors, couple devices, quality switches, etc.
The DSPs and the Dacs as well as the ADCs, are also important in the digital section, and they need to be supplemented by the right components too, to be fully efficient in their operability. Or sometimes, even less is better, that means less encounters for the audio signals to go through.
The capacitors and the output transistors is more a function of the power amps.
The preamp section is more to do with overall sound quality, both from analog and digital sources.
And every parts have to be properly implemented with also the right values.
Usually, the more expensive a Preamp or an A/V Receiver is, the better it will sound, but this is not always the usual. There are some unusual products out there, more now than ever, that will outperform much more expensive products. Simply because of their simplicity, where the audio signals have less to go through, so they pass less interrupted, or corrupted. And the very few places where these audio signals have to go through, are from premium high grade quality parts.
Did you know that a thick aliminum front face is beneficial to sound quality?
It stops contaminations from outside vibrations and sound proof the interior from these nasty negative impulses. I hate cases that resonnate, that's why I sound-proof all my top covers from all my components, by applying small pieces of rubber all around the sides and corners, inside all my components; so that when I put back the top covers, I don't hear ringing anymore.
* I can add so much more here, and I'm sure other people can too, and I would love to hear their take on it; but everyone seems to be afraid here, or something, I'm just not sure what. I would love too, because I believe in team work. And I also know that I'm a very small player among a big ocean of much bigger players.
*** You want great audio sound quality? Get two great speakers, built by a great speaker's designer, get a good simple stereo preamp with minimum fuss, a good clean power amp, some audiophile recordings on SACDs, or CDs, or Blu-rays; and just enjoy the sound. Listen and appreciate the artists for what truly they are.
Thank you for your two very smart questions. And I really hope that you enjoy reading some of these threads, plus finding some valuable information, that will eventually help you out at improving your love and appreciation to this magnificent hobby, which is the discovery of the soul from the musician artists through our sound systems.
Truly,
Bob
