Parasound A21+ vs Peachtree GaN400

[erpauls]

I'm looking to upgrade my amplifier. This will be hooked to a Cambridge Azur 851N. Currently driving Chane A5 speakers (soon to be Upgraded)
Speakers I am looking at are Kef R3 or 7 and also the BMR and BMR towers

These are 2 amps I keep coming back to. Have you heard them? Thoughts on amps?

 

[erpauls]

Or maybe a pair of Schiit Tyr?

 

[lovinthehd]

Why would I need to "hear" an amp? Get the one with the capabilities you require. I'd get the speakers first, tho.

 

[PENG]

Or maybe a pair of Schiit Tyr?

Anything specific in an amp you are looking for? A good power amp should amplify the signal accurately without distortions of any sort. As such, you can also search for specs and bench test results of those amps you are interested in before doing your own listening tests that should be more reliable than what others tell you about theirs.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

If you can hear the difference between two amps, something is wrong with one of them.

 

[erpauls]

If you can hear the difference between two amps, something is wrong with one of them.

You really believe all amps sound exactly the same if they have the same power rating?

 

[lovinthehd]

You really believe all amps sound exactly the same if they have the same power rating?

More to the point, you apparently don't? Even just amps with same "power rating" could mean different capabilities, such as in impedance/voltage rail capabilities. What amps do you find have particularly euphonic sound signatures in your use? Got some examples? Why did you pick those three amps you originally proposed? What's your current amp and what needs upgrading particularly?

My general experience with a variety of amps (have several different ones in use in the house now) is that differences aren't particularly significant, at least among solid state amps as long as they are suited to load/use....some tube amps may have a particular sound baked into them I suppose or just have odd responses to various speaker loads.

It's hard to comprehensively compare amps, too... non level matched and sighted comparisons can be misleading....plus how do you test so many amp choices for a wide variety of speakers or do you try and find some magic amp for one pair of speakers? I certainly wouldn't go by most of the subjective reviewers out there....

My .02

 

[erpauls]

I have been using a Carver TFM35. I would say it leans on the warmer side with good dynamics descent detail.

 

[lovinthehd]

I have been using a Carver TFM35. I would say it leans on the warmer side with good dynamics descent detail.

I have a couple Carver amps (M500t, and had an M500 as well but it went up in smoke), but never think of them as "warm" (or "cold" or whatever goes along with that sort of thing), let alone of their audible dynamics capabilities....and if they didn't amplify the details they'd be useless. Why not just use the Carver with the new speakers, tho? Is it succumbing to old age?

 

[erpauls]

Yes it is. I may send it out for refurb. But I will use it elsewhere when it comes back.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

You really believe all amps sound exactly the same if they have the same power rating?

I believe all amps should sound the same at the same output level. The purpose of an amplifier is to amplify, not to equalize.

If there's an audible difference at the same output level, then yes something is going on with one of them. Non-flat signal reproduction, higher distortion levels, "tube sound," capacitor degradation... All such things can cause a coloration, leading to amps sounding different. But an ideal amplifier (which doesn't exist but they keep trying) only makes the signal louder. It shouldn't change the signal.

 

[Alex2507]

do you try and find some magic amp for one pair of speakers?

" ... there is no try." ~Yoda

Edit: Oh, and if by 'magic' you mean 'amp that I can afford' then yeah, I got this Force sh!t figured out.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes it is. I may send it out for refurb. But I will use it elsewhere when it comes back.

Have you considered the Purifi or Hypex module equipped amps? How about Cherry Amps?

 

[erpauls]

Yes I have. Hard to demo though. Actually been hard to demo anything these days.

Have you considered the Purifi or Hypex module equipped amps? How about Cherry Amps?

 

[lovinthehd]

How would you demo an amp?

 

[everettT]

Yes I have. Hard to demo though. Actually been hard to demo anything these days.

I'd be more concerned if the amp meets your requirements for power and gain structure. You can verify that the amp is operating flat across it's audible band, which is the goal, with reviews.

If reviews aren't available hopefully the manufacturer publishes specs that are verified with published testing. Hypex, ICE, and Purfi publish all of this information.

 

[erpauls]

ahh well, call me boring. I ordered the Parasound A21+.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

ahh well, call me boring. I ordered the Parasound A21+.

Probably a safe bet getting something from Parasound, ATI, Anthem.