Care Move From Music
Recently I heard this kind of opinion in the club activities, ¡°the pushing power of amplifier must be large enough¡±. It was speaked by one boss of one famous national audio brand company, and this point of view is also continuely insisted by one famous English audio company. I don¡¯t want to say it¡¯s wrong, what I should say is that it is not the only way to get HiFi. Why? First, we should get to know why do we need large power. Some people believe that if one need the loudspeaker can sing loudly like the presentation of concert, the speaker shoud be pushed by large output power amplifier. The relation of pushing powet and sound pressure is that, if A speaker¡¯s sensitivity is 92dB, when the amplifier gives it 1w power, you can get 92dB sound pressure at the point of 1m distance in front of the speaker. At the same condition, if B speaker¡¯s sensitivity is 86dB, the sound pressure is changed to 86dB. But if you want to add 3dB, the amplifier should gives the speaker double power. If the listening point is double distance away of the speaker, the amplifier should provide three times of the power. According to this, if you want the speaker can make 95dB at the listening point of 4m away, A speaker need 8w of power and B speaker need 32w of power. If one wants the speakers to make the sound over100dB as same as he listened in the concert, the amplifier which can push B speaker must has over 120w power. It¡¯s just tested on ideal condition of steady impedance. In fact, when the speaker is working, the impedance is also actively. The impedance will be down lowed from 8¦¸ to 4¦¸ or even more lower when the sound pressure is up. That is to say, the need of power is many times up than normal. In other words, if the amplifier is more powerful, the easier the speaker can be pushed and controlled.
Though say so, it will also bring some questions by making powerful amplifier. First is the relation of cost and distortion. We know, in the same condition, more power is always means more distortion. If one wants a perfect solution, he must face many questions like the construction of circuit, the choice of parameter, the quality of componenents, heating and electric power surporting etc. And these things always let the cost up. This is why the powerful amplifier we saw is very expensive. In reality, HiFi lovers always cannot afford high quality and very expensive amplifiers. This is why these powerful amplifiers cannot be used widely. Another thing is the question of power request. In theory the power is the more the better, but for most of people who don¡¯t have large listening rooms and even don¡¯t need large sound pressure due to life or environment something, 95dB may be too loud. So for these people a 50w x 2 amplifier may be enough. And if the speaker¡¯s sensitivity is 95dB or even over 100dB(like many horn and concentritive speakers), high quality low power amplifier is enough to push. That¡¯s why these amplifier is so popular. This time I just listened the Music Space Time music-300B.2WE tube amplifier. I think it¡¯s a good example for upper conclusion.
Jiaxing Music Space Time Power Amplifier Co. has been set up only for couple of years, but their products have got better reputation in HiFi industry. It changed many people¡¯s view that high quality and cheep tube amplifier will not be made in Zhejiang province. Of course it¡¯s not by chance. According to the Music Space Time boss Mr.Lee¡¯s saying, they focus on the technology point of power output transformers. They have taken many years to research and develop by themselves. The inspiration comes from the famous American brand, McIntosh. They made experiences on many kinds of specialized audio selenium steel sheet and non-oxygen copper insulated wires. At last they selected the traditional construction of EI model of transformers which were made of specialized audio selenium steel sheel Z10 ( normally is Z11). The non-oxygen copper insulated wires are made by Taiwan factory in Suzhou. The making process technology of transformers is very special. Multi layer and special wheeling make the frequency response reaches 10Hz-100kHz¡À1dB( for products EL34 and KT88 ). Because of the special need of single-ended, the Music-300B,2WE still reaches the frequency response 12Hz-38kHz-1dB. It¡¯s more better than orther products. Audio capacitors apply imported well-known products such as WIMA, RIFA, M-Cap and KIMBER. Electrolytic capacitors adopt Black Metal, Siemens, Philips and ELNA with high-speed electrolysis. Resistances are metal-film products from Japan, America and Taiwan. Cases of MUSIC Collection electronic tube audio amplifiers adopt 15 mm imported high-quality plates while the WE Collection apply 12 mm thick aluminum-magnesium alloy plates, which are processed by EUROMAC digital equipment with high quality and precision throughout the course. Power switches adopt products from Japan and U.K. Potentiometers and choice switches are ALPS products from Japan. The output and input components is used CMC. Power switches adopt products from Japan and U.K. Potentiometers and choice switches are ALPS products from Japan. Wires for internal signal apply imported Teflon silver-plating lines. Input and output plugs are highly pure gold-plating copper and transparent covers are inlaid on the output plugs.Completed machines are adjusted elaborately by imported test equipment and treated 24-hour aging.. From these we can see the the principle of their products¡¯ cost.
The 300B tube amplifier¡¯s power output is lower, but it has great reputation in Japan. They have a good name as dream bulb in Japan. This time I took the speakers which have high sensitivity for listening. One is ALI MK¢ò(98dB) the other is Triangle Solice 260(92dB).
First I took the CD ¡°Premiere-Katherine Jenkins¡± to listen. The female voice sounds gorgeous and elegant, warm and sweet, fine and smooth. Through the bright and wide presence, I can feel the frequency prolonging liquidly and clearly. This is the advantage of 300B giving the charing colour. Then I listened the new CD of Hugo LPCD45 ¡°From Heart-Huang Hong Ying¡±. The sense of feeling showed more real and natural of musical instruments.
When listening DG CD ¡°Mozart Violin Sonatas-Hilary Hahn and Natalie Zhe¡±, you can find easily the playing skill and detail of violin and piano. You will think it¡¯s nothing about so said that tube amplifier is slow and empty. The sound is fast but not weak. The feeling of music is very strong with harmonic playing.
At reasonable volume point listening the concerto, the AMP could get better balanced, more layer of music. Even when listening the thick and deep frequencies of cello and bass, ¡°Hungarian Rhapsodies¡± performed great. The high frequencies performing of violin and triangle is clear and transparent. The middle frequencies are smooth and moist like silk. It¡¯s very exciting and attractive.
I had not listened the 300B tube AMP for long time. It¡¯s unbelievable that I had listened for all a day. After the testing, I found it no wrong to use lower power output amplifier to listen to the music. It¡¯s HiFi though it only has the output power of 8.5w x 2.
Yes, you will find right to use high quality lower output amplifier to push high sensitivity speakers, only if rock music or some ¡°violence¡± music as ¡°Virtuo Pieces of Chinese Percussion¡± and Mahler is your favourate. It brings you light ,natural, fine and smooth feeling of charming sound which others may hardly provide.
Digested from¡¶AV FRONT LINE¡·Writer: A Yi¡¡2007.7 |
