Also, I believe I mentioned "DSD recordings" when discussing Steve's background, but meant to say "Direct to Disk (DTD) recordings" as part of his experience and background.
I want to add that while "experience is key," I understand that this is easier said than done. If you're lucky you may have a brick-and-mortar store nearby that carries something you're interested in, but otherwise we're usually faced with gathering as much info as we can from a variety of (hopefully qualified) sources. In the end, there is no substitute for your own experience with that piece in your own system.
I love Steve’s stuff. Have a rebuilt DNA 1 and a new build TLC 2 pre. Awesome sound. Sending tge aDNA back in Jan. To remove the fuse and replace it with a circuit breaker like on the TLC 2.
Congratulations, you are I believe, the hardest working guy in the audio field, always researching topics from a different angle and often with guests who have a lot of skills, you couldn't find a better name for your youtube channel, yes audio is in your blood ! Excuse my English Salutation de Montréal !
The 5 minute full power testing requirement is meaningless. I understand the government has to react to consumer demand but all this does is cause more confusion. As an example, tell me one high performance engine manufacturer which states maximum power output for 5 minutes on a dynamometer? None. GM. Ferrari. Ford. Bugatti. Ect. If you test the latest Corvette engine at maximum rated power for 5 minutes, you have nothing left. Even Sony pushed back and explained it would drive cost beyond what consumers can afford. So what did the FTC do? Granted an exception for home theater.
Comparing maximum output poser of in internal combustion gasoline engine with an amplifier is dubious. The 5 minute full power rating is to ensure that the amplifier will not fail if driven to maximum rated power for 5 minutes, which in the long run will make amplifiers more robust and more reliable, which will greatly aid consumers. As far as home theater multi-channel amps, the front left and right channels of those amps still must meet the 5 minute full power rating test just like a stereo amp. In addition to full power rating for 5 minutes under the conditions mandated by the FTC, manufacturers may disclose peak power ratings (or any other rating) for short bursts of power, but that information must be displayed in a less prominent font size than the FTC mandated full power rating.
I don't understand why McCormick thinks that power output below 2 ohms is important. I have never seen a speaker that goes below 3 ohms, but there may be a very few.
Where did he say it's important? I think you missed the whole point. There are speakers that do dip below 3 ohms to various degrees and some mfgs even quote stats down to 2ohms. However, the overall point is that it can be measured with this tool, and THEN you can accurately determine based on your speaker whether the performance at 1ohm or whatever is applicable or not.
I think those rules only become important if they're ever being enforced. And I assume the only real threat is on US manufacturers. Asian manufacturers sell all kind of devices that don't even comply with basic safety standards. In the EU they hold back some amplifiers from China at customs (e.g. because of a faked CE statement), but it's not very effective against the large number of imported devices.
Even if they are not enforced, customers can quasi enforce them by asking why the MFG isn't using them. The market is the ultimate e "enforcement" in many respects.
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) can regulate all advertising or sales claims in the US. Not sure if a foreign manufacturer only sells from overseas direct to the US consumer, whether it would apply, but it might. If there is any US distributor, it will definitely apply to foreign manufacturers. If it is sold on Amazon's US website it will apply.
My comment is not to bash solid state amps, but to clearly THD is not that important in some cases.. And not forget a tube amp that has 1.5thd vs a solid state which has 0.8thd sounds worse to the ears. When a tube distorts the worst thing they can happen is the images gets unstable a solid state will make your ears bleed.
Tubes do distort more friendly in general, but the amount of distortion with tubes is typically higher and they don't fair as well with the cube test outlined in the video. Hence, it goes into what we discussed later in the video... For some situations, the specs and measurements will be meaningful (ie if you tried to hook up a low power tube amp to a low impedance load). On the flip side, if you hook the amp up to high efficiency horns, you'll never experience the "weaknesses" of the design and higher distortion.
The text of the new FTC rules can be found here. www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-432
Also, I believe I mentioned "DSD recordings" when discussing Steve's background, but meant to say "Direct to Disk (DTD) recordings" as part of his experience and background.
I want to add that while "experience is key," I understand that this is easier said than done. If you're lucky you may have a brick-and-mortar store nearby that carries something you're interested in, but otherwise we're usually faced with gathering as much info as we can from a variety of (hopefully qualified) sources. In the end, there is no substitute for your own experience with that piece in your own system.
I love Steve’s stuff. Have a rebuilt DNA 1 and a new build TLC 2 pre. Awesome sound. Sending tge aDNA back in Jan. To remove the fuse and replace it with a circuit breaker like on the TLC 2.
Congratulations, you are I believe, the hardest working guy in the audio field, always researching topics from a different angle and often with guests who have a lot of skills, you couldn't find a better name for your youtube channel, yes audio is in your blood ! Excuse my English Salutation de Montréal !
I appreciate the kind words and glad you like the variety of content I provide.
We had those in swedish magazines in the 80-ties. HiFi & Musik
Are there measurements that can determine an amplifier’s longevity with extended 100 dB playback of crunchy Phish jams…?
It will last a total of 2 Phish songs which means 3 years 🤠
The 5 minute full power testing requirement is meaningless. I understand the government has to react to consumer demand but all this does is cause more confusion. As an example, tell me one high performance engine manufacturer which states maximum power output for 5 minutes on a dynamometer? None. GM. Ferrari. Ford. Bugatti. Ect. If you test the latest Corvette engine at maximum rated power for 5 minutes, you have nothing left. Even Sony pushed back and explained it would drive cost beyond what consumers can afford. So what did the FTC do? Granted an exception for home theater.
Comparing maximum output poser of in internal combustion gasoline engine with an amplifier is dubious. The 5 minute full power rating is to ensure that the amplifier will not fail if driven to maximum rated power for 5 minutes, which in the long run will make amplifiers more robust and more reliable, which will greatly aid consumers. As far as home theater multi-channel amps, the front left and right channels of those amps still must meet the 5 minute full power rating test just like a stereo amp. In addition to full power rating for 5 minutes under the conditions mandated by the FTC, manufacturers may disclose peak power ratings (or any other rating) for short bursts of power, but that information must be displayed in a less prominent font size than the FTC mandated full power rating.
I don't understand why McCormick thinks that power output below 2 ohms is important. I have never seen a speaker that goes below 3 ohms, but there may be a very few.
Where did he say it's important? I think you missed the whole point. There are speakers that do dip below 3 ohms to various degrees and some mfgs even quote stats down to 2ohms. However, the overall point is that it can be measured with this tool, and THEN you can accurately determine based on your speaker whether the performance at 1ohm or whatever is applicable or not.
Apogee scintilla anybody
I think those rules only become important if they're ever being enforced. And I assume the only real threat is on US manufacturers.
Asian manufacturers sell all kind of devices that don't even comply with basic safety standards. In the EU they hold back some amplifiers from China at customs (e.g. because of a faked CE statement), but it's not very effective against the large number of imported devices.
Even if they are not enforced, customers can quasi enforce them by asking why the MFG isn't using them. The market is the ultimate e "enforcement" in many respects.
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) can regulate all advertising or sales claims in the US. Not sure if a foreign manufacturer only sells from overseas direct to the US consumer, whether it would apply, but it might. If there is any US distributor, it will definitely apply to foreign manufacturers. If it is sold on Amazon's US website it will apply.
My comment is not to bash solid state amps, but to clearly THD is not that important in some cases..
And not forget a tube amp that has 1.5thd vs a solid state which has 0.8thd sounds worse to the ears.
When a tube distorts the worst thing they can happen is the images gets unstable a solid state will make your ears bleed.
Tubes do distort more friendly in general, but the amount of distortion with tubes is typically higher and they don't fair as well with the cube test outlined in the video. Hence, it goes into what we discussed later in the video... For some situations, the specs and measurements will be meaningful (ie if you tried to hook up a low power tube amp to a low impedance load). On the flip side, if you hook the amp up to high efficiency horns, you'll never experience the "weaknesses" of the design and higher distortion.
❌✅ Amp Dyno // they do it in CAR AUDIO ✅