Dr.-Ing. Peter Strassacker
Email: peter@lautsprechershop.de

Amplifier Tuning

The experts agree that the hi-fi electronics are less a determinant factor than
- the recording (it's cheap to buy a different, better recording)
- the listening room (affecting the sound considerably)
- the loudspeaker.

Still, there is a difference in using a transistor or valve amp.

Capable transistor amps usually employ a negative feedback per amplifier section, reducing all faults practically below the level of audibility (that doesn't necessarily mean that a transistor amp sounds best).

However, all amps have in common that capacitors for coupling and DC extraction are being used between the individual amplifier sections.

These capacitors should obviously be of a quality that doesn't generate any losses. The replacement of electrolytic capacitors by foil capacitors makes a lot of sense.

Or when your (slightly aged) main amp employs 4000 - 10000 μF electrolytic capacitors, it's quite useful e.g. to add a 100 μF MKP capacitor in parallel. We mentioned already in our discussion about crossover tuning that electrolytic capacitors employed in the signal path cause an audible deterioration of mid and high frequencies.

The additional buffering of capacitors in the power supply of the power amp usually doesn't seem to achieve much; but then, some experimenting might show some amazing results.
 

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