Funny $350,000 amp measurements...

notaclue

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Courtesy of a post I saw on the Pink Fish Media forum, here is what paying $350,000 for an amplifier gets you:

"What is subjectively important is the SH-833's behavior in the bass. [...] there is a bass boost, the amount of which depends on the output transformer tap, the source impedance, and the load impedance. In the worst case, 4 ohm tap into 16 ohms, the boost reaches 9dB between 80Hz and 160Hz, while in the best case, 8 ohm tap into 2 ohms, there is a broad plateau 2dB high between 30Hz and 200Hz."

[...]

"Those 550 lbs and that humongous transmitter tube promise a lot of power, not to mention the specified "effective" output of 150W. As you can see from figs.5 and 6, which plot the percentage of distortion and noise in the Wavac's output against power from the 8 and 4 ohm taps, respectively, that promise is not kept. At our usual definition of clipping—1% THD+noise—the Wavac gives out just 2W or less into loads ranging from twice the nominal tap impedance to one quarter that nominal value. The highest power is obtained when the load is half the nominal tap—ie, from the 8 ohm tap into 4 ohms—but even then, the definition of clipping has to be relaxed from 1% to 10% for the amplifier to approach its specified power. "

And only $350,000 gets you this level of technical excellence.

http://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/704wavac/index5.html

Of course, our subjective reviewer finds that "What's important in the end is the totality of the experience, and that was totally awesome."

The amp' "will produce magical, musically fulfilling sound that you're not likely to forget. If I had a good third of a million bucks to burn, I'd do it."

 

Shakey

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"Yet people pay millions for a Picasso. From that perspective, these $350,000 amplifiers are a bargain." Has the world gone mad! Jeeeez....

 
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murray johnson

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1% at 2 Watts seems a fair deal to me.

If you need more than that you're using the wrong speakers Notty
wink.png


 

kennyk

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Shakey wrote:

"Yet people pay millions for a Picasso. From that perspective, these $350,000 amplifiers are a bargain." Has the world gone mad! Jeeeez....
yes it has, it went mad when people started paying millions for a Picasso
wink.png


 

JamPal

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$350,000 for an amplifier. :raoflmfao::raoflmfao::raoflmfao::raoflmfao::raoflmfao:

Only a complete cunt would pay that much for an amplifier. Fucking hell, some people need to get out more.

hhhmmmm something like this

smc_amplifier.sized.jpg


or something like this.

P57-400pix.jpg


This place does give me a good laugh. :raoflmfao::raoflmfao::raoflmfao:

 
G

Guest

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Want me to piss you off James. The guy who can afford that amp prolly has one of those yachts already.
whistling.gif.b56e45ab421c066833020c8ede98c081.gif


 
M

murray johnson

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there was a rumour at the show that Roman Abramovich has 2 of the big Clearaudio turntables.

Oh well, money can't buy you good taste!

 

Shakey

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kennyk wrote:

Shakey wrote:
"Yet people pay millions for a Picasso. From that perspective, these $350,000 amplifiers are a bargain." Has the world gone mad! Jeeeez....
yes it has,  it went mad when people started paying millions for a Picasso
wink.png
:lmao::lmao:

 
G

Guest

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murray johnson wrote:

there was a rumour at the show that Roman Abramovich has 2 of the big Clearaudio turntables.Oh well, money can't buy you good taste!
For his Yacht apparently Murray. It gets pretty rough when you're moored in Monte Carlo:raoflmfao:

 

notaclue

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Paying $350,000for an amp is fair enough (though, of course,you will go to hell for doing so) but paying $350,000for an amp that puts out 2 watts and has a frequency response that's all over the place is nuts. Totally nuts.

 
M

murray johnson

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Money aside (to the likes of Roman Abramovich it wouldn't be an issue, to me it would) I listened to the little brother of this amplifier at the weekend. I've no idea how many watts it puts out (presumably less than 2!) but it sounded very promising given the circumstances in which it was being used. It also seemed to have many of the ingredients I'd like an amp to have in it and it was very nicely made.

I just find it amusing when people moan about what things cost. Do you also grumble about the price when Lear bring out a new 12 seater corporate jet? I know I do.

 

griffo104

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murray johnson wrote:

Money aside (to the likes of Roman Abramovich it wouldn't be an issue, to me it would) I listened to the little brother of this amplifier at the weekend. I've no idea how many watts it puts out (presumably less than 2!) but it sounded very promising given the circumstances in which it was being used. It also seemed to have many of the ingredients I'd like an amp to have in it and it was very nicely made.I just find it amusing when people moan about what things cost. Do you also grumble about the price when Lear bring out a new 12 seater corporate jet? I know I do.
If someone wishes to pay the price for one man's (or woman's) attempt to create something state of the art, then let them buy it if THEY feel it worth the money.

I'm sure the cost of something like this includes the time and effort and labour to make something such as this - after all a statement product is exactly that.

If it did what I wanted and I had the money then why not ? There are plenty of sports cars from the big companies that costs just as much and people buy those - the ones that complain are probably just a bit green with envy.

I'm worried sick at the price of those Lear jets
biggrin.png
. Nice example there though.

 

notaclue

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But what ifit isbeing bought with 'dirty' money? Perhaps money from the arms trade or the drugs trade?

Or perhaps itwill be bought withmoney that has been effectively 'stolen' from the poor?

Is that OK? :Upset:

 

griffo104

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notaclue wrote:

But what ifit isbeing bought with 'dirty' money? Perhaps money from the arms trade or the drugs trade? Or perhaps itwill be bought withmoney that has been effectively 'stolen' from the poor?

Is that OK? :Upset:
No it certainly isn't - and neither is buying football clubs either for that matter

 
M

murray johnson

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notaclue wrote:

But what ifit isbeing bought with 'dirty' money? Perhaps money from the arms trade or the drugs trade? Or perhaps itwill be bought withmoney that has been effectively 'stolen' from the poor?

Is that OK? :Upset:
What the hell does where the money comes from have to do with the product being bought?

If, on the hand, the product being made is from a business operated as a front to launder money from illicit activities (wouldn't be unheard of btw) that's another issue. If the product was any good I'd still buy it though. Crooks will always find ways to launder money.

 
G

Guest

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notaclue wrote:

But what ifit isbeing bought with 'dirty' money? Perhaps money from the arms trade or the drugs trade? Or perhaps itwill be bought withmoney that has been effectively 'stolen' from the poor?

Is that OK? :Upset:
:sw::eek:j:classic notaclue you are:^keep it up.

 

JamPal

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Duvet wrote:

Want me to piss you off James. The guy who can afford that amp prolly has one of those yachts already.
whistling.gif.b56e45ab421c066833020c8ede98c081.gif
Exactly.

What the hell would he want with a $350,000 amp.

Christ if I had that sort of money I would be far far too busy to sit at home listening to CD's.

Does no one else here think there is more to life? Really? I enjoy my hiFi, but would rather be visiting the Grand Canyon or having dinner at Petrus or on a boat trip up the Amazon or or or ......
rolleyes.gif.fd85f9fd5d171988ef004a59c04642db.gif


 

kennyk

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HiFiWigWam wrote:

Duvet wrote:
Want me to piss you off James. The guy who can afford that amp prolly has one of those yachts already.
whistling.gif.b56e45ab421c066833020c8ede98c081.gif
Exactly.

What the hell would he want with a $350,000 amp.

Christ if I had that sort of money I would be far far too busy to sit at home listening to CD's.

Does no one else here think there is more to life? Really? I enjoy my hiFi, but would rather be visiting the Grand Canyon or having dinner at Petrus or on a boat trip up the Amazon or or or ......
rolleyes.gif.fd85f9fd5d171988ef004a59c04642db.gif
another one to either bi-amp or monoblock
wink.png
or maybe one for the boat trip up the amazon?
whistling.gif.b56e45ab421c066833020c8ede98c081.gif


 

Itchy & Scratchy

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Courtesy of a post I saw on the Pink Fish Media forum, here is what paying $350,000 for an amplifier gets you:"What is subjectively important is the SH-833's behavior in the bass. [...] there is a bass boost, the amount of which depends on the output transformer tap, the source impedance, and the load impedance. In the worst case, 4 ohm tap into 16 ohms, the boost reaches 9dB between 80Hz and 160Hz, while in the best case, 8 ohm tap into 2 ohms, there is a broad plateau 2dB high between 30Hz and 200Hz."

[...]

"Those 550 lbs and that humongous transmitter tube promise a lot of power, not to mention the specified "effective" output of 150W. As you can see from figs.5 and 6, which plot the percentage of distortion and noise in the Wavac's output against power from the 8 and 4 ohm taps, respectively, that promise is not kept. At our usual definition of clipping—1% THD+noise—the Wavac gives out just 2W or less into loads ranging from twice the nominal tap impedance to one quarter that nominal value. The highest power is obtained when the load is half the nominal tap—ie, from the 8 ohm tap into 4 ohms—but even then, the definition of clipping has to be relaxed from 1% to 10% for the amplifier to approach its specified power. "

And only $350,000 gets you this level of technical excellence.

http://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/704wavac/index5.html

Of course, our subjective reviewer finds that "What's important in the end is the totality of the experience, and that was totally awesome."

The amp' "will produce magical, musically fulfilling sound that you're not likely to forget. If I had a good third of a million bucks to burn, I'd do it."
Whilst browsing the web, I discovered this discussion relating to the above-

www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/49406-6-wavac-review-stereophile

 

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