Sound design vs amp design?

[Audio Jester]

I was pondering the idea of sound design when it comes to amplifier design. I am wondering if amp designers know what a circuit is going to sound like before they make it? So is it the case that they think about the sonic attributes they want to create and design an amp to suit or do they just build an amp with little concern for the sonic side of things and aim to keep the variables (such as THD) in an optimum range with an expectation that the amplifier will sound good at the end?

In addition to this are there things a designer can do to deliberately change an aspect of the sound, such as increase the warmth, widen the soundstage or increase the detail?

Sorry for the noobish question, but the scientist in me gets curious sometimes.

[postjack]

I'd try flats.

[Audio Jester]

Srs? I was hoping for a more indepth response than that....

[grawk]

then you haven't been paying attention

[nikongod]

I was pondering the idea of sound design when it comes to amplifier design. I am wondering if amp designers know what a circuit is going to sound like before they make it? So is it the case that they think about the sonic attributes they want to create and design an amp to suit or do they just build an amp with little concern for the sonic side of things and aim to keep the variables (such as THD) in an optimum range with an expectation that the amplifier will sound good at the end?

In addition to this are there things a designer can do to deliberately change an aspect of the sound, such as increase the warmth, widen the soundstage or increase the detail?

Sorry for the noobish question, but the scientist in me gets curious sometimes.

 

Bob Carver vs stereophile. 

 

Very broadly, with the exception of very obviously experimental stuff, amp designers do have a rough idea of what their new creations will sound like before they make them. Most of these designers have heard something similar before, and they have used circuit components they intend to change before, and with the smallest element of skill and knowledge they form an educated guess of how things will turn out. 

 

That being said, they often like to build amps "their way." Ignoring what amounts to "stupid engineering tricks" why would they want to build an amp like someone else? There is nobody better at being me than me. Nobody better at being George than George. Nobody better at being Steve than Steve... You get the point. Could Steve build an amp in his own style that sounded like one of George's amps? Of course! But why would he? Steve has "found his sound" so why play with someone else's shit? 

 

Can you define what "warmth" is? Yea, you can design that into an amp.

 

Soundstage and detail are better dealt with by getting headphones that are not abject crap, but you have some control over them in amp design. 

 

 

Srs? I was hoping for a more indepth response than that....

 

 

We were hoping for a better question.

[morphsci]

[spritzer]

Ari nailed it but I'd like to add that many designers, while trying to do their own thing, often make grave errors.  Important factors are simply glanced over or others deemed "not important".  Ari says we are crazy to run our amps on such high voltage rails (and he's right) but that's a better approach than RSA with the A-10, "who listens that loud?".  Then we have the flipside where a design is supposed to be this and that regardless of how it will sound.  No better example of that than then the EC Electra. 

 

The bottom line though is any designer must have a good idea what the end result should be regardless of what is being designed. 

[ktm]

It's a combo of design, experience, trial and error.

And more often than not, $$$ comes into play. You have to cut some corners

to keep the cost down. Bean counting has killed good audio more than anything

else I can think of.

And no, I don't think all amps sound the same. That whole chain of thought

drives me crazy (not that I'm not crazy).

[morphsci]

So when Jacob left did he take all the shovels?

[postjack]

So when Jacob left did he take all the shovels?

Who will protect our ancient audio knowledge now?

[n_maher]

I'm on it.

[Voltron]

Nate's avatar is the gathering gloom

 

Edited June 4, 2014 by Voltron

[Audio Jester]

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated.