Perfect Amplifiers for Under $3000?

To Doug Schneider,

What a great job with your Purifi Audio Eigentakt measurements review.

Purifi Audio’s Bruno Putzeys has stated something to the effect that audio amps are becoming commodities in so much that, at this level of performance, they have no sound signature; so, the only consideration for the consumer is the output power needed. Seeing these measurements, he’s right.

Given that most listening rooms have a background noise of 25 to 30dB and that it’s really not healthy to regularly listen to music at levels higher than 105dB, we have, at best, a range of 80dB to enjoy our music. The human auditory system can discern sounds 20 to 30dB into background noise. So, this means that we have a total range of 100 to 110dB for listening.

Considering all of this, distortion and noise are inaudible with an amp like the Eigentakt or Benchmark’s AHB2.

As long as an amp is load invariant driving a passive speaker with a crossover, it is considered to be perfect. Of course, passive crossovers are the muck stirred up in the water. Their reactive nature is problematic, but a DSP can negate the specific variations caused by a passive speaker’s impedance. Going fully active with DSP correction and FIR crossovers will negate all of the passive problems. So, with these amps in an active system, the amp is no longer a factor in the sound quality at all.

You can get a Nord Acoustics stereo Purifi amp with all its options for about $2400. For a triamped system that uses powered subs, two amps to drive the mains would cost less than $5000. Used in this way, the Eigentakt would be as perfect as an amp can be. To our hearing, it would be perfect.

So that’s it. Amps, now, perform better than we can hear and the two best stereo amps on the planet cost $3000 or less.

While the world runs toward self-destruction, we are making some fantastic audio equipment.

Thanks,
Jeffrey Henning
United States

Let’s hope the world gets better and more people can appreciate these wonderful amplifiers. Thanks for your feedback. . . . Doug Schneider