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Son of Ampzilla 2000 Circuit and Measurement Review.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Son of Ampzilla 2000 Circuit and Measurement Review, by Dr. David Rich: The last time I tested a Spread Spectrum Design product it was the unique 2-to-3 channel synthesis circuit that they call the Trinaural processor. Obviously, three speakers sound different from two, so the question on the table was whether the processor improved the sound and the answer was "yes." The company was so happy with that review that they wanted to send off this power amp.
Now, I really did not want the thing, because I hear no difference in the sound quality of modern amps down to the rock-bottom stuff. Please note that I am not saying that all well-designed amps (flat frequency response, low output impedance, well-designed protection circuits, noise levels below room noise levels, and distortion below 0.5%) of the same power rating sound the same. It is just that I cannot hear differences in real rooms under normal operation. So how do we find out whether a difference exists?
The publisher somehow convinced HF to go one more time to the front lines and do some comparative listening tests. So HF got a Son of Ampzilla on his front porch.
What I really wanted from Spread Spectrum was the schematics of the Ampzilla 2000 and its Son. No UPS required here, just email. In opening the email I found a fascinating design. I will try to explain below what is special about this amplifier's design and why it is a breakthrough product. I will also examine measurements of the amplifier that show the clear progress promised by the schematics is delivered in the production product. I will then address the issue of the sound of the amplifier as inferred from the measurements.
Part 1: Circuit Design. Fully-balanced from input to output, the Ampzilla 2000 series holds a singular distinction among amplifiers. A balanced signal differs from a differential signal because the desired differential-mode signal
Vdiff = (Vin+) - (Vin-)
and the undesired common-mode signal Vcm = (Vin+) - (Vin-)
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...later a higher-power version called Ampzilla was introduced by James as a kit design...brothers with cute names such as Son of Ampzilla (first separate power amp I ever owned...stuff copied from the Marantz 15 or Ampzilla) has a sound that cannot be attributed...
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...in the 1970s with large transformers and lots of heat. The other was the solid-state power race exemplified by GAS's Ampzilla, Harman-Kardon's Citation 16, the Phase Linear 700, and many others that sported massive power supplies with huge transformers...
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...Audio Lab were among the labels imported from Japan for the audiophile market during the `70's, first by Jim Bongiorno (of Ampzilla fame), and then later by AudioSource. Some of these became popular among audiophiles, most notably the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto...
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...both DC and AC signals. A DC common-mode signal may arise from an offset voltage. Motors...circuits simply subtract the common-mode signal on their negative input from the common-mode signal plus normal-mode signal on the positive...
Source: HighBeam Research, Son of Ampzilla 2000 Circuit and Measurement Review.(Product/Service...