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05-06-2023 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
noviygera


Chicago, IL
Posts 177
Joined on 06-12-2009

Post #: 1
Post ID: 27083
Reply to: 27083
Good small SS amplifier
Well, there is place for everything in time and life. This little discovery made me want to share that sometimes there is a time and a place for a small (20 w/ch) small, simple SS amp. This one made me pause a re-evaluate what is possible when you have $100 and are expecting mediocre listening experience. This is not the take your breath away by any measure of audiophile metrics, that is, except if you want to enjoy your music in a simple life of no extra complexity.This Furman SP-20 took me by surprise because it does nothing wrong that I can understand. Actually, I cant understand how it is able to play music in such no pretense, but honest and satisfying way. And you can find a bunch of them on ebay.

So there. It's good and it's Furman SP-20. How, I don't understand. Not always does a simple person has the adventurousness to bother with Yamaha B2 or B3. Here's your one good option when the situation requires. I hope there are more designs out there, that are accessible to us mortals. 
05-06-2023 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
noviygera


Chicago, IL
Posts 177
Joined on 06-12-2009

Post #: 2
Post ID: 27084
Reply to: 27083
Plus the transformers
Add a pair of good transformers in front of it, like in this photo, it's confusing how this can sound so good.

furman sp20.jpg

05-08-2023 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #: 3
Post ID: 27085
Reply to: 27083
It is too complex for audio crowd.
Noviygera, this whole subject in my view is too complex for a public forum. First of all, and it is extremely important: there is nothing mediocre in terms of listening experience that a person can get from $100 amplifier. It might be your Furman or any other device. I for instance for many years listen a $130 old Denon CD player with built-in amplifier and sounds perfectly fine to me. There are quite a number of very good super budget mass-market audio components that seriously outperform contemporary so-called high-end industry garbage, particularly if the listening head is not polluted by radioactive hi-fi objectives. I have my vintage German Radio from 1954, that I absolutely assure you render the musical context much more accurately than most of the hi-end crap out there.

 So, what the problem I see in your post? In sharing it with audio people. You see, in audio we have no language to collaborate on this subject publicly. If you have some of your intime friends, who know and trust you and to whom you might mitch something then they will reply to you in a dew day: I know want you meant. It is it! There is no more audio conversation would be possible able the audio device or about the purely audio experiences. Literally in the context of audio forum of or other audio collaboration it will be no subject to discuss or to worry. The case is closed, and a person continues to live his or her happy non-audio life. Unfortunately, we do not have this setting in high-end audio and most of the people are terminally contaminated with very much malignant hi-end virus. The malignant vs benign forms of hi-end virus is in objectives of a listener and his ability to to properly align the actual benefits the person gets from an amplifier to satisfy his listening objectives and the person ability to recognize many irrelevant amplifier differences.

In my past I was sent to go screw myself by a few big names of the audio industry who were trying to explain to me the difference between two amplifiers. All the I did was asking them “What does it mean to you?” in response to their explanations. Users after doe 4-5 level deep they collapsed, become angry and all this BS reputation became actually laughable.


What I am saying is that what you are saying is not an audio statement that might be collaborated at audio forum, we juts have no interface how other people can related to you experience.


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
05-11-2023 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
steverino
Posts 351
Joined on 05-23-2009

Post #: 4
Post ID: 27086
Reply to: 27085
Fits general consensus
Over the years there have been occasional reviews of low powered SS, but mostly in passing because they undercut (by sounding better) the bigger SS amps whether by the same vendor or others. Yes many years ago I had a low powered semi faux hybrid Jolida integrated amp  that put out about 30 W. I used it in the bedroom where it didn't have to blast out anything. It sounded better than most other higher powered SS IMO. The issue is that at that wattage you can also have tube amps. So it is a very niche market and probably works better for headphone amps. There are some headphones that don't fit well with low power tube amplification.
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