He's a G.

. Using a BLUE display? Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. YELLOW accents AND display might have been a decent tell-tale Branding design. Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

I’m trying to choose between the SA20 with a blue sound node and the Marantz Model 40n. Do you think the Model 40n has superior sound quality?

@@toddrainier3327 From what I’ve read/heard. Definitely better. Both the amp and the digital stuff too. Accessories 4 Less has the Marantz for $1499 right now. It is refurbished, but comes with an extended 5 yr warranty. If I didn’t already have my Exposure 3010 S2-D I would be all over that deal. There’s also another option in your price range. The Arcam SA30 is $1750 at New Age Electronics right now. And it’s brand new w/full factory warranty. It has not only a streamer built in, but Dirac room correction too. As well as HDMI, and even a MM/MC phono input. Basically everything but the kitchen sink in this one. Good luck whichever way you go. ✌️

I would get the audiolab 6000a, if the power is enough. If you want an all in one the audiolab 6000a play. I have six amps, some cost me three times as much, yet they don't get close to the sound quality of the Audiolab. Even the built in dac on the play is very good, but if you spend £1000 you will get a better one. I am using the play with the Revel 126 Be speakers, sound is incredible. Add the better DAC and it will amaze you.

Have you heard that JBL and Arcam share the same parent company, Harman International, which itself is owned by Samsung?

⁠@@dannytse8767Exactly. That is the same exact amp as the Arcam SA30. Same features, and all. The SA30 can be had for $2000, or less right now. The JBL is $3k, or more. It does look better though. Unfortunately it’s actually an older design. As this series is the replacement for that one. The newer smaller JBL SA550 might be a more modern design, but I’m not sure. Since it too just came out with a new streamer though. I’m inclined to believe that it’s the same design as this series of Arcam. Good luck. ✌️ BTW I’ve never seen a proper review of the JBL SA750, or Arcam SA30 either. But an Arcam SA 20 (the previous version of this) should get you most of the way there if there’s one available. And I think there is. As both of them are just a slightly better/more powerful version of the SA20.

@@amb3cog I actually picked up a brand-new Arcam SA20 at my local Best Buy for 50% off....US$825.00. The SA20 is still available brand-new but at a slightly higher price of US$1,000.00. I still haven't open my SA20 as I am hoping there may be other "deals" out there due to holiday sales.

I have an Arcam SA 20 paired with the KLH model 3 and the combination is absolutely perfect. The class G amp gives the Model 3’s a touch of warmth and powers them with ease.

What's new? All Class A/B amps operate initially in Class A, by definition. That is not unique to Class G.

@razisn Class G has dual rails and the first rail that is always active is pure Class A up to 20 watts. Way more than AB Amps. Then, if your power needs exceed that, the 2nd rail will seamlessly activate and supplement your power needs.

@@jaredhylton6591 The Class A bias in both Class G and Class A/B depends on the specific amp design and specifically on the standing output device voltage. Nothing to do with active rails. Btw if this thing operated in Class A for the first 20W it would get hot as a toaster, Class G or not.. You sound confused.

@razisn I am not confused, I am stating what Arcam says. So maybe you believe that they are misleading people, but read their literature on their Class G architecture.

@@jaredhylton6591 I really don’t care what Arcam marketing says or how you interpreted it or parroted it here. You talked in a matter of fact way stating false facts. Btw this has nothing to do with Class D and its topology not topography. It's an amp not a landscape..

There's always the arcam AVR's.

Tend to agree, but only so far, I had the A90 and now have the A39, the A39 does sound better than the A90 but as you say, there is not much in it, the 39 in my set up sounds slightly tighter and cleaner, in hindsight I probably would of stayed with the A90, but got a crazy deal on the 39

That’s how I understand it. G and H are just more efficient Class AB. And not really separate classes. Like Class D is. ✌️

@@amb3cog Class H uses abrupt separate low and high voltage rails. Class G is slightly different in implementation of high and low voltage.

​​​​@@amb3cogI run class A and and after years of AB find class A to be so much better in every way, including as a space heater in the winter. I'm talking about pure Cass A not the phony claims of being class A which then only output the 1st couple of watts in class A and then switch over to (usually) class AB, as is the case here I believe.

So were Technics receivers/integrated amps from the 90s.

It's a variable rail voltage Class A/B, namely Class G..

@@razisn Right, it's just more efficient, the different sound doesn't come from the fact that it's got a variable power supply, it comes from the preamp driving the A/B. You can get the same thing with class D for less money and more power. 100 watts per channel, what's the benefit? And it still costs $1500, not impressed.

@@mosfet500What speakers are you driving that you really need more than 100 watts? I have a lot of amps. And my 50 watt Akitika amp will drive any of my speakers (I have over 20 pairs). Even the 4 ohm ones, and it’s only making about 35-40 watts in 4ohms due to the unique design it uses. Are you fully aware of how this all works? In order to double the perceived volume level (+6db) of a 100 watt amp. You need 1000 watts. So the difference between a 100 watt, and a 200 watt amp means very little in the way of output. And unless you have speakers with low efficiency, and/or a very low impedance curve. Any 50 watt amp will go pretty darn loud. And even then. Watts don’t tell the whole story. It’s really all about the power supply. A very well made amp, like a Pass Labs for instance. Which all have extremely stout power supplies. Are different. Even their 25 watts amp will power almost any speaker to loud levels. Tubes too. A 40 watt tube amp will drive almost any speaker, and get very loud too. And if you have fairly efficient speakers (89+) that aren’t very low impedance. Any 20 watt amp will do really. Watts are the most overused, and yet useless specs there are. Also not all Class D amps sound the same. Not even close actually. Same with other topologies. ​​⁠Same with DAC chips, and pretty much everything else. There is a mythical Class D sound. That people will reference. But those of us that have owned many amps can tell you that it’s just that. A myth. At least nowadays anyway. ✌️

@@amb3cog The Akitika is nothing more than a National (now TI) LM3886 chip, not that it's a bad chip but it's not class D. What you have to check is distortion as your power goes up and it's not nice distortion, it was fine 25 years ago but we've made strides since then. I'm driving Dynaudio Heritage Specials which aren't especially efficient, my amp is basically the PS audio class D monoblocs at 1200 watts each although I designed a different tube front end as I think there are better tubes than the 12AU7 PS audio uses. That is a lot of power but it enables me to run with very low distortion and very low heat, obviously I don't use all 1200 watts. There are refinements in that speaker you can't hear with an LM3886 amp. Any well designed class D from the ICE's to Putzys' Purifi are pretty neutral, again, depends on the front end. Class D is the most accurate typology you can get, you want that because it lets you contour the sound to exactly what you want. The trouble with audio guys is that they don't know electronics, the best power supply you can get is an SMPS, it will beat any linear supply hands down, that's why they're used on class D amps. Audio designers don't use them, except for I think Manley, because they can't sell them to audiophiles who think everything has to weigh 50 pounds and have toroid xformers in it. I can look at an FFT or Bode plot and pretty much tell you if I'll like the sound of the amp, making great sounding audio is not that hard but people think it is and think some designer can make magic where there is none. We all get the same component pile to pick parts from, you want complex electronics? The guys designing GHz stuff get that award. I like Thomas, he's a neat guy and I think he tries to be fair and honest but if you want to talk electronic engineering, I'm your guy.

@@mosfet500I understand everything you’re talking about. I have a good friend who is an electrical engineer himself. Except he tends to disagree with you on most things. The same way I do. I have Class D amps up the ying yang in my house. Along with every other type too. And I prefer the sound of Class A/Class AB myself. And yes I’ve AB’d them in my system. And the Akitika won with my Freya + (w/really nice NOS tubes). I even tried the Eigentakt amp. I sent it back. Way too revealing. I want to listen to, and enjoy music as it’s made naturally. Which is not ultra clear the way the Eigentakt is, nor is it dry and clinical like my Hypex amp is. And in fact I’ve since downgraded (in clarity anyway) to my Exposure 3010s2d integrated amp. Because it just has that better PRAT to it, and a little more power in the bass. Audio isn’t about measurements, or low distortion. It’s about enjoyment, and entertainment. We love live music because it’s groovy, and fun. Not because it’s crystal clear, and distortion free. Same with music at home. So I’ll take my single ended classic Class A, and Class AB amps any day over anything Ultra engineered. Because engineering does not equal natural sound, nor fun. At least not to these ears, my tapping feet, and this heart. ✌️

That’s just the streamer. And you can use the app too. I’ve never even owned a streamer with buttons myself. And I have quite a few. I don’t see the need really. But to each their own. ✌️

You can buy a new remote.

Title says preview not review but I get what you mean.

🙄

LOL Have to repeat, it's a "preview". Obviously watch comparison vids or at the very least vids much longer than this one.

@@saint6563 Review or overview doesn't matter as they are all mostly worthless except for entertainment purposes.

@@saint6563 How much you want to bet that this "preview" will never be followed by an actual review with comparisons?

We got an expert here 🙄

. And yet AGAIN, if one buys the pair, then they've bought 2 DACs & 2 volume controls at least. And don't we know yet NOT to mix our digital with our analog in one chassis when digital evolves every 2 weeks? Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

Actually it’s clearly not at all. Arcam is made by Harman corporation. Audiolab are made by IAG, Cambridge is owned by two people, and NAD are owned by the Lenbrook Group. You’re just being paranoid. Besides he said this amp doesn’t even get hot. 🤦🏻 ✌️

​@@amb3cogit was on but .. were any speakers connected/ playing.....???😂

@@analoghardwaretops3976Have you ever watched Thomas’s videos? The idea that he would try to tell a petty lie like that is absurd. Why? What would be the point? He’s always been a straight shooter. And has plugged many things that he’s found along the way. Stuff he’s got zero chance of making any money from. Just to help people out. But now suddenly he’s lying for no reason? I don’t think so. ✌️

NAD M23

Anything with Purifi / Nilai?

@@jonathanmoore8886 - definitely a great class D!

Define “good.” Define “happy holidays.”

@@_fakeklg holidays which are not UNHAPPY 😂

Yeah, you're right. Thank goodness too. Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

And? 🤷🏻‍♂️ ✌️

@@amb3cog You didn't watch the video, did you?

@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt I most certainly did. From start to finish. ✌️

@@amb3cog And?

Are there situations where you take more than a grain? Maybe a teaspoon? Maybe a pinch? Are there situations where a substantial amount of salt is needed for you to take reviews from reviewers? What justifies the level of saltiness with which to take reviewers reviews? 🙄

@@_fakeklg . Lol, that was pretty good. Credit given. I share your sarcasm. It's just such a bevy of straight lines in here. See 'ya 'round................ Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

I wear my socks on my feet.

I like hearing myself type. ✌️

... until now! 🙂

Been used for decades in PA gear - voltage rail switching.

Same here. Does it have any similarity to some of the new Gan-fet amplifiers?

@@thewaygokid3135 no to my limited understanding... Class G (like A or AB or D) says something about the topology, GaN-FET is the type of transistor. Different things.

@puciohenzap891 pretty sure Class G isn't used in PA gear. It is pretty expensive and seems like it would be wasted on PA gear. I could see Class H which is another rail switching topology being used in PA gear though. Class G is pretty rare. It utilizes a lower power rail that is always active that operates in pure Class A. When power needs exceed this supply, a 2nd, Class AB rail is also activated. Class G often gets labeled as being used for efficiency, but really it is about getting the purest low to medium volume sound possible from Class A, while still having plenty of power when needed. Yes it is efficient, but that isn't why they spend the money on it, it is about sound purity.

Did you watch the video at all? He listened to it at more than 1 place. I’m pretty sure that’s not even his listening room. It is obviously treated though. And you can’t possibly tell what a room sounds like by looking at it. That’s absurd. You don’t even know the type of construction used. 🤦🏻 ✌️

@@amb3cog As a former sound engineer I to think I can tell something about a room by looking at it. Not everything, but enough to state what I stated.

@@stefanhansen5882You think you can?! Hilarious. I’m sure you do. That doesn’t change the simple fact that you can’t though. ✌️

@@amb3cog Unless the laws of physics doesn't apply to his room. With all respect, maybe you can't-while others, with more expertise, can. I can look at a 🚗 engine and see nothing wrong, while a good mechanic might spot some issues.

@@stefanhansen5882 They don’t even show the room in the video. They show 1 wall. If you’re such an expert. Tell me what type of construction that room is (residential, or commercial. Materials used). What the floors (sprung, or unsprung), walls (specific material), and ceilings (same) are made of. What the approximate dimensions are. Tell me if the studs are staggered, or not. Tell me if it’s a room inside of a room. Or just a normal room. Tell what they’re using for treatments, and what they should be using instead. These are all things that matter very much to how well a room sounds. So since you’re the expert, and you’re so observant. And you know so much about room acoustics. You’ll certainly know that these things matter, and that without knowing them one couldn’t possibly tell how good, or bad a room sounds. And since I happen to know Thomas well enough to find out where this was filmed. I’ll then be able to check, and see how correct/wrong you are. And ask him what his thoughts are on the sound of the room also. Or you could just admit that there’s no winning such a ridiculously stupid argument against a person with the intellect, knowledge, and skills that I possess. Option 3 is you not having the balls to even respond because you know it’s check and mate. ✌️

You need to go bro. We love Thomas. No one loves you. Not even your mother. I know she said she does. But she’s lying to you. Oh actually you know what? I may have misspoke. I’m pretty sure Jesus loves you. It’s just everyone else that thinks you’re an Ahole. Apologies. ✌️

It’s actually getting pretty hard nowadays. Technology does not stand still. 😉 ✌️