Anecdotally: Tripath Vs TPA3116

SufferingArtist said:

did any of you go and listen to the 2 examples I posted? Please do so, preferably over kinda fairly ‘neutral’ headphones, eh

Listendid any of you go and listen to the 2 examples I posted? Please do so, preferably over kinda fairly ‘neutral’ headphones, eh

Click to expand…

As I said in my previous post, making judgements on the sound quality of a hifi gear based SOLELY on their youtube recordings if utterly futile.

Those two youtube samples weren’t even recorded by the same person, which means they were recorded using different equipment (microphones, etc.) – so there is really no point in “comparing” them – you are comparing apples and oranges (based on dubious representation, at best)…

First, you don’t know which microphones and which recording equipment was used to record the sound of those two systems in those two videos.

Second, to have even a most general idea of the actual sound, the sound should have been recorded in high quality (no compression) – and even if they were, I’m not sure that youtube doesn’t compress (or process) the video sound in any way.
This way you might be comparing the sound of ultra high-end hi-fi gear using low-quality mp3 (128 kbps) recordings of their sound. Kind of pointless, wouldn’t you say?

Third, you’ll be listening to those videos using a computer (or a tablet, whatever), with a dubious quality sound card (sound chip).

Using better quality headphones doesn’t change anything of the above points.

I repeat, again: you cannot judge the sound quality based on random youtube videos – and even if you wanted to, the basic requirement for any kind of comparison would be for those two videos to be recorded by the same person using the same sound recording equipment in the same room – which isn’t the case, so any “comparison” is pointless.

On the other hand, if you want opinions on those two amplifier types (Tripath and TPA3116), you’ve got some feedback from the forum members – purely subjective opinions, I’ll admit.
But, those opinions are from the people who’ve had ample experience listening (and owning) both types of amplifiers, and who had done extensive listening tests of both types of amplifiers, and who can make direct comparisons – i.e. the amp “listening tests” were done using the same music source, and the same speakers, cables, etc.

Even being “subjective”, I’d say that our (xrk and myself) informed, although subjective, comparisons and opinions are worth a lot more than random recordings of random youtube videos – if nothing else, we did a DIRECT comparison.

On the other hand, I also want to mention that not all Tripath and TPA- based amps are the same. Even the amps which use the same chip (e.g. TPA3116D2) do not sound the same – some are better, and some are just so-so… Same goes for Tripath amps.
So, that’s one more unknown variable – exactly WHICH Tripath and and exactly WHICH TPA3116D2 amp do you want to compare?

Denis

As I said in my previous post, making judgements on the sound quality of a hifi gear based SOLELY on their youtube recordings if utterly futile.Those two youtube samples weren’t even recorded by the same person, which means they were recorded using different equipment (microphones, etc.) – so there is really no point in “comparing” them – you are comparing apples and oranges (based on dubious representation, at best)…First, you don’t know which microphones and which recording equipment was used to record the sound of those two systems in those two videos.Second, to have even a most general idea of the actual sound, the sound should have been recorded in high quality (no compression) – and even if they were, I’m not sure that youtube doesn’t compress (or process) the video sound in any way.This way you might be comparing the sound of ultra high-end hi-fi gear using low-quality mp3 (128 kbps) recordings of their sound. Kind of pointless, wouldn’t you say?Third, you’ll be listening to those videos using a computer (or a tablet, whatever), with a dubious quality sound card (sound chip).Using better quality headphones doesn’t change anything of the above points.I repeat, again: you cannot judge the sound quality based on random youtube videos – and even if you wanted to, the basic requirement for any kind of comparison would be for those two videos to be recorded by the same person using the same sound recording equipment in the same room – which isn’t the case, so any “comparison” is pointless.On the other hand, if you want opinions on those two amplifier types (Tripath and TPA3116), you’ve got some feedback from the forum members – purely subjective opinions, I’ll admit.But, those opinions are from the people who’ve had ample experience listening (and owning) both types of amplifiers, and who had done extensive listening tests of both types of amplifiers, and who can make direct comparisons – i.e. the amp “listening tests” were done using the same music source, and the same speakers, cables, etc.Even being “subjective”, I’d say that our (xrk and myself) informed, although subjective, comparisons and opinions are worth a lot more than random recordings of random youtube videos – if nothing else, we did a DIRECT comparison.On the other hand, I also want to mention that not all Tripath and TPA- based amps are the same. Even the amps which use the same chip (e.g. TPA3116D2) do not sound the same – some are better, and some are just so-so… Same goes for Tripath amps.So, that’s one more unknown variable – exactly WHICH Tripath and and exactly WHICH TPA3116D2 amp do you want to compare?Denis