I would say the transparency has took a step up with modern amps from 2000 to 2014, real old amps to me sound like very old out dated speakers compaired to any speaker from 1992 to present.
It depends on what you mean by "real" improvement. Probably nothing that can be measured. I do agree that the trend seems to be towards transparency/resolution and away from musicality, but I'm not sure that is a good thing. My old tube amp beats most of the modern amps out there now, IMHO.
As to your last question, where the gains have been, I would suggest mostly in the price tag.
Interesting Timrhu. Audiolabrinth, I realized dramatic transparency improvements from power supply improvements. Experimenting with balanced isolation transformers, various conditioning devices and MIT networked power cables has improved my preamp (reputed to have a 'very' high quality separate power supply)incredibly. I believe the power supply was definitely the weakest link in my system.
Look at power supplies in the newest Rowland amps - they are line and load regulated high frequency (1MHz) switchers that are extremely quiet. For that reason he uses switchers in preamps (where efficiency plays no role) - instead of linear power supplies, that in reality are noisy unregulated primitive switchers (but easy to design).
- Plenty of improvements Take Pass Labs for example. The new supersymmetry is amazing! Real designers are constantly pushing the edge of what is possible. -
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