Amp improvement since 1994?


How much real improvement in top level amps. Where have the gains been?
ptss
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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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Yes, plenty.

Smaller, lighter, more efficient, more power, lower noise levels, more compliante, you name it, improvements pretty much in every way. Technology moves ahead significantly in all ways in 20 years.
Parts quality is way better -- especially capacitors. But everything helps (resistors, hookup wire, volume controls, connectors, etc). And some of the new transistors are awesome, though the low volume of hi-fi leads to a lot of discontinued pieces of otherwise great silicon.

The further pursuit/emphasis on the "all out assault" side has driven the creation of some crazy (and interesting/awesome) high power units in each particular topology (e.g look at VTL's and VAC's top tube beasts, but also some of the crazy SET implementations) -- but that's basically an extension of "we have a huge budget so we can throw more hardware at the problem to get better performance". And very few can afford that. Computerized tube bias schemes too, I guess.

It seems that a few very bright folks have been pushing audio circuit designs forward (e.g. Nelson Pass, Kevin Gilmore), but elsewhere most products just seem like rehashes/remixes of ancient ideas (and not always done well, either). Or even original but really bad ideas.

That's why for budget-fi it's hard to beat the satisfaction of a good vintage tube amp rebuilt properly with quality modern parts (e.g. a pair of Heathkit W5 monos will turn out very very nice!).
Mapman, how significantly? This is a question I'm very interested in as I'm a vintage guy. The only current prod. receiver I have is the dedicated HT cheapo Yamaha that I don't even know the model of nor do I care. I'd have to check if it's even a Yamaha but I won't bother. Fwiw, it sounds capable.
it seems evident that good SS amps have gotten better, and do not sound quite as harsh as they used to; but what about tube amps? Have they really "improved"?