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What makes a good piece of audio gear ?

Is is the design ? If so how many possible designs are there for say an amp ?
Is it the materials used ?
What else am i missing ?
Are new designs even possible anymore ?
Will the future bring better gear ?
Something that is eye catching / Fancy looking will make one envision how nice the sound must be . Obviously that is not the case ,but it brings the mind there .
Let's take asthetics out . Envision all gear used the same exact box to house the gear . Only the sound would make are decisions on what to buy . Do you think the most expensive ones show through ?
maplegrovemusic
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
The blue smoke. Some use better smoke. That is the secret.
Actually i think it is 'talent'.
It does not matter what design, or parts, or if it is according to some popular 'theory' ir single ended, or balanced, or no feedback, or whatever is the hot buzzword at the moment.
All that matters is the guy who designed it has the magic quality of 'talent'
And it may even be accidentally great.
One hit wonder...
So forget the particulars..
Except the special blue smoke... that really does matter.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,033 posts
 
B r a i n and the Knowledge 'what is responsible for what' from the
Designer
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,957 posts
 
11-08-12: Elizabeth
The blue smoke.....
lol! in yester years it used to be red or green smoke but these days the colour of the smoke has changed to blue.
Or, is it a blue (errr.....purple) haze?
glenfihi
525 posts
 
Good design, good parts, good build. Features that prove pertinent to you. Ending with a feel and most important a sound that moves you. The right gear will cause you to listen more and have a gleam in your eye even when turned off. And if you see smoke...something may be wrong.
roscoeiii's avatar
roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 

In order of importance:

1) Good circuit/crossover design.

2) Parts choices (and spending your parts budget on the parts of the circuit where quality parts will make the most difference).

I will also add that in my experience a good power supply in a component makes a big difference. Particularly in amps and preamps. And quality transformers matter (for power supplies, tube output transformers, and SUTs for LOMCs).
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