[Shotimes] A quick one for all the aftermarket stereo guys....

[George Fourchy]

On Fri, 3 Jan 2003 18:47:59 -0600, van Oss wrote:

>Maybe audio gear has advanced so that that idea no longer carries any merit.  Maybe it was a myth even then.  Comments, anyone?

Nope...You're absolutely right.

A more powerful system is a potentially cleaner system.  It doesn't need to be run
at 80 percent of its capability to get a given DB output.  When you turn down the
adjustable outputs on the power amps, and turn up the volume a little more on your
head unit, you are getting cleaner sound by utilizing the very high signal to noise
ratio of the various components.  Gear HAS advanced a lot in the last 15 years or
so....total harmonic distortion of the Alpine amp I am looking at for the 4 corners
of the black car is .08%, when just a few years ago it was 3 or 4 percent or
more...sometimes 10 percent.  That's a huge improvement, as is also the new amp's
100 db of signal to noise.

A person gets used to hearing his system, especially if it is over many years, and
he won't notice when it starts to fade in capability.  My current system had an
intermittent connection to one of the rear 6x9s, and I didn't notice it for a long
time.  It was when I was adjusting the subwoofer a few days ago that I realized I
wasn't hearing all the music.  A little clamping with a small diagonal plier, and it
sounds totally different.


George