When you compare 'em, please let us know.

I remember the Yamaha receiver in the 1980's sounded really great. I was impressed with it in several ways. I don't know how it compares with some of the gear I have now, but it sure made an impression on me an many others that heard it. I ran it on seven π Speakers with all JBL Professional Series drivers.

To tell the truth, the inexpensive Harman Kardon HK 3470 receiver I picked up on Crutchfield a year ago sounds pretty good. I bought it to see how an entry level home theater would sound with two π's and tower two π's. I wanted solid state with about 100 watts per channel for this particular setup. That way I could compare tubes and solid state in the price range that most would probably use with one π's and two π's. I've never opened it to see if it uses a chip amp or discrete components, but more than likely, it's a chip. Maybe a National chip, just like the gainclones. I dunno. But it sounds pretty good; Suprising, really.

Wayne

• http://www.ampchipdiy.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=2

I haven't used a tube but do use a mosfet. A tube could be substituted for the 1rst xsistor......NO global feedback. Impossible with a power op amp...........mike

this time with more stable url.......

Correctomundo. The chips used for GC's are in fact op-amps.
Perhaps more correctly 'power op-amps'. This is the same
topology used in 99% of solid state amps (only the circuit
is all on 1 'chip'). As much gain as possible is developed,
affording massive feedback for low distortion specs.
In fact so much gain that feedback must be used to define
a reasonable operating condition.
Fine and dandy. Some of them sound great. For my tastes though,
amps with little or no feedback (and here I mean 'global' or
'active' feedback where the output is fed back (as opposed to
'degenerative' that simply limits the gain of a device)) have
a truly more groovy sound. WAY more dynamic and open .... mike