Dual Mono System

[rollo]

   Is there truly an advantage to having dual mono preamp , mono block amps and dual mono digital. Each channel would have its own power supply, analog or digital board input and output.
   My experience with using dual mono everything except separate power supplies for digital [ using dual mono boards though] yields a bigger 3D sound stage, more dynamics, better focus and separation of instruments and quieter background.



charles

[steve]

   Is there truly an advantage to having dual mono preamp , mono block amps and dual mono digital. Each channel would have its own power supply, analog or digital board input and output.
   My experience with using dual mono everything except separate power supplies for digital [ using dual mono boards though] yields a bigger 3D sound stage, more dynamics, better focus and separation of instruments and quieter background.

charles

I agree that separate monoblocks are desirable; if I may, for another reason; that of overall frequency
response. How?

Take a measurement for one channel, exactly what some/many review magazines do.
However, channel separation can alter the frequency response when both channels are playing.
Maybe not measurement, but by hearing.

With insufficient channel separation, musical information from each channel will bleed to the other,
giving a non uniform frequency response, affecting spacial sound staging, tonal quality etc. Usually
highs and lows are affected. It may not be measured, but hearing is more sensitive.

Monoblocks, by design, tend to offer the highest stereo separation, but it is possible to design small
signal components, like preamplifiers, sources, with great channel separation. my 10A and 11A preamplifiers
offered 90db minimum channel separation at 10khz, increasing to 100db minimum at 1khz on down.

My test phono stage has similar specs, while I run monoblock amps for superior separation.

cheers
steve

[Folsom]

You cut out of a few loops that make noise that may not have been audible but were affecting the sound.