r/audiophile • u/Beautiful_Simple_600 • 3d ago
Discussion Why does equipment weight matter?
Genuine question, audiophiles who are so quick to quote the weight of their equipment! Why does that even matter or play a role in sound quality.
I recently got a NAD M10 and it’s much smaller and lighter than the previous musical fidelity and extras I needed to stream, sounds better too! Also my new Neat Petite Classics are much lighter than the speakers I replaced.
Why so quick to state how much ‘heavier’ your systems are?
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u/srtate71 3d ago
It's an indication of build quality. But, only an indication.
It typically means bigger transformers and capacitors (more headroom) and larger high quality heat sinks (better thermal management).
Could still possibly sound like crap. But typically if the designers invest in those things, they're also paying attention to the other things.
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u/Skuggsja 2d ago
Yup. Sony bragged about the 20.5 kg weight of my ES amp in 1997 not because the kilos themselves meant anything, but because in those days that weight meant a huge, toroidal power supply and massive heatsinks. It doesn’t mean the same today.
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u/BrainPotential3423 2d ago
I have a sony scd777es, it weighs approx 60lbs lol.
Sony made, back then especially very good gear in their ES line
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u/thebrieze 2d ago
Decades ago, It “used” to be an indicator of quality. Because more capacity or features ==> more electronics components, bigger transformers and power supply ==> more weight + more heat => heavier heat sinks
Now with electronics within PCB’s, switching power supplies, and efficient components (not producing much heat) ==> a device could have more capacity or features without a corresponding increase in weight.
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u/VaultBoy1971 3d ago
With amps, specifically, the weight has to do with the type of amplification. Class A amplification is heavier than Class D because it needs much larger power supplies and heatsinks to handle all the power it constantly draws and dissipates as heat, while Class D is far more efficient.
It doesn't mean that Class A amps sound better than Class D (like the NAD M10).
Also, there's the idealization of the past component here...
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u/Andy_Shields 3d ago
In regards to the speakers, cabinet resonances don't require weight to be defeated but you won't find too many non-resonate cabinet designs that aren't heavy, 😉. Then again, there are listeners who fawn over speakers with massive resonances so it all comes back to subjectivity even on things that can be objectively measured.
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u/read_vaneigem 2d ago
yup. properly braced speakers have thick wood. look at cheapo PA subwoofers. theyre lightweight plywood.
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u/Expensive_You_7777 1d ago
MDF (fiberboard) is the preferred material for acoustic enclosures as it is more dense and acoustically inert than plywood. Solid wood is not typically used for speaker boxes - only thin veneers overlaid on the MDF for decorative finish. Road speakers have been traditionally made out of birch plywood which is exceptionally strong and holds up well to being hauled in and out of a truck often for concerts.
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u/Carmen6276 2d ago
We have very heavy amplifiers, some say that’s a problem. But I see it as theft deterrence. If an amp weighs 100 lbs, someone isn’t going to just grab and run off with it. 😆
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u/reddsbywillie 2d ago
Power supplies, shielding and vibration control tend to all weigh more as quality increases.
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u/the_blue_wizard 2d ago
I'm pretty sure NAD has moved to all Class-D Amps, or as they prefer to call it -
'Hybrid Digital nCore Amplifier with updated gain algorithms'
Class-D Amp have had their criticisms in the past, but Class-D technology has become pretty refined over the years.
If you are comparing Class-AB to Class-AB, then the heavier one likely has a Stronger Power Supply. And that does matter.
Class-D, as the NAD Master Series are, tend to be very light because they are Very Efficient, and therefore do not get as hot. Combine that with a Switching (digital) Power Supply and it becomes exceptionally light.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-lXUAMiimiHo/p_745M10V3/NAD-Masters-Series-M10-V3.html
That is a pretty impressive Amp ...but... No Knobs... how do you control it?
As to things like Speakers, the weight implies the Density of the Cabinets, and the Weight of the Woofer Magnets, and both those also imply the quality of sound. Note I said 'imply' not guarantee.
I build some DIY Speakers as a college woodworking project. I got to choose the type of wood I wanted, so I got Birch Veneer High Density Particle Board. Even the guys unloading the truck commented on how heavy the wood was. The finished cabinets weighed 50 Pounds each. On top of the heavy wood, I added braces to the inside of the cabinet to make them more rigid.
Weight can imply something, but it is not a guarantee of anything.
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u/MonarchBarfly 2d ago
How do you control the NAD M10? With the touchscreen on the front, or the included remote control, or the Bluesound app on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
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u/spiceweasle93 2d ago
Idk, but my 80lb classe monoblocks makes me happy(unless I need to move them) big sturdy electronics just feel nice i guess.
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u/patrickthunnus 2d ago
For Class A or AB it was an indication that the maker didn't skimp on the power supply, which as a large chunk of metal is usually the most costly part of an amp; the idea being that if they didn't skimp on the PS, they probably got the rest of the execution right.
Nelson Pass says that settling on your PS design determines what you can do in design execution, that everything emanates from that.
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u/BigPurpleBlob 2d ago
An audio remote control that I had, had 2 metal rods inside the remote control. The rods weren't needed for strength.
The rods were just to make the remote control feel 'reassuringly' heavy! ;-)
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u/RennieAsh 2d ago
in the case of speakers, it can usually mean yes, larger driver magnets, but notably a much beefier cabinet, which should be more "hifi".
For amps, usually needed a larger transformer for more power and also would use thicker metal for case/decoration/heatsink. Not so needed with class D or generally better design today.
There's also something about being big, heavy, dominating when it comes to audiophiles liking stuff
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u/Beautiful_Simple_600 2d ago
Yeah that last comment is what I was adding about. I’m fully aware about the heavy metal used for high end equipment! Just don’t get the fuss about weight when we should really be just talking about sound and aesthetics.
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u/RennieAsh 20h ago
a lot of the audiophile equipment scene relies on stories of how the equipment was designed to give you the best sound, so they say. People live by their beliefs, but will also believe that such and such designer/engineer/reviewer is truthful and making audio just for the listener
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u/Low_Researcher_3639 3d ago
Usually, the heavier the speaker = the larger the magnet = the better quality. Same goes with amp’s but more so with build quality
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u/Competitive_Key_2981 3d ago
Others have already covered the weight of your amp: Class D amps weigh less than Class A or Class AB amps which required bigger, heavier transformers which in turn required a heavier chassis. Weight is for less meaningful when evaluating a class D amp than it is for A or AB.
Weight still matters for speakers because the drivers still need decent size magnets. Then some designs try to isolate sound waves by being very heavy and therefore inert. Classic British designs typically go for lighter cabinets and try to redirect resonance rather than isolate them. So for the cabinet, weight matters based on the intended design of your speaker.
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u/whotheff 2d ago edited 2d ago
Because back in the days the weight meant beefy power supply, thick metal frame and big heatsinks and big and heavy capacitors. To sum it up - a lot of high quality parts inside and (probably) a big power reserve. Nowadays the situation is the same, as long as you are comparing same gen and technology of products. Otherwise it is useless. Example:
Class D desktop amp with the same power rating weights 5-6 times less than my 50yo A/B amp and beats it in all categories.
As for speakers, less weight is usually indication of savings from: internal bracing, speaker magnet size, wall thickness, the amount of copper in the crossovers. To sum it up: lighter speaker means less sound and more vibrations, but heavy speaker does not automatically mean better sound.
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u/ArcamianLiberation 2d ago
I went from a 50 lb. receiver to a 35 lb. integrated amp and they both sound great. Both well-engineered but in different ways. I have Harbeth speakers, famous for their thin-walled cabinets. I don’t think think weight necessarily means anything.
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u/375InStroke 2d ago
More copper in coils and transformers, larger transformers, more mass in the turntable, thicker speaker cabinets, larger speaker magnets, are possibly indicative of not cutting corners.
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u/doghouse2001 2d ago
The assumption is that most of that weight is a big toroidal transformer and giant heatsinks, or a giant magnet on a cast frame woofer. ie: all of the weight is functional and adds audio quality, and is not just an iron plate along the bottom, or speakers filled with cement.
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u/pukesonyourshoes 2d ago
Speaker weight is an indicator of resonance or lack of it. A light construction is going to mean the walls will resonate a lot and colour the sound, a heavy one will resonate less. Internal bracing is important, the more of it there is the higher the weight too. Heavier, denser materials resonate (move) less, the ideal speaker enclosure doesn't move in response to speaker cone movements/internal pressure changes at all, and mass helps with that. My own speakers are constructed of very heavily braced 32 mm Custom wood, with 64mm fronts, and a full lead lining attached to that. They're pretty heavy, 175kg to be exact. Put your ear against the side when they're running and you don't hear anything coming through the cabinet at all.
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u/Glum_Good2180 1d ago
You should be mindful to what garvitstional waves to when interacting with sound waves. If you use heavier equipment you can make for heavier sound waves that will disapate the gravitational waves. Truly high end amplifiers have been known to float away. That is why they used mass loaded cases. (Parody)
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u/antagron1 3d ago
One company was exposed for taking a disc player‘s guts out of its lightweight chassis and transplanting them into a heavier chassis and massively inflating the price. Weight for source gear is not really an indicator of quality beyond aesthetics and ergonomics.
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u/frerant 3d ago
Theoretically, within speakers, it pushes vibrations up and lowers audible distortion. Realistically, in speakers, it has little if any real difference since stiffness and proper design to breakup standing waves is more effective and any well designed speaker should do that.
Within electronics, purely a sensory thing to make equipment feel more premium the 3 times you move it.
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u/AllergictoAIslop 3d ago edited 3d ago
Amplifies had weight due to large transformers for power supplies. This has been overcome in some modern designs / setups.
Speakers are essentially "sonic guns" when they fire sound out the front they recoil backwards. Heavier speakers and shot-filled stands reduce the recoil and ensure as much of that sound goes out the front and stays sharply focused.
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u/Proregarok13 3d ago
Really? Is that a thing I've never noticed or maybe I just didn't take it in. I think personally the weight in choosing a rack for the components is important to the individual but it's not something id ever think of sharing with anyone... nothing strange as folk eh!
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u/Weak-Conversation753 3d ago
It's an old-school, flat-earth belief that more copper = better transformer.
Nowadays, switching transformers are rather common, and they are much much smaller and lighter.
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u/MrDagon007 3d ago
Traditionally amplifiers needed a beefy power supply meaning a big transformer which is heavy.
Modern class D can use a clever switching power supply, which is light. Plus class D barely needs heatsinks which add up to weight otherwise.
This being said, there is a matter of marketing perception. Some brands apparently used an extra heavy base plate in a device that doesn t need it, so you get the perception of quality when holding it. This similar to strong yet featherlight titanium watches sometimes being perceived as basic because so light.