I noticed that all of the Soundstream Picasso Nano amps have a Signal to Noise Ratio of 70 DB (per website), which may or may not be LOW, depending on how it was measured.

If the S/N is measured at 1 watt, 70 DB would be okay, but not great and should improve as the power is increased.

If the S/N is measured at rated-power, it would be poor.

Does anyone know if the S/N ratio for these amps is measured at 1 watt or full-power?

Is the Signal to Noise Ratio critical on a motorcycle at cruising speed?

Does anyone really care?

Why aren't I out riding?

Thanks!

 

No replies, yet??????

I thought at least one of our resident Audio Experts would have chimed in by now.

I'll continue holding my breath.

 

the 2nd to last sentence in original post says it all. Just cause you weren't doesn't mean we weren't. :-)

I do not have this information handy but can certainly get it later on today

 

LUCKY! I spent most of last week in the hospital with acute pancreatitis and there was no way that my wife would let me take-off on my motorcycle. Probably a good thing, because after having only ice-chips to eat or drink for 5 days, I'm not sure if I have the strength to hold up a bike.

 

Spoke to Scott @ Soundstream and he conferenced in a gentleman (couldnt make out his name) from the SS engineering department and they were very adamant that ALL of the Soundstream amps THD/SNR specs are based at rated power output. The concurs with what I've always known in the car audio world to be true of amps in general.

 

Thanks for the investigative reporting and for going to the trouble of calling Soundstream!

I'm very surprised that the SNR for the Picaso Nanos is only 70 DB at rated power output and it has me wondering if the gentleman in the engineering department misspoke.

For example: The Alpine KTP-445U that I was previously running has a SNR of 80 DB at 1 watt and a SNR of 92 DB at rated power (180 watts). Some of the other amps like the Elf & Arc are rated at 100+ DB at rated power.

It just doesn't make sense to me that the SNR for the Soundstream amps would be so LOW (more noise) than these other amps at rated power, which would make it even "noisier" at less than full power. The difference between 70 DB and 92, 100 or 109 (Arc) seems significant.

When I say "significant", I'm talking numbers only. I don't know how the sound quality of these amps would stack-up against each other in an automotive setting and I'm wondering if the difference would even be noticed in the open environment of a motorcycle.

Any other thoughts, UltraNutz?

 

I will not say the SNR and THD ratios are not important but WTR we are talking motorcycles here not IASCA qualified sound systems. :-)

Obviously you want the highest SNR you can find at rated power and you want the lowest THD you can find as well. But in all reality as long as it's within "reason" it won't be an issue.

 

I'll sleep better tonight.

Thanks!

 

But isn't true these other amp also cost much more than the SS amp? I guess my question would be can your ear hear the extra cost for the other amps?