Indigenous Hi-Fi Amplifiers

[souban82]

Hi Members,

I am new to this forum and want to share my experience. I had been using a Cambridge Audio Azur 650 A for last 10 years. This was driving custom made 3-way tower speakers made by Kolkata speaker man Kaushik Mitra ( owner of Hertz brand). Just 2 years back I changed these speakers to Tannoy Mercury 3. Had been longing for a power amp but due to budget constraints was not able to leap in. So my search for indigenous PA began. From the forum I came across 3 names- Shaan's Peeceebee, Aniket's DD and Aniket Das's O&B. I spoke to each one of them and trust me all of them are gem of a person as they will patiently hear you out and guide you. But somehow I had to choose one of them and decided to go with O&B. My requirement was a warm sounding PA with 150w@8 ohms each channel with the best possible components. Here Aniket took 2 months time to complete the project and throughout the entire two months he kept updating me about the progress and even shared pics of the components used. Now it's been 3 weeks I am using the PA by pairing the CA Azur 650A as the preamp. The Tannoys are sounding more open and clear at even lower volumes. Aniket has done a great job and with that increased my greed to shell out more on my audio set up as I will need to upgrade the speakers which can tackle the power of the amp.

 

[Yogesh]

There are other indigenous amplifiers as well albeit not all as economical as both Aniket! I will list them.

1. Norge - Much old and very much value for the price. SS Amps and Speakers.
2. Indiq - Premium Price Premium Performance. SS Amps and Speakers.
3. Acoustic Portrait- Premium Price Premium Performance. - DAC/Streamer, SS Amps, Tube Pre and Active/Passive Speakers.
4. Anode Acoustics- Premium Price Premium Performance. SS & tube Amps.
5. Torvin - Wide range of SS Amps and Speakers.
6. Lyrita - Premium Price Premium Performance. Tube amps & Horn Speakers.

FM @radium7 here will custom build Tube Amps for you. There are a couple of very good Tube builders outside the forum who have built for FMs to their satisfaction.

 

[sidvee]

Hi Members,

Now it's been 3 weeks I am using the PA by pairing the CA Azur 650A as the preamp. The Tannoys are sounding more open and clear at even lower volumes. Aniket has done a great job and with that increased my greed to shell out more on my audio set up as I will need to upgrade the speakers which can tackle the power of the amp.

I replaced a highly regarded Cambridge audio 651w with O&B ss2150 driving Spendor classic 3/5, and couldn't be happier. The spendors sound much better with this amp.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[theironhorse]

I replaced a highly regarded Cambridge audio 651w with O&B ss2150 driving Spendor classic 3/5, and couldn't be happier. The spendors sound much better with this amp.
Cheers,
Sid

You also got a O&B amp ?? , Coming from you it can be taken its seriously good.


I got one last year and probably his first delivery to Hyderabad and been pretty happy with it

 

[sidvee]

You also got a O&B amp ?? , Coming from you it can be taken its seriously good.


I got one last year and probably his first delivery to Hyderabad and been pretty happy with it

Yes I got one in Feb. I have sent it back recently to Aniket to get upgraded parts. Very happy with it.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[theironhorse]

Yes I got one in Feb. I have sent it back recently to Aniket to get upgraded parts. Very happy with it.
Cheers,
Sid

Awesome.
I also plan to get the VU meters done. Planning on the shipping part now.

 

[reignofchaos]

I am eagerly waiting for my monoblocks. They should be here by October end i guess.

They will be powering a pair of ATCs so will be quite an acid test.

 

[Audio_Freek]

ATC With Indian Build Amps... Its going to be a game changer if this turns positive synergy. ATC being low sensitive speakers and getting match Within india should be quite interesting.

Kindly post a dedicated thread once you have the Amp driving ATC.

 

[Prodigy]

ATC With Indian Build Amps... Its going to be a game changer if this turns positive synergy. ATC being low sensitive speakers and getting match Within india should be quite interesting.

Kindly post a dedicated thread once you have the Amp driving ATC.

I don’t get this term “Indian Build Amps”. What are you trying to convey here ? Indian Engineers who design amps don’t know what they are doing ? Lol.

 

[bobbyprajan]

I hope indigenous HiFi amplifiers will bring down the entry barrier to HiFi and also cost of ownership

Salute to Shaan, Aniket, Aniket Das and all others who are making this possible !!

 

[aeroash]

I hope indigenous HiFi amplifiers will bring down the entry barrier to HiFi and also cost of ownership

Salute to Shaan, Aniket, Aniket Das and all others who are making this possible !!

The cost “seems reasonable” when compared to international products of similar quality. I think brand consciousness is at play here rather than quality.

One perhaps takes pride in owning a Marantz rather than one of the amps made by fellow forum members.

 

[Ajitsank]

The cost “seems reasonable” when compared to international products of similar quality. I think brand consciousness is at play here rather than quality.

One perhaps takes pride in owning a Marantz rather than one of the amps made by fellow forum members.

There are also people who look down on Indian Brands. Equating to Indian Brands to/using sub standard components. Which is far from truth. I use an Indian Brand for last one Year (The parts they use are some of the best that Industry has to offer across the world). Really proud of this brand and looking forward to buying a preamplifier from the same brand. Also eying on PA from Aniket for my Second Setup. It would have been so easy on Indian Brands if most of the buyers gave them a look at the least. We are hopefully getting there.

 

[Audio_Freek]

Hifi shows, Space in dealers located at Metro cities + Feedback from users in Hifi forums which encourage the Indian brands. Hope we are not too long to reach.

 

[Anandhyd]

Awesome.
I also plan to get the VU meters done. Planning on the shipping part now.

Hello This is Anand kinldy share your contact as I would like to know more about this amplifier O&B as I am also based in Hyderabad
Thanks in Advance

 

[az9012]

Excellent to see you enjoying the O&B. I've been talking to Mr.Das as well on and off. Very polite and friendly person. Yet to own an O&B power amp, hopefully will own one in the near future.
Also, totally agree with the fact that many of us are to blame for the lack of awareness regarding the Indian brands. It's unfortunately hardwired in the brain that getting something made here is going to be sub-par compared to big name foreign brands. But it's far far from that. I'm never going to look back at foreign brands anymore- primarily because they're obscenely pricey with a very high barrier to entry, and iffy servicing in the long run, and DEFINITELY not a value for money investment compared to what the Indian brands here have to offer. These brands sell direct to consumer so there's far less margin to be accounted for as opposed to foreign brands with their dealership margins etc. So more money is spent on internals. It is automatically a better VFM purchase. I've been a customer of Anode Acoustics for years and Nitin Kaushik's stuff gives big name foreign brands a run for their money (testimony from customers and me myself) at a fraction of the price. I've also been staggered by the performance of Indiq Audio recently, so much so I placed an order for the Signature Mishra V2

 

[keith_correa]

Also, totally agree with the fact that many of us are to blame for the lack of awareness regarding the Indian brands.

Care to explain this? Why are many of us to blame?

 

[Pratyush J]

Excellent to see you enjoying the O&B. I've been talking to Mr.Das as well on and off. Very polite and friendly person. Yet to own an O&B power amp, hopefully will own one in the near future.
Also, totally agree with the fact that many of us are to blame for the lack of awareness regarding the Indian brands. It's unfortunately hardwired in the brain that getting something made here is going to be sub-par compared to big name foreign brands. But it's far far from that. I'm never going to look back at foreign brands anymore- primarily because they're obscenely pricey with a very high barrier to entry, and iffy servicing in the long run, and DEFINITELY not a value for money investment compared to what the Indian brands here have to offer. These brands sell direct to consumer so there's far less margin to be accounted for as opposed to foreign brands with their dealership margins etc. So more money is spent on internals. It is automatically a better VFM purchase. I've been a customer of Anode Acoustics for years and Nitin Kaushik's stuff gives big name foreign brands a run for their money (testimony from customers and me myself) at a fraction of the price. I've also been staggered by the performance of Indiq Audio recently, so much so I placed an order for the Signature Mishra V2

I have been a customer of Indiqaudio for last 2 years and couldn't have been happier. Their signature series is simply outstanding

 

[az9012]

Care to explain this? Why are many of us to blame?

Because that's what I've seen in the last few years? "Bro Indian manufacturers cheap out on parts" "does it use custom caps?" "My brand x is going to miles ahead I'm sure because it uses custom high end caps and tango transformers" "why are the drivers not flush mounted? There'll be so much edge diffraction" these people are audiofools. They judge without even trying anything. And yet more often than not the impressions change for the positive once people have heard what our brands have to offer. Anyone can go ahead and purchase these esoteric parts online and yet there are "good" and "bad" products out there. This is a recent trend i see that people are hellbent on judging parts quality and only think parts quality is what dictate the sound. Of course these guys don't even remember class 10 physics.
These Indian brands come under a hell lot of ridicule simply because they're looked down upon. Big name brands can pull off all sorts of nasty shit and most of us won't even bat an eyelid.

I have been a customer of Indiqaudio for last 2 years and couldn't have been happier. Their signature series is simply outstanding

Yeah...V2 was my personal favorite. Pulled the trigger. Sadly gotta wait 1 month to receive it.

 

[keith_correa]

Because that's what I've seen in the last few years? "Bro Indian manufacturers cheap out on parts" "does it use custom caps?" "My brand x is going to miles ahead I'm sure because it uses custom high end caps and tango transformers" "why are the drivers not flush mounted? There'll be so much edge diffraction" these people are audiofools. They judge without even trying anything. And yet more often than not the impressions change for the positive once people have heard what our brands have to offer. Anyone can go ahead and purchase these esoteric parts online and yet there are "good" and "bad" products out there. This is a recent trend i see that people are hellbent on judging parts quality and only think parts quality is what dictate the sound. Of course these guys don't even remember class 10 physics.
These Indian brands come under a hell lot of ridicule simply because they're looked down upon. Big name brands can pull off all sorts of nasty shit and most of us won't even bat an eyelid.

That's all well and good but it still doesn't explain why many of us are to blame for the lack of awareness regarding the brands! Why is the onus on us for awareness of the brands or the lack of it??

 

[az9012]

That's all well and good but it still doesn't explain why many of us are to blame for the lack of awareness regarding the brands! Why is the onus on us for awareness of the brands or the lack of it??

Because the people do not bother searching for what's out there for offer? They simply do not care about diverting from the well trodden path. Brands and dealers pay YouTube reviewers who shill for them and viewers blindly go for them based on the reviewer's recommendation. Every day we see titles like "This amp surprised me!!!" "This amp really surprised me!!" "This is the best I've heard!!" This is literally why the entire market is flooded with Chinese stuff (especially for headphones and earphones, in that industry the fate of a product almost entirely depends on a reviewers' judgement, because the audience are blind followers of them) and due to this the lesser known brands are kept in the dark, as they don't have the budget to pay off dealers and reviewers or market their stuff aggressively. I'm not saying every mainstream brand is bad and only Indian brands are good. It's just that many of the people base their judgement on reviews instead of exploring other brands and routes themselves and going out to actually hear what is on offer. If one discovers a hidden gem and tells us, it benefits everyone.