Check his acoustic live in studio version on youtube. Guys a genius.
Solid State Power Amps That Sound Like Tubes
- Thread starter heliumflight
- Start date
Check his acoustic live in studio version on youtube. Guys a genius.
midhun280681
Member
I'm using a yamaha B3-V-fet(power) & Sony TA-E88 (pre) with a merlin vsm.. This combination is mind blowing and sounds almost close to tubes.
keith_correa
Well-Known Member
Actually, the confusion was cleared when you explained what you meant and I have said this before. And, I also explained why I was confused - it was because of the usage of the incorrect term "benign FR". There's no such thing.I don't think I will ever be able to clear your confusion
Benign/Easy Load, yes!
Benign FR, no!
square_wave
Well-Known Member
Ha.. I never said benign FR anywhere. You missed the second part of the phrase. I had said "benign freq resp vs impedance curve" . The reference is to the curve that you see in the graph. I have posted an example.
keith_correa
Well-Known Member
But you did - well, you didn't exactly say FR but said "freq resp" which is the same and I just abbreviated.
But, yes I agree, it was in addition to the second part of your statement. But!:
A response is an output. Can we agree on that?
And an impedance "curve" is a response to an input which is a frequency sweep which is NOT a freq resp OR FR - the point of being benign here is moot.
These are 2 VERY different things. But, let me not belabour this point any more, so, on with the "relevant" posts.
From my experience listening to multitude of gears, it is the overall system synergy that matters for that wholesome sound.
Specs are for differentiating on paper and serve a limited purpose.
Although amp topology is crucial its the amp's capability that truly matters.
The amplifiers I am referring to are a pair of E.A.R 509 mk2 tube monoblocks (It replaced his earlier EAR 890 stereo power amp). 100 watts per channel.
Controlling them is the EAR 912 preamplifier, another gem.
and Chord DAVE feeding it
Over years I have seen different speakers go through his rig including Marten Duke2 and recent addition AudioSolutions Figaro M. I have even heard my ATC SCM11 on this setup.
For reference comparison amongst his serious collection of amps are Lamm 1.2 monoblocks and Pass Labs stereo amp. Both Class A and humongous.
Elsewhere in NCR circle I have heard Cadence Cansaya and Mark Levinson.
For me EAR 509 monos are the best amps. Period.
They bring out such depth and insight into every track, it leaves me baffled. Music is never thrown at you. Every instrument or piece on ttrack has its space and clearly etched out. Vocals are killer. Nothing like a tubey sound but levely. The bass reproduction is the best.
Tight, textured and forceful. As to the big names of Lamm and Pass Labs they are now where near it.
I am yet to hear Prem's Berning amp, another topology of interest to me.
Specs are for differentiating on paper and serve a limited purpose.
Although amp topology is crucial its the amp's capability that truly matters.
The amplifiers I am referring to are a pair of E.A.R 509 mk2 tube monoblocks (It replaced his earlier EAR 890 stereo power amp). 100 watts per channel.
Controlling them is the EAR 912 preamplifier, another gem.
and Chord DAVE feeding it
Over years I have seen different speakers go through his rig including Marten Duke2 and recent addition AudioSolutions Figaro M. I have even heard my ATC SCM11 on this setup.
For reference comparison amongst his serious collection of amps are Lamm 1.2 monoblocks and Pass Labs stereo amp. Both Class A and humongous.
Elsewhere in NCR circle I have heard Cadence Cansaya and Mark Levinson.
For me EAR 509 monos are the best amps. Period.
They bring out such depth and insight into every track, it leaves me baffled. Music is never thrown at you. Every instrument or piece on ttrack has its space and clearly etched out. Vocals are killer. Nothing like a tubey sound but levely. The bass reproduction is the best.
Tight, textured and forceful. As to the big names of Lamm and Pass Labs they are now where near it.
I am yet to hear Prem's Berning amp, another topology of interest to me.
heliumflight
Well-Known Member
sudhirdamerla
Member
Get your hands Ona Vfet amp! I believe they can be had for a reasonable cost from eBay japan
Iam no expert here...
But from my.limited understanding, we are not talking about tube bass, but tubes magical mid range. In that stream of thought, I would place pure class A and the older and almost now extinct Vfet amp designs right behind tubes for their sweetness.
It would be unsurprising, that my most cherished amp at the moment is a 40 year old krell KSA100mk2 pure class A Power amp. These were the last of the pure class A breeds from krell..And they single handedly put krell on the world map
. Later krells being biased into class A/B, despite their FPB tech, do not sound anything like these older krells. This has a really really sweet midrange, coupled with heart stopping bass, that has to be heard. This old vintage amp, has displaced a devialet D-premier and a parasound halo integrated from my system. Sweet , sweet vocals and treble, along with a bass that is the best I've ever heard. Period. And it is funny that it is also the cheapest amp in my rack
But from my.limited understanding, we are not talking about tube bass, but tubes magical mid range. In that stream of thought, I would place pure class A and the older and almost now extinct Vfet amp designs right behind tubes for their sweetness.
It would be unsurprising, that my most cherished amp at the moment is a 40 year old krell KSA100mk2 pure class A Power amp. These were the last of the pure class A breeds from krell..And they single handedly put krell on the world map
. Later krells being biased into class A/B, despite their FPB tech, do not sound anything like these older krells. This has a really really sweet midrange, coupled with heart stopping bass, that has to be heard. This old vintage amp, has displaced a devialet D-premier and a parasound halo integrated from my system. Sweet , sweet vocals and treble, along with a bass that is the best I've ever heard. Period. And it is funny that it is also the cheapest amp in my rack
For me, Sansui 2000X, 4000 Stereo Reciever sound a bit tubey with thick lush vocals.. Sony TA 1120A that i possess have even more thicker Vocals compared to Sansui but slightly rolled off highs & punchy bass.. Sansui 777 & 777a that i have overall a tube coloration to their Sound. My Sansui 717 overall a coherent sound but somewhat bright not at all tube like character in sound. Sansui AU X1 is on par and comparable to Macintosh but not at all tube like sounding.
Hi midhun you use Sony TA_e88 Pre amplifier very good one # speaker brand & model number please.
midhun280681
Member
Hi... My speakers are merlin vsm
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