Solid-State Power Amp Adventures

I do. I've used a Synergy 240 amp with Philharmonic BMRs, Pranafidelity Bhavas, and a very short audition with a Devore Fidelity Gibbon 88.

Dennis of Philharmonic Audio recommended it as it's what he uses to power his own speakers at home. They had a nice synergy with the BMRs that I paired it with, but it was the first power amp that I'd ever gotten intimate with so I didn't know how it compared to anything else.

Once I went to a local SBAF minimeet and heard it back-to-back with an incredible Firstwatt F3 amp and SET tube amp, I realized it was time to stop fooling around with class AB. I've since gotten a Pioneer M-22 that's in the process of being restored. I could post again when I can A/B the Van Alstine with it.

 

I should just create a signature line with my current gear inventory
Current amps: Firstwatt F7, Odyssey Kismet Monoblocks 200wpc AB, Inline Maraschino Monoblocks 140wpc D
Other stuff: PS Audio Gain Cell Dac/Pre, Hattor Active pre, sabaj da3 usb dac(phone duty/testing)
preorders waiting: Nativ Vita, Nativ Wave dac, Native Pulse power supply.

it's just too hot for the firstwatt right now in my non air conditioned hawaii bedroom so hoping to get something that's closer to firstwatt than my maraschino class d monoblocks but less hot.. maybe one of these highly refined and optimized chipamps might be the ticket

 

Ah, so you like the good stuff. I have Nelson's F7 too and it's a beast for the price. Maraschino a while ago was on my list as well. Maybe one day.

 

How do the Oddessy and FirstWatt compare??

 

When I first got the f7 and compared it to the kismets, the f7 had incredible A+ treble and mids, so rich and glowy BUT it had disappointing B+ bass and I thought "huh, so this is what inadequate current sounds like on 85db speakers" but I gave up too soon and months later I tried the f7 again and after 100+ hours of burn in it sounds much better, in the bass too.. I really need to do another comparison soon with the kismets, but thinking about lifting the kismet monoblocks up and AB switching a bunch of times is giving me a hernia already. The kismets definitely are my A+ bass reference. I believe the f7 is 100KHz bandwidth and the kismets are 500KHz and like.. limitless current.. I'll do a real comparison at some point. But technically the kismets certainly don't give up anything.. and it bests the f7 on bass for sure.. but the f7 just somehow makes music sound rich and good without having a warmlgbtq frequency response.. I guess it does it through harmonics or something

 

As a curiosity, Odyssey is putting out a headphone amp... but absolutely zero info beyond the announcement that he's working on one.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=153086.msg1636151;topicseen#new

 

from what he said.. it has a headpiece? is he making a headphone too???

 

Yeah I just noticed that... so it's a "complete headphone system"... who knows what that entails. Perhaps it's something ala Koss ESP950, or maybe it just comes with a head warmer and prostate massager.

 

Modulus86 built by Rouge audio:
https://imgur.com/a/PNr9S

Like it a lot, but only have Lyngdorf to compare so not gonna get much into it. Super clean and the low 14dB gain is perfect for my tanks.

Rouge also sells various Class D, cheaper than Nord Up. From the nice communication and service I got, I'd recommend.

 

Wow I didn’t know the modulus were only 14db gain, that’s as low as my firstwatt f7. I guess keeping the gain as low as possible is good for high sensitivity speakers which make any noise floor audible.

 

20dB is default, with simple change to 14,17,26..

 

@uncola is your F7 more or less stock? My mate built one with a doubled up power supply and reckons it improves the bass and dynamics. I've got it at my place and whilst I wouldn't say it's bass-heavy, it's certainly not lacking, and very tight. Agreed on the tone of the F7... wonderful voicing imho.

 

Yeah it’s totally stock except for wbt rca Inputs and binding posts. Right now I’m loving this new diy class ab chip amp I got a builder to assemble for me.. Folsom tda7297 with antipope psu. For me it’s on the same level as the firstwatt but I prefer it’s sound signature... and no heat. More bass depth and tightness/texture than firstwatt, better dynamics and the jantzen superior input caps give it a big soundstage. I guess a more typical class ab sound signature but on the same quality level as firstwatt. It’s high gain tho. So I had to set preamp to unity gain

 

Very interested in hearing some more about the Folsom if you've got the time; it's got a good amount of positive reviews on AC, but, it's AC, so...

 

I think cspirou is building one for himself right now so hopefully he will be able to verify it's legit-ness. I'm not much for super detailed comparisons :/ I was incredibly pleased with this amp from hour one of playback with it. It just had that "specialness" that the firstwatt and kismets had that my class d amp didn't. I don't know if I"d say it's euphonic instead of neutral, it's definitely not warmed over.. there's plenty of treble detail

 

Thinking of pulling the trigger on this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01552AKCU/

apparently same/similar guts as the JOB225, but fewer watts. Any JOB owners here?

 

I just got this,



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/QUE...32816534722.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.LJ7WS2

I am very pleased indeed. I am using with with 2 way Dynaudio speakers, 4 Ohms and 86 dB/W. Highlights are natural effortless sound, the bass is simply amazing, plenty of it but zero flab. It is detailed in a natural way, not in your face. It makes me want to listen to music.

I suspect it is about 20 Watts per channel class A. The idle power is about 120 Watts and it gets pretty hot.

"Full symmetric X-Amp design & Ultra fast power amplification circuit
DC crosslink,the audio path without capacitor
With high damping coefficient,it can cantrol any speaker freely
Each channel has 5 pairs of Sanken tubes C2922/A1216, high current capability
The signal cable and current cable are all made of Taiwan Teflon oxygen free copper cable
Use 1 piece of 800W Canada PLITRON premium transformer"

 

^
How much was shipping for it?

 

A little less than $200 US. It was not very well packaged though, just one box and some styrofoam. If I was buying from them again I would offer to pay a little more and get it packaged properly. Mine arrived with a slightly bent binding post. Given what I paid and what I ended up with I am still very happy.