[Lee_in_Canada]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering about cherry amps and high efficiency speakers.  I recently auditioned my cherry with high efficiency fostex fullrange speakers and the sound destroyed the decware S.E.T. that usually ran this system.  I was extremely surprised as traditionally the high efficiency full range speaker is the domain of the S.E.T. amp.  It goes against traditional wisdom to plug a 400w amp into this kind of situation. 

Anyone tried or have any thoughts and experience with this non traditional configuration .

Regards Lee       

[watercourse]

I think this topic has been discussed elsewhere in this circle, but I've had great results pairing three Cherry models (4800a, Jr, and Cherry Plus) with my 91dB DeVore Nines.

If the first watt doesn't sound good...

[AmpDesigner333]

Inserting my 2 cents......  well, maybe more

First, high SNR helps.  With low enough noise, the added loudness of high efficiency speakers will not muddy the background.

Second, CONTROL.  Beware of "other Class-D" amps that have high SNR (and sometimes other really nice looking bench specs) but not-so-wonderful low level control.  Sorry, there's no spec for that.  We design for low level control and tweak obsessively for that ultra clean first watt.

Third, headroom rules!  Many low power systems are missing that smack-in-the-face headroom that adds the realism.  There are good articles out there explaining the huge power it takes to deliver clean transients even at relatively low listening levels.  This is where the Cherry really shines, combining control with huge power (close to 1kW with the "big Cherry ULTRA").

Fourth, I need to mention stability somewhere here.  Lots of low power amps change their sound over time.  It could be from tube aging, self-heating, and other causes.  Our amps keep an even sound despite lots of dynamics and pounding in one song to quiet "beads of dew on a spider's web" in another.  Some low power amps will deliver a song differently depending on what you played before.

Thanks for listening to (reading) my rant !

By the way, Cherry ULTRA DEMO currently on auction:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-digital-amp-co-cherry-ultra-stereo-amplifier-demo-high-performance-power-amp-with-choi-2014-05-08-amplifiers-18104-allentown-pa

Plus, if you haven't heard of the Maraschino, you owe it to yourself to check this amp out with high efficiency speakers!  DC coupled and high bandwidth.  Not as much power as the "big Cherry", but 400W into 4 ohms is pretty good for most speakers.

thanks again

[watercourse]

Completely agree with all the above points. Not really a rant, Tommy, but good info to consider. 

Our amps keep an even sound despite lots of dynamics and pounding in one song to quiet "beads of dew on a spider's web" in another.  Some low power amps will deliver a song differently depending on what you played before.

Note that beads of dew are typically not recorded very well. You need high def dew recordings, and some Cherry amps of any flavor, to clear up the cobwebs. 

[Cheeseboy]

Hey Mr. Watercourse, it's been awhile.  How the heck are you? 

I sure want to listen to the new Maraschino's.  Perhaps they might pair well with the Devore 9's.   Lot's has changed with me.  New home in Forestville, no longer married, and alot more.  My Cherry Plus does wonders with woofer control on my 91 db GR Research LS-6 line source speakers.  Thanks for turning me onto that amp.  I am forever grateful. 

Rollin on the river

Steve

[watercourse]

Steve - doing well, sending you a PM.

[Lee_in_Canada]

Thanks for sharing watercourse and Tommy I appreciate the 2 cents and the additional knowledge.  Love this hobby.

Wow what a great amp.  I can't quite believe it's versatility.  I purchased the cherry for my previous larger system/listening room with hard to drive speakers and didn't think it would necessarily fit with my newer higher sensitivity fullrange speaker system.  Thrilled to be wrong and loving the direction my system is going. 

Thanks and I'd love to hear any other thoughts relating to the cherry and high efficiency speakers.

   



 

[Shear Bliss]

Running my Cherry ULTRA into very high efficient VMPS ST/R floor standing full range speakers ... 96db and the sound and control the big ULTRA offers up on them is awesome to say the least. May appear to be over-kill but these large VMPS sound great listening at low levels as well as high, the Cherry ULTRA not even breaking a sweat.
Throw a few logs on the fire and get rewarded with more heat, the Cherry controls my 15" and 12" woofers with a iron fist! Through the midrange everything is very even keeled even tube like. (I have a tube preamp arriving on Friday) And though the mids on up to the upper limits will leave you sitting with your mouth agape!

This Cherry ULTRA is by far the finest power amp I have ever owned or listened to ... period! It does everything correctly top to bottom and is even a beauty to look at. I feel very lucky I stumbled onto the Digital Amp Co. after auditioning another brands offering which sounded defective, thin bass, midrange in your face, treble that was loud and shrill ... just terrible.

I can safely recommend Tommy O"s Cherry ULTRA without hesitation.

DW