[DTH]

Hi there. I used read and post on AC many years ago. I purchased a lot of nOrh gear new and used about 10-15 years ago. I still own two marble 9, two wood 7, two wood 6.5 & three wood 4. I also own a CD1, two Multiamps(actually four of these, but two are dead), one ACA and one SE-9 tube integrated amp. The caps in the SE-9 amp popped a long time ago when I was changing the tubes, I never got around to fixing it.

All this gear was in storage for years until recently. A few weeks ago I brought the marble speakers and electronics home and now have them running in active biamp mode with the Multiamps. The marble speakers still look beautiful and sound great, as does the CD1. I’m having a hard time with the ACA, when using it with the CD1 there’s a nasty hum in the right channel. It’s weird, I don’t have the problem with other sources into the ACA and I don’t have it using the CD1 with another preamp.

Does anyone remember the recommended crossover setting on the Multiamp when actively biamping 9.0 speakers? 

My wood speakers remain in storage, some of the cabinets have cracked and need repair. I might try to fix the SE-9.

How has your gear fared over the years? Do you still have nOrh parts in your system? I’d like to get the most from what I have, if you have time to share your experience I’d appreciate anything you can pass along.

[jqp]

DTH

Glad to hear you have  pulled out the nOhr gear to do some configuring and listening! Many members have done a lot of listening to nOhr gear over the years and it has proven to be well worth it. Nowadays, nOrh gear is a part of history, and also a part of living history for those who still own it. Manufactured in Thailand, by mostly Thais, with amazing lathed marble cabinets, etc.

The CD-1 was basically a Cal Audio Delta Sigma Plus or something along those lines, made by the same manufacturer.

The famous Wood 3.0s are a legend of some audio shows (I have a pair of Teak Prism 3.0s).

I use 2600 for my crossover when using the Multiamps and the Marble 9.0s in Active Bi-Amp wiring mode. That has been recommended with 2500 also mentioned. It depends on placement and the room itself and you have to judge by your ears. But that value should be a safe starting place.

About the MultiAmps. These chip amps are pretty good for what you paid for them, after all you can Active Bi-amp the wonderful Mable 9.0s with them. BUT...the chips are attached to a heatsink which is attached to a plate which CAN FLEX. My MultiAmps went back to the actual 'manufacturer', Curt Wishman, for an overhaul which included taking care of any case flex. He really over-re-engineered the amp structure and maybe even some other things. DO NOT move the case by the handles on the front plate. It seems that the amp was a good idea at the time, which was not mechanically designed by Michael Barnes or Curt Wishman. This design did not work in the real world (the flex impinging on the chip). Curt merely manufactured in Bangkok, but he also came through for those that needed repairs, backed up by Michael Barnes.

I have been careful with my gear, kept it inside climate controlled rooms,  and it has done very well over the years.

Please, others chime in on DTH's questions!

[jqp]

MultiAmp


Marble 9.0 crossover - rewiring for Bi-amplification


My center channel Rose Marble 9.0 being manufactured (not really mine, but maybe?) Did they really do this?


Who could forget Le Amp? (later realeased as the MB-100 from IRDAudio)

[DTH]

Thanks for the response! I've owned four MultiAmps, the two survivors I have now are the updated versions. In the time since my original message I swapped out the nOrh preamp for a Parasound unit, this solved the hum problem. Using these now in active biamp, everything sounds amazing.