[Loftprojection]

OK, I'm thinking about my upgrade path for 2007 and the Sig 30 is on the list.  My current amp is an Audio Aero Prima MKII hybrid integrated.  Before buying it I went to a lot of audio shops, listening to everything I could find under $2500 and this Audio Aero was, to my taste, the best.  Now reviews of the Sig 30 are all extremely positive so this has to be a very nice sounding amp.  I already own a RWA SB2 so I know what Vinnie can do so I'm sure the Sig 30 is way up there.  However, it would be fun to read from current owners, which amp they were using before the switch to the Sig 30 and very briefly what difference it made, maybe some of these I already know their sound and would be able to get a better idea how the Sig 30 would be different from my current amp.

Thanks guys.

[ZLS]

I am now listening to the Sig 30 playing over the Omega Revolution speakers.  I have on Duke Ellington's Jazz Party; a CD I am very familiar with.  I have had in my system a RWA Dual Mono Clari-T without and with Paper In Oil Caps.  I have also had a Audio Electronic Supply SE-1 a single ended 300B Amplifier.  In addition a vintage Heath 151, a El 84 Intergrated Amp.  So,
First, the Sig 30 is superior to the Clari-T.  It is more revealing, and for lack of a better word, more musical.  The Sig 30 has a rich dense sound that is exceptional for its smoothness. It is very coherent, with no part of the audio spectrum emphasized.  All the detail is there, it is just so well intergrated with the whole of the sound that it will take you a while to realize it.  Instruments and vocals have body and weight  The battery power supply provides a smoothness and evenness of sound that is very additive.  It is not a light or delicate sounding Amplifier.  The sound is more substantial than a tube amp, the tone is very full, it washes over you.  If you force yourself to listen to details, you can hear all the nuances that the musicians are conveying.  It is just hard not to get carried away with the whole gestalt. 
     The Sig 30 has a inner beauty, the more you listen the more you enjoy.

[brj]

LP, I like the general idea, but I'd suggest listing a person's speakers and their Ohm rating as well, as speaker requirements will very much drive one's choice of amplifier.

Edit: Added reference to a speaker's impedance rating.

[Alwayswantmore]

I had an Ayre V-3 running in fully balanced mode prior to getting my Signature 30 (the V-3 originally sold for $3,500). I also bought and returned a reconditioned FirstWatt F1, that was used in direct comparison to the Signature 30. Other amps I've had in my system include the Levinson 331 and a moderately priced Hafler.

I absolutely love the sound of the Signature 30. It is -- as others say -- very addictive. Smooth, yet detailed; And much more organic and 3-D sounding than anything else I've owned.

Recently I added the AudioPath 8-wire silver IC, and found it a big step up from an older AudioQuest Quartz IC. The 8-wire silver contributs more detail, a bigger soundstage, and significatnly better bass.

BTW: I sold the Ayre along with my old speakers and used the funds to purchase Omega Compact Hemps. And today I got a note from Louis indicating that my Hemps are on the way!

[lonewolfny42]

LP, I like the general idea, but I'd suggest listing a person's speakers as well, as speaker requirements will very much drive one's choice of amplifier.

As for speakers, I've only tried three so far with the Sig. 30....Omega A8's (hi-eff.) and Mirage M-3's (low-eff.)....and a pair of Focus Audio 788's at Phil's Holiday Rave.....
None were a problem for the Sig. 30.....

[Loftprojection]

I had an Ayre V-3 running in fully balanced mode prior to getting my Signature 30 (the V-3 originally sold for $3,500).

Interesting, I know that Ayre amp and it was definitely a competitor when I bought my Audio Aero but a bit too much for my budget.  Did you do an a/b comparison between the two with the same speakers when you got the Sig30?

[Alwayswantmore]

I had an Ayre V-3 running in fully balanced mode prior to getting my Signature 30 (the V-3 originally sold for $3,500).

Interesting, I know that Ayre amp and it was definitely a competitor when I bought my Audio Aero but a bit too much for my budget.  Did you do an a/b comparison between the two with the same speakers when you got the Sig30?

My situation is a bit unique in that I am using the Signature 30 for both 2ch speakers and AKG K1000 headphones. If you are not familiar with K1000s, they are actually small dynamic speakers that sit away from your ears by an inch or two. In some ways you might think of them as small open baffle speakers that rest just beyond your ears (they use open mesh on both the front and back, so they are completely open to the world). K1000s are designed to be driven by a 5 - 10+ watt 2ch power amp, so again they differ from standard headphones.

As far as 2ch speakers, I was using Acoustic Energy AE-1s and a Vandersteen 2W powered sub woofer. Both early 90s vintage. In their day, the AE-1 was probably one of the most open and detailed (small) monitors you could buy. The AE-1s were also bi wired. On top of that, I was using an old but pricey Transparent Audio balanced cable, driven directly (fully balanced) from my Wadia 830 CDP. My 830 has a brand new factory upgrade which adds a second power supply board, helping detail and dynamics.

My V-3 was at the K-Level mod, which translates to much better sound compared to the first releases, but not as good as the latest factory upgrade which includes the Ayre-conditioner.

I also had Vandersteen's top of the line balanced crossover (about $800).

Now, back to your question...

I had grown pretty bored with my 2ch system. Yes it offered a lot of detail; Good imaging; The sub did fine job with acoustic bass, and had a solid low-end for deep bass; And the speakers were very transparent -- to the point you almost never "heard" them in the room. On the other had, the sound just wasn't warm or captivating (especially for vocals).

Then last year I bought the K1000s and connected them to my V-3, sub woofer and all. Right off the bat I liked the intimacy of vocals, and found the soundstage to be huge, but with the exception of really well recorded audiofile-type CDs, the system could be a bit bright and edgy. So my next step was to order the F1 and Signature 30 to see if I could find a better match for the K1000s (with the idea I would have 2 amps).

Well, in terms of these three amps with K1000s, it was no contest for me. The Signature 30's warm and intimate sound signature really captured my heart. I now consistently listen to my K1000s for an hour or two almost every night, and have a tough time taking them off my head because the sound is just fantastic.

Ok, so the Signature 30 kicked ass with K1000s, what about my AE-1s and Vandy 2W? I played with this a bit, and could hear benefits in the midrange, but all-in-all the Signature 30 didn't have the guts to really make the AE-1s come to life (they're pretty inefficient). Also at the time I did not have the proper Vandersteen crossover, so I really couldn't properly use the woofer to get the total effect.

About this point in time I discovered Audiocircle, and began reading about single driver speakers. Efficient, with great macro dynamics and lots of subtle detail. And they were reputed to do well with vocals and light instrumental (my favorate genres).

Oh, I should also mention that with the addition of the Signature 30, I had reached a point where overall I preferred my K1000s to my old 2ch setup. So on a bit of a lark, I decided to sell off all my old gear and invest in Omega Hemps.

Bottom line: I did tons of comparison of the three amps on K1000s, but minimal comparison on the AE-1s. So the real test for me will be how the Signature 30 does on the new Hemps when they arrive in the next couple of days.

[Alwayswantmore]

bump - anyone else able to add to this thread???

[macrojack]

I have a Sig 30 powering my Zu Def Pros down to about 65 Hz. where they cross over to an NAD 2200 which powrrs my subs. Before I obtained the Sig 30 I had a Pass Aleph 30, Rowland 201 monos, Rowland Concentra II, Onix SP-3, and an ASL Orchid. All were different and all were quite good but the Sig 30 provides me with a sense of being there with punch that was not equaled by any of the others. The Pass was most articulate, the Onix was the punchiest, the Rowlands were fast and powerful and the Orchid was sensual to the point of lewd. However, when all parameters are considered, only one of these, Siggie,  scored near the top in every category.
I hope that draws a useful picture as I have never felt comfortable trying to describe sound.

If you are seeking a nudge, here it is: You can try it out yourself for the price of postage. Since it only weighs about 15 lbs., why hesitate?

[Plink]

I'm not sure I understand the thinking behind have subs handle freq 50hz or higher?  Can you elaborate on this?  I'm sure it sounds good but what I always learned was that subs should only handle non-directional sound.

[macrojack]

I can't say there was any thinking behind it. I started at 50 Hz and then read a post by Miklorsmith saying he had raised his to 65 Hz so I gave that a try and decided to try that for a while. I may go back to the earlier setting sometime. As for direction, that may not be so true with stereo subs which are built into the main speaker cabinets. I have four 10 inch rear firing subs in the back of each cabinet. These are fed a contoured signal through a Rane PEQ 55 which is a digital parametric EQ. It actually does sound good. Every time I listen, I wonder why more people haven't tried Zu.

[miklorsmith]

Bass frequencies may be less directional, but they are not non-directional.  With a single sub away from the mains, this is probably more of a concern but with the essentially co-located subs in the Definition Pros, it's a nonfactor.

The 65 hz in my case came from trying to get the subs to do as much work as possible to relieve my Yamamoto SET amp from bass duties and also to get better bass fill in the power zone.  I use shallow filters to blend the mains and subs which works very well.  I stopped at 65, as the blending seems to get more difficult above that.  Bear in mind this is about the most narrow solution for only one gear arrangement and is probably not optimum for other rigs and rooms.

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your replies to Loftprojection's post! 

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Plink]

thanks for the comments macrojack and miklorsmith.  I won't further get this thread off track...just thought it was interesting.

[Vinnie R.]

I remember getting some love for the Sig 30 over here a litte while back (from a devoted glass-head  ):

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=34027.msg302748#msg302748