Best Low Watt Amp in your system Today?

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #40 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 08:29 pm »

I have the high gain version. You know, when I bought them there was no such thing as a high gain or low gain version because they hadn't come out with their higher efficiency "hemp" woofers yet. So, back then all three quality levels of Quest came standard with a 6SN7 gain/driver tube. Today they are called the "hi gain" version.

Having all of that gain in the amp is also the main reason why I can successfully use a transformer volume control instead of an active pre amp. Although maybe someday,,,,,,,,, an M6 or M8? It's ok to dream, right?

doug s. · « **Reply #41 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 09:21 pm »

Quote from: cheap-Jack on 18 Apr 2012, 07:07 pm

Wow, now I know you're a Audio Note owner.

Frankly, Audio Note is one of the 2 brandnames of power amps I love their sound most. Audio Note is the most expensive audio on this planet, for sure. Price alone qualified for it for the Guinea Book of World Records.

The AN model I still love most was: Kagon (2x17W using 2x300B paralel SE)
when played with ALL AN matching gear ONLY. Tagged for Stirling Pd 85,000 (=USD136,000), Kagon with its complete AN lineup (total: USD260,000) made me lost my music interest at home for a whole month !!!

c-J

PS: which version of Quest you got? Hi or Lo gain?

hey cheap-jack, you will lose your cheap reputation, admitting you are infatuated with a/n amps!

doug s.

konut · « **Reply #42 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 04:47 am »

Happened to find these the other day.
Another addition to the low power SS arsenal.

Valvet bricks E1

Single-Ended Class A mono-blocks 10W into 8 ohms, 18W into 4 ohms. They make larger amps too.

http://www.highend-electronics.com/16.html

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #43 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 11:59 am »

Quote from: konut on 19 Apr 2012, 04:47 am

Happened to find these the other day.
Another addition to the low power SS arsenal.

Valvet bricks E1

Single-Ended Class A mono-blocks 10W into 8 ohms, 18W into 4 ohms. They make larger amps too.

http://www.highend-electronics.com/16.html

Very nice! Thanks for that link.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #44 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 12:05 pm »

Quote from: opnly bafld on 17 Apr 2012, 01:16 am

Monarchy Audio SM70 Mk2 and SM70 Pro.
http://www.monarchyaudio.com/specs_SM70_Amp.htm

The very first version of this amp was wonderful! Lots of life, lots of magic. But it ran very hot, as Class A should. Then Monarcy redesigned (or at least re-biased) the amp to run cooler and all that magic was lost. Still a good amp for the dough but no longer a wonderful amp. If you're patient and ask some pointed questions you may be able to find one of the first ones on the used market. I would highly recommend that one.

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #45 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 03:16 pm »

Hi.

Quote from: doug s. on 18 Apr 2012, 09:21 pm

hey cheap-jack, you will lose your cheap reputation, admitting you are infatuated with a/n amps! doug s.

I like yr humour.

Yes, I am cheap in my spending as I can get excellent sounding audios with peanut money by DIYing. But I am not "cheap" at all in my music appreciation.

Like I picked up 9 pre-owned classical LPs from my local thrift store last Friday, including a digital recording of Rachmaninoff 2nd Piano Concerto. For 75cents a pop, cheapie enough!! Yet they all sound beautiful.

When one loves someone or something, it does not mean one has to own it. Right? Admiraton & ownership are 2 different things. Zillion of men out there admire J.Lo (Jennifer Lopez), only one man can marry her, correct?

FYI, I was invited only last January by an AN regional dealership to a full audition of Audio Note Japan's latest flagship power amps:- "Ongaku", the most powerful power monoblock ever built by AN.

Tagged for USD190,000 a pair, this fully pure silver loaded amp delivers only 27W each channel, using 2x211 triodes SE. Needless to say, it sounded suuuuperb when mated with AN "Ginga" TT with AN tonearm/MMC carridge, M-77 phono-preamp.

AN's new flagship loudspeakers were not available in the marketplace yet. We used the best sounding loudspeakers in the dealership showroom: KISO HR-1 miniature minitors on factory matched heavy-weight tall stand. Tagged only for USD29,000/pair. Another 'made-in-Japan' sonic wonder. I love the sound.

Wow, what an experience catered for the rich & famous though I am not.

c-J

marz · « **Reply #46 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 10:29 pm »

I've been really happy with a pair of Bottlehead Paramours 2A3 set monoblocks with the cap and iron upgrade. I'll confess I didn't build them but enjoy the handy work of a guy who put some useful mods into the amps: departing from the stock Bottlehead kit he add a lighted power switch, located the hum pot control to the top of the amp, upgraded caps, and upgraded binding posts. I've got them driving a pair of Tekton Lores. Magic imo!

InfernoSTi · « **Reply #47 on:** 20 Apr 2012, 01:13 am »

Nice to see a fellow Bottlehead, Marz! I'm using my Bottlehead Stereomour 2A3 integrated amp with some minor modifications (coupling and parafeed caps are now Mundorf Silver/Oil, the selector switch and volume pot removed, and JJ Tesla 2A3-40 power tubes and a Mullard CV4024 driver tube). The sound is so detailed yet relaxed...wow, bliss!!! The music really comes through...a real pleasure to listen to every time!

Best,
John

marz · « **Reply #48 on:** 20 Apr 2012, 04:26 pm »

Hey John, Never tried the JJ Tesla's. Have been using the basic Valve Art tubes that came with the original kits which I don't think they make anymore. After reading a lot of reviews I decided to spring for a pair of Shuguang 2A3C's. They are a bit more detailed but in my system they lack that nice inner tube warmth. What speakers have you found work well with your Stereomour?

InfernoSTi · « **Reply #49 on:** 21 Apr 2012, 03:03 pm »

Marz,

I've not tried the Valve Art's nor the Shuguang's, but have tried the stock Sovtek's, some NOS RCA's and the JJ's. The JJ's had the best extension and detail. The first 200 hours or so were less warm than I liked but the came around to a neutral level. I prefer to roll the driver tube to gain/lose "tone" and have three tubes I roll: Psvane, Telefunken, and Mullard CV4024. Each has their own sound, with the Psvane being clear and clean, the Telefunken being detailed and crisp, and the Mullard being warm and rich (broadly speaking).

I use Hawthorne Audio SSI Trios currently but have a set of the new References on the way. They have been built but are being reviewed by Bound For Sound so I don't have them in my possession yet. Once they arrive, I will be modifying them with Darrel Hawthorne from the single speaker MTW setup (mid, tweeter, woofer) to a dual speaker MTM/WW setup (mid, tweet, mid on one baffle and two Augies per side on a second baffle). The MTM setup will be amazing, I think. You can see a photo of my speakers on the cover of the AKFest 2012 webpage:

http://www.akfest.com/

I have the dual Augie towers already (the rest within a month, I hope):

Don't mind my SSI drivers in an old baffle...the sound is excellent even in temporary baffles!

Best,
John

ebag4 · « **Reply #50 on:** 21 Apr 2012, 07:28 pm »

Like John, I have to throw out some love for my Bottlehead Stereomour as well! Fantastic amp with the right speakers, in my case the GR Research V1s.

John, I can't wait to read about your new speakers with the Stereomour, should make for a real kicka$$ system!!

Best,
Ed

marz · « **Reply #51 on:** 22 Apr 2012, 03:44 pm »

Wow, really impressive setup with those Hawthorne OB's. Kinda makes one want to tackle a DIY speaker project.

Ed, love the arch top tranny cover on your stereomour. When I figure out how to post pictures I'll show my paramours in bird's eye maple veneer, and my foreplay iii. Nice work!

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #52 on:** 22 Apr 2012, 03:57 pm »

I have several but the Bottleheads are my favorites.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #53 on:** 22 Apr 2012, 04:00 pm »

Bottlehead 2a3 Paramours and CJ preamp.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #54 on:** 22 Apr 2012, 04:03 pm »

The Dared 2a3c is the best looking.

solaja audio · « **Reply #55 on:** 3 May 2012, 10:19 pm »

Hi to everyone
maybe this will be an interesting. It is a SE EL 84 in triode mode power of 1.5W.Input 6N2P.

fredgarvin · « **Reply #56 on:** 3 May 2012, 10:50 pm »

Man, this thread is eye candy. I love my little Tripath, but it's a few watts over the 25 watt limit. If I ever decide to make a 4th system I'm thinking little triodes with interesting high effiency speakers. I'm a little biased against horns due to my past experience with Klipsch, but I never used them properly back then.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #57 on:** 3 May 2012, 11:11 pm »

Quote from: fredgarvin on 3 May 2012, 10:50 pm

Man, this thread is eye candy. I love my little Tripath, but it's a few watts over the 25 watt limit. If I ever decide to make a 4th system I'm thinking little triodes with interesting high effiency speakers. I'm a little biased against horns due to my past experience with Klipsch, but I never used them properly back then.

I used to think Klipschorns were ear bleeders. However, after listening to a system with modified crossover for the K-Horns, and 300B SET mono blocks, had to re-adjust that perception. That was an excellent sounding system with dynamics very few systems could attain.

fredgarvin · « **Reply #58 on:** 3 May 2012, 11:16 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 3 May 2012, 11:11 pm

I used to think Klipschorns were ear bleeders. However, after listening to a system with modified crossover for the K-Horns, and 300B SET mono blocks, had to re-adjust that perception. That was an excellent sounding system with dynamics very few systems could attain.

That's the type of info I need to hear. I was using japanese receivers, too much power, back then. Those Electro-voice tweeters in the Klipschorn were brutal.

I was all about the Heils back then.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #59 on:** 4 May 2012, 11:18 am »

The original Miniwatt with the diode mod is a keeper.