New Sensation M901 finally here, burning it in...

virtue · « **Reply #60 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 07:50 am »

Marvin, it's a nice idea but I'd rather not be in the power supply business right now.

JT makes a great supply and we support him. But we're neither going to annoint his the "best" nor make it ourselves. The battery folks would slap me if I suggested that linear was better and vice versa.

Also, the Melissa enclosure is way bigger and a bunch more expensive to make and assemble than it needs to be for a PSU that is going to live on the floor in most cases. The case on the JT is perfect for the job. Have you seen it? Pretty nice actually.

marvda1 · « **Reply #61 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 08:00 am »

seth sent you an email. received the m901 yesterday.
marvin

OzarkTom · « **Reply #62 on:** 21 Apr 2010, 11:30 pm »

Quote from: zmanastronomy on 21 Apr 2010, 11:59 am

OzarkTom,
The Sensation is a better value than any new amp on the market. But, I have a used Almarro with some well selected NOS tubes that I have $850 in it and we'll just say that the statement that was made is a personal preference.
To say it's the best sounding SS amp would be very accurate. But when you compair against tube amps, it's like compairing apples to oranges. Some prefer apples and some oranges. I like them both.

You ought to hear OTL tube amps. You will never be satisfied with transformers again.

OzarkTom · « **Reply #63 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 02:06 am »

Just curious, how do you take those aluminum slides off of the tops? I have the screws all out and it will not budge. I want to install ny new tops. Are they glued on too?

Jason T · « **Reply #64 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 03:01 am »

Tom
they are glued on.
I found it to be very difficult to remove the aluminum rails from the top wood section.
I ended up carefully heating the aluminum with my heat gun on "low" and lightly prying the rails off.
it still left glue on the rail and even pulled a small chunk of wood off with it.
I would recommend asking Seth if he has any rails you can get.

the epoxy they used to hold the rails on is some tough stuff and will prevent the rails from fitting the new piece of wood due to the epoxy being there.
if he doesnt have any just be prepared to do some careful sanding on those rails

MikeFlaherty · « **Reply #65 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 12:06 pm »

Zman- we are in the same nice boat. Sand and glass. I can now alternate between One.2 and modded Heathkit el84 amp, or Kardon Cit2, or Altmann BYOB or Naim 250... lately however, I must be inclined just to leave the One.2 in place, cuz thats where it's been! Gosh maybe I should sell that other stuff and pay for more therapy! Or at least some Audio Note caps and a trip to Hawaii. And an OTL. Best...

classicjt2 · « **Reply #66 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 06:51 pm »

"And here is another that has found the Sensation is better than tube amps. I still say it will beat any tube amp with transformers, Cary, VTL, Manley, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, etc..."

OzarkTom- As great as the Sensation is, there are two tube amps that I'm sure sound better than the Sensation: Audio Research Ref 300 monos- the best "tube-sounding" tube amp I've ever heard (driven by Ref Two preamp), and Lamm ML-1 monos- the best amps of any type I've ever heard (though very load-dependent). Both are great sounding; I just wish they were under a grand like the Sensation.

"So what will beat it? Just might some OTL's. The David Berning will probably do it at $9800 plus a pre-amp. I first met David in 1978 at Chicago CES, and if transformers were good for tube amps, he would still be building them. He gave up long ago. David actually had the best transformer driven tube amps of the 80's, the EA 230 and 2100."

Tom- About a quarter of a century ago, I had a chance to A/B my Berning EA-230 against real, live, Julius Futterman hand-built H-3aas. The results, my then-new Berning was called "best transistor amp we've ever heard. "

The Futterman OTL completely stomped on my Berning, making it sound thin and anemic. I know exactly your feelings regarding transformer tube amps. Though I have heard really good ones, as stated above, and some very nice SETs (ugh, load-dependent too).

James

mikeeastman · « **Reply #67 on:** 23 Apr 2010, 02:20 pm »

82hrs on Sensation, DAMMMMMM! one very sweet sounding amp!!!

OzarkTom · « **Reply #68 on:** 23 Apr 2010, 02:42 pm »

Quote from: mikeeastman on 23 Apr 2010, 02:20 pm

82hrs on Sensation, DAMMMMMM! one very sweet sounding amp!!!

Mine starting sounding sweet at 80hrs. but waut til you have 120 hirs on it.

oskar · « **Reply #69 on:** 30 Apr 2010, 02:43 pm »

I've had my 901 for over a month now and estimate that there's at least 100 hrs on it. In following the posts here I see that many of you are DIY'ers with a heck of a lot more know-how on the workings of these amps. Talk of cap rolling, batteries and all the other stuff sounds like jolly good fun but it's over my head. I'm a plug and play guy. I bought the Virtue because of all the positives I'd read and I never intended to be a modder. So to those of you out there like me wondering if a Virtue is for them I say you don't need to take the hood off and heat up the soldering iron to get the sublime sound I'm hearing from mine. It just seems to keep getting better. It's about the music, right? The way I'm hearing it now it's a new experience. Lovin' it here in Toronto.

PSB Guy · « **Reply #70 on:** 30 Apr 2010, 06:51 pm »

Quote from: oskar on 30 Apr 2010, 02:43 pm

I've had my 901 for over a month now and estimate that there's at least 100 hrs on it. In following the posts here I see that many of you are DIY'ers with a heck of a lot more know-how on the workings of these amps. Talk of cap rolling, batteries and all the other stuff sounds like jolly good fun but it's over my head. I'm a plug and play guy. I bought the Virtue because of all the positives I'd read and I never intended to be a modder. So to those of you out there like me wondering if a Virtue is for them I say you don't need to take the hood off and heat up the soldering iron to get the sublime sound I'm hearing from mine. It just seems to keep getting better. It's about the music, right? The way I'm hearing it now it's a new experience. Lovin' it here in Toronto.

Amen. Lovin' it too, 30 km east of Toronto.

Robb_G · « **Reply #71 on:** 11 May 2010, 05:42 pm »

I am currently burning-in my new M901 (received on Saturday) and while there have been ups and downs (mostly ups!), it does seem to be settling in to a very nice sound now.

A couple of questions:

1) When, if ever, does the 'Protect' (I think that is what is is called) LED next to the Power/Standby lights come on?

2) What is the small hole above the input LEDs for?

Thanks,
Robb

virtue · « **Reply #72 on:** 11 May 2010, 06:39 pm »

Hey Robb,
"Protect" is the clipping light and the small hole is for the remote IR receiver.
Damn, I need to finish the manual!
Seth

wsturner · « **Reply #73 on:** 11 May 2010, 10:37 pm »

Seth,

Maybe you should "crowdsource" the M451 manual. Use Google docs, or something, to collaborate.

virtue · « **Reply #74 on:** 11 May 2010, 10:47 pm »

Great idea. I'll post a draft next week and y'all can take a whack at it.

Jason T · « **Reply #75 on:** 14 May 2010, 03:33 am »

I made the clip light on mine go crazy the other night

stupid power hungry speakers !

Light-Echo · « **Reply #76 on:** 15 May 2010, 04:04 am »

.......I made the clip light on mine go crazy the other night
stupid power hungry speakers !.....

Really. Please elucidate so I don't do the same thing.

Dave

Jason T · « **Reply #77 on:** 15 May 2010, 02:28 pm »

Dave its a simple matter of my large speakers asking for too much from the amp during my viewing of Iron Man

my 86bd 3way speakers like allot of power.
the funny part is the Sensation didn't seem to mind at all
the clip light wasn't on constantly just during the loud passages

Parkfly · « **Reply #78 on:** 17 May 2010, 08:11 am »

I just purchased the Sensation. Beautiful!
But, I've been having issues with it. Anyone having problems
with the connectors inside the unit? I have a connector
that will not lock in.

dvenardos · « **Reply #79 on:** 18 May 2010, 02:33 am »

Email Seth, he will take care of you.

Quote from: Parkfly on 17 May 2010, 08:11 am

I just purchased the Sensation. Beautiful!
But, I've been having issues with it. Anyone having problems
with the connectors inside the unit? I have a connector
that will not lock in.