I received the Nirvana + AKSA 100 watt stereo amplifier. I was required to lug the unopened package from the Apt management office to my apt. Whether it was worth it or not will present itself later. Ouch! It stayed nestled in its packaging for a few hours later until I had more time and my children love opening up packages. My two year old was quite grieved that he could not pop the packing material but loved to sit and flick switch on the unplugged gun metal box. Sorry Hugh.
I bought some interconnects from Radio Shack...oh I am sorry did I forget to mention that I am married and in an imminent international career relocation effort . I also seem to have impregnated my smart and beautiful wife 37 weeks prior. We are a week away now. So budget is key.
The amp is very solidly built as my 28 pounder (or somewhere around 12.7 kg everywhere on the surface of the planet) son proved. My 5yr old daughter was not as needful of a seat, but tried to move it, she couldn't. I placed it on the bottom of my rack and their it proved it's mettle.
I had my Harman Kardon 520 powering my pair of VMPS 626r with auricap upgrade and spiral tweeter. Now it was a pre/pro.
I have 2 gripes before raving about the AKSA...
Remote control...Ok I said it...need it, huge WAF factor she does not want to or should need to bend down to turn it on for watching her Baby channel.
Number two is was cosmetic, the unit had a small dent with finish extricated on the right front.
Sound and sshh silence
VMPS speakers in general from what I gather are power hungry. I believe when I auditioned the 626's at Brian's pad he had them powered by ampzilla's, though I am not sure of generation. I bought the 4 vmps boxes because of this showing. I would have bought them all over again when powered with the AKSA.
Now a fair comparison of the Gorilla from Cali against the Marsupial from down under is not possible with 24 months betwixt them in my aging auditory memory. But what I experienced in my Arlington apt. made me appreciate my speaker and source player purchases without any remorse. A glee, if you will, crossed my pleasure center.
The mids were the ones that really stood out, they were just as warm as the H/K 520 but fuller, and more intrigueing. They were more apparent but not for the diminishment of the bass which was forthright or the treble which came out about the same. Actually the bass was, as in El Sobrante was illusional, for I had asked Brian if he could turn off the subwoofer. He, matter of factly stated the sub is not hooked up. Nirvana...aurical that is!
I grew up in Bellevue and raised in the pacific northwest. Queen and Queensryche are products of said city as well. 'Take hold of the Flame' sounded anemic after I reattached the H/K. I miss the feel of the AKSA that so briefly entered into my microcosm. My wife asked if I liked the amp, My answer 'Oh Yeah'. When in one of the two winter seasons of -30 fahrenheit in Mongolia, Hugh will be receiving an order for two 100N+ kits.
I highly recommend this unit as it did justice to all the music I was able to throw at it, and it never grumbled, hiccuped or overheated. I will be building it in wood and with a remote (Oh I wish upon a falling star).
Sorry I could not have a more scientific listening sessions but my listening times are short and stolen
I am a Daddy
Thanks Hugh and Paul.
