How many firms have made to digital amps (from tubes or SS)?

JLM · « **on:** 25 Nov 2004, 02:04 pm »

Other than Bel Canto, how many high end companies have made a 100% conversion to digital?

I note that several manufacturers, including those around Audio Circle, have pooh-poohed the technology completely, have said "not yet", or laughed at the build quality.

Is Jeff Rowland the only company currently doing digital and tube/solid state? Does Carver still build solid state?

Thanks for your input.

hibuckhobby · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Nov 2004, 02:23 pm »

Audio Research does tubes and digital. I have both and yes, I'm biased. They do both well

Bob

Marbles · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Nov 2004, 03:00 pm »

Odyssey Audio does Digital, SS and reportedly, tube amps are in the works.

J North · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Nov 2004, 03:55 pm »

Are Odyssey's digital amps available yet?

Marbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Nov 2004, 04:09 pm »

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=14538.msg125665#125665&highlight=#125665

see item # 3

_scotty_ · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Nov 2004, 12:21 am »

hibuckhobby, Please elaborate on what you think the Audio Research digital amps' strengths and weaknesses are. This is a Tripath Technology based digital amp and it would be interesting to get your take on their implimentation of this technology. Scotty

electricbear · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Nov 2004, 10:38 pm »

I use an arc 150.2 in one of my systems. It is the most undigital sounding of any of the digital amps I've heard. It did require a long burn in and definately favours being left on all the time. On first turn on it sounds slightly dry and compressed but on warming up it fills out and becomes very dynamic for a $2500 amp. The noise floor is black and even when run hard it nevers seems to run out of steam. I undestand that the tripath design used by arc is quite different from that used by other digital amp manufacturers.

tvyankee · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Nov 2004, 10:47 pm »

i think i heard at our last rave that Halco was coming out with a multi ch amp that is digital.

we were trying to figure out what fomat they were going with but no one knew.

maybe someone here knows.

hibuckhobby · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Nov 2004, 07:06 pm »

I would second what scotty already said about the 150.2 ARC digital amp.
It runs cool (as you might expect) and even when left on all the time, barely gets warm to the touch.

The sonics IMO are excellent. I'm not a big SS fan (although I really liked the AKSA I heard recently) and while there isn't quite the sense of space and dimensionality to the images that I get from my ARC tube amp, it really doesn't embarasse itself either. The sound is ever so slightly drier...and there is a bit more weight in the lowest bass. It doesn't scream at you when you turn it up...justs gets bigger

I've used it with NHT 2.9's which are very revealing...although lean toward analytical and bright. I've also used it with my ACI Jag 2000's and in both cases it aquitted itself very well.

my .02
Bob