Solid state amp options

audioengr · « **Reply #40 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 06:01 pm »

I listen to a lot of SS amps as shows, and they usually don't impress me, but I can highly recommend the Well's Audio amps. Almost tube sound quality from transistors.

http://www.wellsaudio.com/majestic

http://www.wellsaudio.com/akasha

Merrill Audio switch-mode amps are also worth a look. Very nice sounding but not cheap.

https://merrillaudio.net/element-114-power-amplifier-monoblocks/

jMelvin · « **Reply #41 on:** 15 Sep 2019, 04:26 pm »

For $hits and giggles I tried my Odyssey Cyclops with the Super 3i's over the weekend. IMO the little Decware SE84UFO is simply a better match. In fact, I prefer my Fleawatt TPA3116D2 (25 wpc) to the Cyclops with the Super 3i's. The Cyclops seems better suited to more inefficient speakers where it can really come alive. Nonetheless, it's one terrific amp mated to the right speakers and will remain in storage for the present.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #42 on:** 15 Sep 2019, 05:21 pm »

Quote from: jMelvin on 15 Sep 2019, 04:26 pm

For $hits and giggles I tried my Odyssey Cyclops with the Super 3i's over the weekend. IMO the little Decware SE84UFO is simply a better match. In fact, I prefer my Fleawatt TPA3116D2 (25 wpc) to the Cyclops with the Super 3i's. The Cyclops seems better suited to more inefficient speakers where it can really come alive. Nonetheless, it's one terrific amp mated to the right speakers and will remain in storage for the present.

25W is very good to 100dB speakers.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #43 on:** 15 Sep 2019, 06:47 pm »

Quote from: jMelvin on 15 Sep 2019, 04:26 pm

For $hits and giggles I tried my Odyssey Cyclops with the Super 3i's over the weekend. IMO the little Decware SE84UFO is simply a better match. In fact, I prefer my Fleawatt TPA3116D2 (25 wpc) to the Cyclops with the Super 3i's. The Cyclops seems better suited to more inefficient speakers where it can really come alive. Nonetheless, it's one terrific amp mated to the right speakers...

You are quite right. If you owned Maggies, the Cyclops would remain in place while the Decware and TPA3116 would take up residence in the closet. It’s all about system synergy.

jMelvin · « **Reply #44 on:** 15 Sep 2019, 08:01 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 15 Sep 2019, 06:47 pm

You are quite right. If you owned Maggies, the Cyclops would remain in place while the Decware and TPA3116 would take up residence in the closet. It’s all about system synergy.

Yup .. system synergy. I have several pairs of nice inefficient speakers (including Maggie's) to pair with the Cyclops, which is why I keep it. 😁

jMelvin · « **Reply #45 on:** 25 Oct 2019, 06:35 pm »

I recently purchased a Marantz HD-AMP1 to pair with my Super 3i's and like the pairing quite a lot. Not exactly a replacement for my little Zen amp, which I love, more of an alternative. It's a lower-powered (35 WPC) class d integrated with an onboard Sabre DAC. This caught my eye a couple of years ago when it was released but I had no need at the time. I looked at several integrated amps around the same price but the HD-AMP1 had every option I was looking for, so I took a chance. Glad I did.

moremoremore · « **Reply #46 on:** 9 Jun 2020, 02:01 am »

Resurrection time!

I just want to add a data point and confirm that NP's First Watt F4 sounds so good with my Omega Super Alnico High Output Monitors. Preamp is a Linear Tube Audio MZ2. Now going exclusively vinyl (in this system) with a WTL Simplex and Denon DL 103 via Sugden phono stage and Cinemag 1254 SUT.

I was thinking that I didn't have quite enough gain because the F4's need about 20 volts p-p to reach maximum output (25 wpc @ 8 ohms; 50 @ 4). But, no, it has plenty of steam, though my preamp only has about 12 dB of gain.

Bottom line: beautiful class A sound with plenty of power to rock out. Detail and dynamics galore. Gotta play record after record. Can't stop.

AvsFan · « **Reply #47 on:** 12 Jun 2020, 09:15 pm »

System Synergy! Period!
We all know that Omega's and low powered SET amps play VERY well together. I too bought a 1.5 watt per channel SET amp to pair with my new Omega Super 3 HO's, and I was so excited to use it. It had some volume pot issues and I had to send it back. I was like what the heck, let me try out the Omega's with these way overkill DAC Golden Cherry Mononblocks I have powering my Magnepan LRS's and see what happens. For the Omega's, the amps are putting out about 270 watts per channel. Well guess what happened. And RS5 driver popped right out of the cabinet and on to the floor!
Just kidding!

Beautiful music! The Omega's responded VERY favorably to the DAC Golden Cherries.

moremoremore · « **Reply #48 on:** 13 Jun 2020, 02:37 pm »

System synergy is "amplified" by the Omegas (and by my F4's, as it happens). What's nice about the F4 is that it is simple to insert a second amp in between the preamp and the amp. I put a resistor over the speaker outputs on the inserted amp and use the speaker outputs as inputs for the F4, and then enjoy the sound of that amp clearly amplified by the F4. This morning I'm listening to an EL84 SEP amp, later I'll experiment with my Darling SET, which at 1 wpc doesn't cut it, but going through the F4 approaches 25 wpc.

moremoremore · « **Reply #49 on:** 13 Jun 2020, 02:53 pm »

I've heard nothing but good about Cherry amps, though I've never had the pleasure.

AvsFan · « **Reply #50 on:** 15 Jun 2020, 10:01 pm »

Quote from: moremoremore on 13 Jun 2020, 02:53 pm

I've heard nothing but good about Cherry amps, though I've never had the pleasure.

I've been through a lot of amps over the past 6 years. SET amps, Chip amps, SS, I found the amps I am 100% happy with. They're so good. Plug and play and don't worry about anything. I even leave them on 24/7. They are dead silent too. I paused the song, turned up the preamp all the way and nothing was heard out of the Omega's. That is impressive. Tommy over at DAC know what he is doing. And like I said, the monoblocks are putting out about 270 watts per channel. The Omega's loved it and stayed composed and musical. So even though Omega's and low powered SET's are magical, so is SS with a lot of power, if implemented well.

AvsFan · « **Reply #51 on:** 19 Jul 2020, 05:14 pm »

Well guys............

After over a month of listening to two different systems in one room and using different SS options on my Super 3 HO Twin RS5 driver monitors, I've come to the conclusion that the amps I have been using are not a good match for the Omegas. And even though they sound great with the amps I have been using, they are too lean. I have been told by a couple of people that a lot of SS amps, in particular, the ones I am using have way too high of a damping factor which is controlling the drivers in the Omega's too much and not letting the bass come through. So I am going back to the drawing boards and reevaluating what amps I want to try out with these Omega's. A friend of mine who has these exact same speakers and listens to a lot of the same style of music say's he has all the bas and midbass he could ever want. Beinf driven by a SET amp and with the difference of floor standing compared to monitors. Which obviously is going to give him more bass and slam. But I should still be getting plenty of that with these monitors and I am not. So I am going to give it a little more time and try out a couple of different options.

The two options that have really caught my eye are the Decware UFO.

https://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84CKC.html

And the Schiit Aegir.

https://www.schiit.com/products/aegir

AvsFan · « **Reply #52 on:** 19 Jul 2020, 05:36 pm »

Quote from: jMelvin on 15 Sep 2019, 04:26 pm

For $hits and giggles I tried my Odyssey Cyclops with the Super 3i's over the weekend. IMO the little Decware SE84UFO is simply a better match. In fact, I prefer my Fleawatt TPA3116D2 (25 wpc) to the Cyclops with the Super 3i's. The Cyclops seems better suited to more inefficient speakers where it can really come alive. Nonetheless, it's one terrific amp mated to the right speakers and will remain in storage for the present.

I just commented on this. I am not having good results with SS. Just sent Steve an email on picking up an SE84UFO. This is my last attempt to get beautiful, full and rich sound from my Omega Super 3HO’s. SS is making the speakers sound way too lean. I am hoping it’s a matter of amplifier selection and not the speakers themselves. Because either the Omega’s just don’t produce bass with high damping SS amps, or these are the leanest speakers I’ve ever owned. Will keep you all posted.

NoDisco · « **Reply #53 on:** 19 Jul 2020, 07:09 pm »

Have you tried a tube pre in front of you SS? I’ve had luck with ss.

roscoe65 · « **Reply #54 on:** 19 Jul 2020, 09:34 pm »

Quote from: AvsFan on 19 Jul 2020, 05:36 pm

I just commented on this. I am not having good results with SS. Just sent Steve an email on picking up an SE84UFO. This is my last attempt to get beautiful, full and rich sound from my Omega Super 3HO’s. SS is making the speakers sound way too lean. I am hoping it’s a matter of amplifier selection and not the speakers themselves. Because either the Omega’s just don’t produce bass with high damping SS amps, or these are the leanest speakers I’ve ever owned. Will keep you all posted.

AVSFan - I would observe that your speakers are still nearly new. I suspect that they are not broken in yet. Until break in, the RS5 drivers will sound thin, tight, and lean. After a while they loosen up and the bass blooms. That being said, it has been my experience that Omega speakers prefer tubes and work well be SET and SEP amps. But rather than risk buying another 2wpc channel amp you haven’t heard, I would first give the speakers a chance to fully break in. I put them out of phase, face to face, with a couple blankets thrown over and run bass-heavy music on repeat. I did this with my Super 3HO speakers every day when I went to work for a month.

I think you should also evaluate your amp choice as it relates to your musical tastes. Louis rates the HO speakers at 97dB with 4-6 ohms. To me that translates to 95 dB @ 8 ohms. Not really much different from the single driver model with with a second driver the cover the lower midrange down, effectively adding and additional 3dB bass boost. This second driver does not made the speaker go lower, it adds power to its existing bass range. It also allows the speaker to go a lot louder with more power. Where the single driver model starts sounding compressed at 5 watts or so, the double driver model sounds much more dynamic and can play much louder.

I use a Dennis Had Inspire PSE (10-23wpc SEP) with my Super 3HO speakers. I can run any tube from 6F6 to KT88. Even though the speaker is only running on a watt or two during loud passages, the reserve power is felt as a sense of ease. Changing tubes can dramatically change the character. I’m currently running KT77’s at 20wpc. The amp works into 2-20 ohm speaker impedance. With this amp, the Super 3 HO is capable of 105 dB peaks at the listening position.

NoDisco · « **Reply #55 on:** 19 Jul 2020, 11:17 pm »

+1 for giving them some time, it took me awhile to get placement dialed in and to understand them too. They do break in a bit, and to tell you the truth, when I switch back to them, I have to get used to them again a bit too.

jmolsberg · « **Reply #56 on:** 20 Jul 2020, 02:46 pm »

they really do take a long time to blossom. i'd say my RS5 took six months. the floor standers do offer a bit more punch but honestly the monitors have excellent and tuneful bass! i am sure there are some really good SS options but i am staying in the tube camp. tons of great SE, SEP, PP amps that will provide lots of details, layering, and bass at the 1K price point (:

RDavidson · « **Reply #57 on:** 20 Jul 2020, 06:35 pm »

I agree there are many tube amp options out there that sound great and are cost effective. But, there may be practical / domestic reasons for wanting SS amp options...which is kind of the point of the thread I think. Not to mention, there are some outstanding SS amps that work a treat with Omegas particularly if you can put a little tube goodness in the system elsewhere upstream. Very nice!

AvsFan · « **Reply #58 on:** 21 Jul 2020, 12:03 am »

Quote from: RDavidson on 20 Jul 2020, 06:35 pm

I agree there are many tube amp options out there that sound great and are cost effective. But, there may be practical / domestic reasons for wanting SS amp options...which is kind of the point of the thread I think. Not to mention, there are some outstanding SS amps that work a treat with Omegas particularly if you can put a little tube goodness in the system elsewhere upstream. Very nice!

What are some more SS options for the Omega's?

Decware is a no go for Tubes because Steve told me they have a 3-4 month wait! Holy Guacamole!
Aegir is probably a non go as well. A rep from Schiit looked at the specs of my Omega' sand he was afraid that the 6ohm rating might send the Aegir into protection mode. And "Might" was stressed. Not for sure but might. He was just giving me a heads up. So that's probably not going to work because I do like volume. And I know this seems silly bu I am looking for a compact amp like the Aegir or SE84 UFO.

NoDisco · « **Reply #59 on:** 21 Jul 2020, 12:35 am »

At least you got a response from Steve...I never did.