[AmpDesigner333]

This thread is meant to provide an easy comparison of Cherry Amplifiers.

Our first one for this comparison....

Golden Cherry
  monoblock configuration
  400Wpc into 4Ω
  60V 1kW dual switching power supplies, 120VAC or 230VAC mains
  0.002% THD+N at 10W, 1kHz
  118dB SNR
  0.016Ω wideband output impedance
  100kHz bandwidth
  no-sleep mod
  modulator circuit tweaks for extra "smoothness"
  <8 lbs per channel
  5" x 6" x 6"
  $6900/pr list





(also available in silver, black, or red)

[BruceSB]

Will be interested to this comparison fill out.
Glad you started with the monoblocks.
Glad that you gave us good pictures also.
Keep up the good work.
Bruce

[AmpDesigner333]

Cherry Stereo MEGAschino MK2
  stereo configuration
  660Wpc into 4Ω
  Internal linear power supply, 120VAC or 230VAC mains
  0.001% THD+N at 10W, 1kHz
  120dB SNR
  0.026Ω wideband output impedance
  150kHz bandwidth
  auto-sleep
  12-MOSFET output stages
  36 lbs
  17" x 14" x 5"
  $6100 list





(also available with black faceplate)

[AmpDesigner333]

2-CHerry (standard version)
  stereo configuration
  400Wpc into 4Ω
  Internal switching power supply, 120VAC or 230VAC mains
  0.002% THD+N at 10W, 1kHz
  118dB SNR
  0.016Ω wideband output impedance
  100kHz bandwidth
  auto-sleep
  12 lbs
  14" x 10" x 5"
  $2490 list





(also available in KING version with WBT Gold binding posts plus black or red faceplate)

[audio2addict]

This thread is meant to provide an easy comparison of Cherry Amplifiers.

Our first one for this comparison....

Golden Cherry
  monoblock configuration
  400Wpc into 4Ω
  60V 1kW dual switching power supplies, 120VAC or 230VAC mains
  0.002% THD+N at 10W, 1kHz
  118dB SNR
  0.016Ω wideband output impedance
  100kHz bandwidth
  no-sleep mod
  modulator circuit tweaks for extra "smoothness"
  <8 lbs per channel
  5" x 6" x 6"
  $6900/pr list





(also available in silver, black, or red)

Tommy finished mine in the Black top with blue light but with the sleep function still retained!!  He expects shipping them today😄😄😄😄😄

[RonN5]

congrats!!  Really looking forward to your impressions....in my case, for the 2cherry, it sounded great right out of the box.

[PZ]

Very informative post, I have some questions on Amp dimensions and power supply.

Dimensions provided for Golden Cherry Amp: 5" x 6" x 6"
- Is that also the footprint for 60v power supply used with Golden Cherry and DTM's?
- Im assuming this is the same power supply used with King STM?

Dimensions provided for 2 Cherry and Megaschino, Are those dimensions with faceplate? or just the box?
- 2 Cherry - Box? ___ With face plate?____
- Megaschino - Box? ___With face plate?____
- DAC4800A Amp ?

Lastly Im trying to understand the difference between power supplies in these various amps? 
- 60v used in Golden Cherry, DTM, STM
- Toroidal Transformers in Megaschino and DAC4800A
- Not sure which power supply is used in 2 cherry?

What drives the decision to use different power supplies? Is it, Size? Power? Compatibility? none of the above? 

[AmpDesigner333]

Very informative post, I have some questions on Amp dimensions and power supply.

Dimensions provided for Golden Cherry Amp: 5" x 6" x 6"
- Is that also the footprint for 60v power supply used with Golden Cherry and DTM's?
- Im assuming this is the same power supply used with King STM?

Dimensions provided for 2 Cherry and Megaschino, Are those dimensions with faceplate? or just the box?
- 2 Cherry - Box? ___ With face plate?____
- Megaschino - Box? ___With face plate?____
- DAC4800A Amp ?

Lastly Im trying to understand the difference between power supplies in these various amps? 
- 60v used in Golden Cherry, DTM, STM
- Toroidal Transformers in Megaschino and DAC4800A
- Not sure which power supply is used in 2 cherry?

What drives the decision to use different power supplies? Is it, Size? Power? Compatibility? none of the above?

I'll answer more later, but....

The 60V 1kW power supply used for KING Maraschinos (ILM, DTM, GCM, STM) is also used for the 2-CHerry, 3-CHerry, 4-CHerry, and 5-CHerry.

The enclosure of the 60V 1kW power supply used for KING Maraschinos is about 6.5" x 6.5" x 2.5" and weighs less than 4 lbs.

For reference:
  ILM = In-Line Maraschino
  DTM = Desktop Maraschino
  GCM = Golden Cherry Maraschino
  STM = Stereo Maraschino


Maraschino 60V Power Supply (with optional 12VDC jack for powering a Cherry DAC DAC):

[Ric Schultz]

Is this comparison just about specs or are you going to describe in detail the sonic differences between them?

Jeremy Kipnis feels the Megachino is a noticeable step above the Golden Cherries in sound quality......what do you think?  Where does the 2 cherry stand?

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0418/Digital_Amplifier_Company_MEGAschino_Stereo_Amplifier_Review.htm

[AvsFan]

Is this comparison just about specs or are you going to describe in detail the sonic differences between them?

Jeremy Kipnis feels the Megachino is a noticeable step above the Golden Cherries in sound quality......what do you think?  Where does the 2 cherry stand?

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0418/Digital_Amplifier_Company_MEGAschino_Stereo_Amplifier_Review.htm

What praise for both the Golden Cherries and MEGAschino. I currently own a pair of Golden Cherry Monoblocks and will be talking to Tommy soon about the Megachino. I need another amp for a different system.

[AvsFan]

Is this comparison just about specs or are you going to describe in detail the sonic differences between them?

Jeremy Kipnis feels the Megachino is a noticeable step above the Golden Cherries in sound quality......what do you think?  Where does the 2 cherry stand?

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0418/Digital_Amplifier_Company_MEGAschino_Stereo_Amplifier_Review.htm

I am wondering the exact same thing. I would love to know the sonic differences between the different amps. In detail. I read that review by JK and it sings high praise for both the GC's and the MEGASchino. But yes, he did say a noticeable difference in sound quality. So this is where I am a little lost. I know price alone doesn't dictate how good a product is. But I was under the impression that the Golden Cherries were at the top of the pecking order. I have a pair! And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE them.........But..........if the MEGASchino is better, sounds better and is obviously a lot more powerful, I'd much rather have the MEGASchino powering my main system. It's also $800 less than the GC's. So if Tommy or anyone else for that mater that has experience with both, chime in and give us some impressions and differences.   

[morganc]

I am wondering the exact same thing. I would love to know the sonic differences between the different amps. In detail. I read that review by JK and it sings high praise for both the GC's and the MEGASchino. But yes, he did say a noticeable difference in sound quality. So this is where I am a little lost. I know price alone doesn't dictate how good a product is. But I was under the impression that the Golden Cherries were at the top of the pecking order. I have a pair! And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE them.........But..........if the MEGASchino is better, sounds better and is obviously a lot more powerful, I'd much rather have the MEGASchino powering my main system. It's also $800 less than the GC's. So if Tommy or anyone else for that mater that has experience with both, chime in and give us some impressions and differences.

I've asked For sonic Impressions and comparisons for all the amps on several threads and all I've ever gotten has been specs.  Having said that I own the 2-Cherry and love it and it's a huge step up over the DTM. Personally I believe it Would be great to have a shoot out, bring over all the amps to one system and flush out the sonic differences between them all. 

I'm in the Bay Area if anyone is interested....

[AmpDesigner333]

I've asked For sonic Impressions and comparisons for all the amps on several threads and all I've ever gotten has been specs.  Having said that I own the 2-Cherry and love it and it's a huge step up over the DTM. Personally I believe it Would be great to have a shoot out, bring over all the amps to one system and flush out the sonic differences between them all. 

I'm in the Bay Area if anyone is interested....

How much of a difference and what differences are observed depend on each individual system. In some systems, changing to Cherry amps makes a huge difference just in the area of control, which translates to accuracy. How that affects the sound will depend on the speakers, but in general, all Cherry amps have way-above-average control along with a few other things....

The lower the output impedance, the more accuracy there will be, in addition to the other factors that affect sound quality.  The Maraschino line and x-CHerry line have the lowest output impedance.  However, all Cherry amps have smoother above-band phase transitions than other amps out there, because we use unique techniques to allow this with low feedback as well. We don’t use chip reference designs or off-the-shelf modules because they simply don’t do as well sonically, according to many listeners.

[RonN5]

I think it is pretty normal that potential buyers want to know...from every manufacturer....what changes in the sound you hear as you move up the product line....and maybe this is a little bit easier to answer with speakers than with amplifiers?

You may switch from a 2Cherry to a Golden Cherry and in your system and the result is that  the low end has a little more definition but you have lost a little bit of spaciousness...why?  Maybe its your specific wires, preamp, amp and speaker combination....and maybe in my system, I can't tell any difference whatsoever.

SO....to my way of thinking, if you are really wanting what YOU perceive to be the best sound for your system, you have to try several Cherry amps and keep the one that gives you what you are looking for...and realizing that if you change speakers, change preamps, etc., you might get a different answer.

Now, as for my story.  I owned a Parasound Halo A23...great reputation for great sound and beautifully crafted and built. Good low end, spacious 3d sound, etc.   I wasn't looking for a new amp but curiosity got the best of me and I decided to buy a 2Cherry just to see what all of the "tube sound, solid state low end" buzz was all about.

I hoped the 2Cherry would be more dimensional than the Halo, it seemed unlikely but that is what I was listening for.  What I heard, right out of the box, was "shocking" and completely unexpected.  The level of clarity, music aliveness, and tone was just at another level. At that moment, I didn't even care about the dimensionality because I was hearing music with a degree of realism that I hadn't experienced with my system.

And, as I have previously written, over the next couple months, I put the Halo back into my system several times and after a few hours, had no choice but to go back to the 2Cherry....the Halo is now gone for good.

As a result of this, I have a greater understanding of what Tommy is saying....you reach a point where the only way to know if you will appreciate the "change" that a different piece of gear will bring to your sound vs what you already have is to try it. 

[NICKTENN]

For the Golden Maraschino’s without sleep mode, how much power is used when sitting idle with no signal? Do you advise against doing this (leaving them on all the time)?

[AmpDesigner333]

For the Golden Maraschino’s without sleep mode, how much power is used when sitting idle with no signal? Do you advise against doing this (leaving them on all the time)?

CORRECTED:  They idle at about 6W consumption.  Add in power supply efficiency and quiescent power, and you’re still under 10W.  No need to turn them off, but I recommend sleep-mode, and we’ve made about half of the Golden Cherry amps that way.  Sleep mode is seamless, so you don’t hear the amps going to sleep or waking up, as they do in only a few milliseconds after audio is detected.  Of course, if you're using a preamp and to turn it off between listening sessions, you are better off turning the amps off before turning the preamp off, and turning the amps on after turning the preamp on.  Amps: first off, last on.  Some preamps have quiet on/off, though, so it’s not always necessary to turn the amps off.

Another thing I’d like to opportunistically point out....  Power cycling is the most likely time for failure in most electronic devices.  Heat also reduces lifespan, but in the case of efficient devices with low dissipation, power cycling is more of a concern.  This is one reason I believe in the “always on” configuration.  My main reference system uses a Node 2i as the source, available anytime to play music by controlling the Node through a mobile device (app on phone, tablet PC for guests).  The Node drives a Cherry 130dB+ DAC DAC 2 HS (usually), and the DAC drives a Cherry Amp with auto sleep.  When I want to play something, there’s no need to touch the audio system.  Everything is powered 24/7, except when changing equipment.  Same goes for when I’m done listening.  I just walk away, and the amps go to sleep silently a few minutes later.  I also leave amps on when there’s no sleep mode, like with a pair of Classic Cherry ULTRA MONOs I’ve had for a while.  They are for sale, by the way....

[Shear Bliss VMPS]

I believe the Goldens were and are the top of the Maraschino line of amps. The MEGAschino were designed to be the best of the best in the line up. Mine has a 1800V toriode with Cardas binding posts (bought and shipped to Tommy) plus the double rail caps. With the MEGA there is less cabling wires or outside power supplies to deal with. To me this mattered alot.

I did listen to the Maraschino with 48V supplies on my Acoustat 1100 speakers and its sound was nothing less than steller !! Either way you decide I feel you really cannot go wrong with any of his offerings.

[NICKTENN]

...My main reference system uses a Node 2i as the source, available anytime to play music by controlling the Node through a mobile device (app on phone, tablet PC for guests).  The Node drives a Cherry 130dB+ DAC DAC 2 HS (usually), and the DAC drives a Cherry Amp with auto sleep.  When I want to play something, there’s no need to touch the audio system.  Everything is powered 24/7, except when changing equipment.  Same goes for when I’m done listening.  I just walk away, and the amps go to sleep silently a few minutes later.  I also leave amps on when there’s no sleep mode, like with a pair of Classic Cherry ULTRA MONOs I’ve had for a while.  They are for sale, by the way....

This is exactly why I was asking. I just received my Node 2i, and as you know it’s ready to go at all times, and my Marantz Pre-amp can be turned on with an app, so that only left the amps that needed to be manually turned on. I think I’ll probably just make a practice of turning them on in the morning and off when I go to bed, glad to know leaving them on isn’t a big deal.

[AmpDesigner333]

This is exactly why I was asking. I just received my Node 2i, and as you know it’s ready to go at all times, and my Marantz Pre-amp can be turned on with an app, so that only left the amps that needed to be manually turned on. I think I’ll probably just make a practice of turning them on in the morning and off when I go to bed, glad to know leaving them on isn’t a big deal.

Can you leave your preamp on all the time?

[morganc]

They idle at about 6W consumption.  Add in power supply efficiency and quiescent power, and you’re still under 10W.  No need to turn them off, but I recommend sleep-mode, and we’ve made about half of the Golden Cherry amps that way.  Sleep mode is seamless, so you don’t hear the amps going to sleep or waking up, as they do in only a few milliseconds after audio is detected.  Of course, if you're using a preamp and to turn it off between listening sessions, you are better off turning the amps off before turning the amps off, and turning the amps on after turning the preamp on.  Amps: first off, last on.  Some preamps have quiet on/off, though, so it’s not always necessary to turn the amps off.

Another thing I’d like to opportunistically point out....  Power cycling is the most likely time for failure in most electronic devices.  Heat also reduces lifespan, but in the case of efficient devices with low dissipation, power cycling is more of a concern.  This is one reason I believe in the “always on” configuration.  My main reference system uses a Node 2i as the source, available anytime to play music by controlling the Node through a mobile device (app on phone, tablet PC for guests).  The Node drives a Cherry 130dB+ DAC DAC 2 HS (usually), and the DAC drives a Cherry Amp with auto sleep.  When I want to play something, there’s no need to touch the audio system.  Everything is powered 24/7, except when changing equipment.  Same goes for when I’m done listening.  I just walk away, and the amps go to sleep silently a few minutes later.  I also leave amps on when there’s no sleep mode, like with a pair of Classic Cherry ULTRA MONOs I’ve had for a while.  They are for sale, by the way....

Hey Tommy you have a couple of typos in the first paragraph above...can you clarify the turn off and on procedure that you recommmend?  Above you say Amp twice and I'm guessing you meant to say Pre Amp. Though I think I have it with first off, last on.