[avahifi]

Costs us (and you) less for us to standardize on just one configuration then to build with options.  Newest phono section is all surface mount parts.

If you don’t want the phono section, go for the Vision RB preamp and the basic NP1 power amp.

Frank

[DecibleDude]

Hello jandrews,

For now we plan to offer both the SET 120 and the new CA1. This option will be reevaluated in the future.

Mary

  Thanks.  Oops, Wrong post........never mind.

[RonN5]

Frank....what do you think about the NP1 driving the Maggies?

[avahifi_lj]

Driving small Maggies should work, but not the larger ones.  The amp is rated at 55 Watts with a minimum recommended speaker impedance of 4 Ohms.  Overall one of our preamps with one of our bigger amplifiers would provide better results.

[Tom Davis]

The speakers I am buying (Epos 14n) do not go below 4.3 ohms and stay around 6 ohms for most of their range, are roughly 86 db sensitive. Your new NP1 interests me, but I'm curious as to why you do not list a 4 ohm output.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

[avahifi_lj]

The description from the NP1 Web page:

Specifications
Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8Ω. Suitable for nominal 4Ω loads and higher.

Note this specification is the same for the CA1 Control Amplifier.

Best regards,

Larry

[jandrews]

I think it’s reasonable to ask if the power essentially doubles into 4 ohms as other AVA amplifiers do.

[avahifi_lj]

Hello,

The engineer who designed the NP1 and CA1 hasn't provided us with the 4 Ohm power rating yet.  It's likely, however, to be less than double the 8 Ohm rating due to thermal (heatsink) limitations.  Once the engineer provides us with the specifications we'll update the Web site.

Thanks,
Larry

[avahifi]

I am currently running a wonderful pair of Philharmonic BMR towers (86 db efficient 6 ohm impedance) with no issues at all. The amp does not even get warm and will play as loud as I want and more. Over the top resolution and transparency. Probably better than what you have heard at any price. I typically listen to dedicated hi end tracks extracted from u-tube.

Frank

[dlparker]

... I typically listen to dedicated hi end tracks extracted from u-tube.

Frank

Do you get the tracks with u-tube premium?

[avahifi]

Yes.  I use u-tube premium which has tons of hi-res music content and no commercials. Using voice commands and my big LG smart TV, I can bring up any artist and performance I want and port the optical digital output from the magic TV to our Digital preamp and on to our brand new CP1 Control Amplifier.

Pretty amazing.

Frank

[dlparker]

Yes.  I use u-tube premium which has tons of hi-res music content and no commercials. Using voice commands and my big LG smart TV, I can bring up any artist and performance I want and port the optical digital output from the magic TV to our Digital preamp and on to our brand new CP1 Control Amplifier.

Pretty amazing.

Frank

This and other similar online services are truly amazing. It may be a bit of an exaggeration to say that listening to music I first heard over 60 years ago in HD using your equipment has been truly life changing.

The only thing that bothers me about streaming is that living artists who created the music in the first place are getting less and less of the revenue that their work generates. I don't know how the revenue generated from sites like hdtracks is  distributed, but I can't afford to buy a lot of tracks or albums from them. That said I still use the streaming services on a regular basis.

I've veered off into an entirely different topic than the subject of this thread.

I can't wait to get my hands on a CA1, though. Each upgrade has been a real eye-opener.

[cd45123]

Well, order placed. See you soon, CA1. Frank, this is quickest I’ve purchased any piece since I got into this hobby. No brainer and if it’s even a quarter as good as you’re claiming, I know I’ll love it

[floresjc]

Well, order placed. See you soon, CA1. Frank, this is quickest I’ve purchased any piece since I got into this hobby. No brainer and if it’s even a quarter as good as you’re claiming, I know I’ll love it

I might be right behind you. But I love my SET120's so I'm not sure if I want to part yet

[cd45123]

How was Axpona? Saw the mention in PTA, but would love to know how room attendance and reaction was. That show seems like a bear to catch everything, so many rooms. Maybe there’s a trip to CAF in the future

Eagerly awaiting CA1 delivery 

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Driving small Maggies should work, but not the larger ones.  The amp is rated at 55 Watts with a minimum recommended speaker impedance of 4 Ohms.  Overall one of our preamps with one of our bigger amplifiers would provide better results.

Maggies dip down to 2 ohms.  Is this a problem for the amp?

[Mary]

Maggies dip down to 2 ohms.  Is this a problem for the amp?

Hi Larry,

The NP1 and CA1 work great with nominal 4 ohm speaker loads, including nominal 4 ohm speaker loads that drop to around 3 ohms in parts of the spectrum. The primary constraint with loads lower than this and above two ohms is thermal, not electronic. We expect the amp to be electronically stable into these low loads. However, the thermal capacities of the parts used in the amp, including the output heat sinks, are not sized to support long-term use into these loads.

I hope this helps.

[DecibleDude]

 Are there any reviews of the CA1 or NP1 out, or expected soon, such as those in The Part Time Audiophile etc?

[jandrews]

Are there any photos of the NP1 available?   It's not posted on the site

[floresjc]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/philharmonic-audio-and-audio-van-alstine

You can see them in the article.