Hi all,
This is my first post on Audio Circle. I have known about this site for a long while, but an audiophile friend finally convinced me to register...
Being the U.S. importer for Yamamoto Sound Craft, one of the first things I did after registering was conduct a search for "Yamamoto" - and this thread appeared at the top of the list I got back. So I figured I'd start here.
Let me begin by saying that I was immediately intrigued by the topic of this thread, as RAM Labs called me last week to ask whether I'd be interested in selling Music Reference amps and preamps in my little shop. In fact, I am VERY interested, as I've always been impressed by Roger Modjeski's designs. And so I was grateful for Richard's detailed description of his experience with RM-245.
That being said, I would like to comment on the following passage from Richard's initial post:
I was thinking about the Yamamoto A08S because of the raves Srajan and Jeff Day said about it. MOVE OVER Yamamoto. Here is a true legend of American audio, Roger Modjeski, who has developed a SET amp that delivers TWICE THE POWER from the same tubes and gives enormous control over biasing and even negative feedback, or no feedback, as desired...for less than the Yamamoto... and does not use a rectifier tube. And Roger’s circuit design has good control over damping which means good control of the speaker and a very low noise floor.
It is important to point out that the Yamamoto uses the 717A tube which will become increasingly hard to find. The 80 which is their rectifier tube, it is already expensive and becoming rare. This constitutes built-in obsolescence. And I like the design of Roger’s new SET’s much better.
Richard, given that you seem to be arguing against anyone purchasing a Yamamoto A-08S amplifier, I'd like to make the following points:
1) Shigeki Yamamoto is rapidly becoming a "true legend" of Japanese audio.
2) While Roger's design is VERY IMPRESSIVE in its ability to safely deliver twice the typical power of 45/2A3 amps, power is not everything - at least not in the world of SET amps. In my opinion, tonality is the most important ingredient of an amplifier's presentation. And I'm betting that both the RM-245 and the A-08S have exceptional but rather different tonalities. In other words, if you have the right speakers, the choice between these two amps may boil down to personal taste more than anything else.
3) Yes, the A-08S uses tube rectification, but is this really a bad thing?
4) I'd be willing to wager that the DC-heated A-08S is at least as quiet as the RM-245, if not more so...
5) Please note that Yamamoto Sound Craft has an exceptionally large inventory of 717A driver tubes and 80 rectifier tubes that are available to all A-08S owners. In other words, if you purchase an A-08S, you need not worry too much about tube availability.
6) We are currently selling 80 rectifiers to A-08S owners for $40. Does this price fall in the range of "expensive" in your opinion?
For the record, I am NOT arguing against the purchase of a Music Reference amp here. In fact, there are few companies that I would recommend more highly! But I DID want to set the record straight regarding Yamamoto's offerings.
Cheers,
Brian
Venus Hi-Fi
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