MONO EXTREMES

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #40 on:** 9 Mar 2006, 04:32 pm »

Quote from: F-100

With all the hola-hoop and high price tag$$$ on those "amp du jour" switching amplifier, it make the Extreme Mono look like a bargain in my opinion.

...and an amen, brother, too

The current crop of switching amp makers haven't quite figured out their raison d' etre (reason for being).

It's to provide equivalent quality for much less than traditional amp technologes that require larger cases, large heatsinks, more costly and or complex power supplies...while being considerably less energy efficient. Class D/Digital amps aren't inherently better in totality, they are simply cheaper to produce (not a bad thing, in and by itself)

The 100w monoblock amps with switched power supplies out there should sell for maybe $500.00 a pair, not 3x that - that's frickin' value that few could resist.

byteme · « **Reply #41 on:** 9 Mar 2006, 04:32 pm »

Quote from: F-100

With all the hola-hoop and high price tag$$$ on those "amp du jour" switching amplifier, it make the Extreme Mono look like a bargain in my opinion.

The "amp du jour" when I was talking to Klaus about upgrading my Stratos Extreme to Mono Extreme(s) was the PS Audio digital amp. Klaus had one and indicated to me that he kept close tabs on the "du jour" equipment out there so when he gives you his opinion on how his gear compares, sure, it's biased towards his stuff I'm sure, but he's at least heard the "latest greatest" and he can speak to the differences.

Randy · « **Reply #42 on:** 9 Mar 2006, 05:11 pm »

Thought I'd chip in with my two cents. I've had mono extremes for nearly three years now and just love them. They are with the burgandy faces and prefectly match my Roman Audio Centurians which are finished in "Jag Red." Great combo in looks, but more importantly, in sound as well. So natural. Attended the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Oct. and didn't hear anything that sounded better overall, including many of the megabucks systems, but really liked two speakers on the more modest end of what passes for high end these days, the Lorelis, of course, and the Spendor 8s, but then I'm an old Spendor fan having had SP -1s for many years. Probably not a coincidence that all these speakers are two ways with superb crossovers. Speakers, preamps, wires, etc. may eventually change but the mono extremes are here for the duration.

kfr01 · « **Reply #43 on:** 9 Mar 2006, 05:19 pm »

Quote from: TheChairGuy

...and an amen, brother, too The current crop of switching amp makers haven't quite figured out their raison d' etre (reason for being).

It's to provide equivalent quality for much less than traditional amp technologes that require larger cases, large heatsinks, more costly and or complex power supplies...while being considerably less energy efficient. Class D/Digital amps aren't inherently better in totality, they are simply cheaper to produce (not a bad thing, in and by itself)

The 10 ...

Couldn't agree more. I liked the sonic quality of the UCD amplifier I demoed, but the price of those solutions just doesn't seem right yet (unless you absolutely need low heat or high efficiency).

kenk · « **Reply #44 on:** 9 Mar 2006, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: kfr01

Couldn't agree more. I liked the sonic quality of the UCD amplifier I demoed, but the price of those solutions just doesn't seem right yet (unless you absolutely need low heat or high efficiency).

Same here, I sold my PS-HCA-2 and a sony digital ES3000 digital amp/receiver due to excessive hissing noise. I was looking into the new class D amp but was put off by RF and hissing noise issues reported by others. Oh well I just have to wait until the technology on D amps improved.

Ken

speedcenter · « **Reply #45 on:** 10 Mar 2006, 09:49 pm »

well, since I am a DIYer pretty much, I chose the UCD avenue and am building the amps myself. I have $1200 worth of parts laying on my workbench (UCD700AD mono blocks is the intended goal) waiting for some enclosures to arrive from Thailand...

I'll let you know what I think of those compared to my Mono Extremes once I get them put together.

For over 2 years I have been looking at Zappulse and UCD and now that we reached the 4th or 5th generation of these modules, I figured I'd go and see for myself. Meanwhile, I'm in no hurry to replace the Extreme monos, as I am going to biamp my speakers. The question is where the UCDs will go: below or above 250hz?

Peter

mgalusha · « **Reply #46 on:** 11 Mar 2006, 01:28 am »

Quote from: speedcenter

I'll let you know what I think of those compared to my Mono Extremes once I get them put together.

For over 2 years I have been looking at Zappulse and UCD and now that we reached the 4th or 5th generation of these modules, I figured I'd go and see for myself. M ...

I for one will be interested in your opinion. I built a pair of amps around the Zappulse 2.1SE's a while back and can say that I still have the Extreme's.