SP Continuum AD with EXtreme Hurricanes

Bill Baker · « **on:** 16 Mar 2006, 03:02 pm »

Okay folks, my Continuum AD's arrived and I have had some time to try different amplifiers (between funeral arrangements). I started with my Reference Jolida 801 power amp with a ModWright 9.0SE preamp. This combination is very pleasing with very good dynamics and control. Something I could live with for a long time.

This morning I decided to hook up the EXtreme Hurricanes in Pentode for 200 watts of kick ass KT88 power.

Wow, you feed these speakers some power and they will make sure you are awake. Even at extreme levels, these speakers keep pace and ask for more.

Well, that's it for now. I need toget back to work for a few hours.

System:
EXtreme Hurricanes @ 200 watts
SP Tech Continuum AD
Reference Ming-Da MC-3 preamp
Custom Level 2 JD100 CD player

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Mar 2006, 08:27 am »

Response Audio :

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Wow, you feed these speakers some power and they will make sure you are awake. Even at extreme levels, these speakers keep pace and ask for more.

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Bill Baker · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Mar 2006, 03:12 pm »

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Soft or loud....they sound good Bill. And your right....they keep pace !!

Absolutely. Even at very low listening levels, no informations seems to be lost. This is one of the benefits of having a lot of reserve in the amplification.

Then at 106dB, they are still able to maintain control. Maybe I should hook up the other pair of EXtremes I just finished and do some serious bi-amping? Better take cover.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Mar 2006, 10:06 am »

Quote from: Response Audio

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Maybe I should hook up the other pair of EXtremes I just finished and do some serious bi-amping? Better take cover.
Ready when you are Bill....let'er rip !!!!

Bill Baker · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Mar 2006, 02:34 pm »

I came in this morning with the intention of setting up one of the other sets of EXtremes to biamp the Continuums and realized I was 2 tubes short. With all the other amps I have in test mode right now, I didn't realize I was running so low. I can't even swipe a pair of tubes from one of the other amps as I have to back them up today and send them on their way to their new owners.

I better go dig around in theboxes in the basement to see if I can come across something I can use.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 May 2006, 02:51 am »

Today offered a day to play with more amplifiers with teh Continuums. I have to get my time in now as this pair has been sold to a recording studio up north. The owner of the studio has me custom building him a Reference Jolida JD801 as a power amp for use with his ModWright preamp and Star Sound Sonoran cabling with Micro Bearing. Glad to see studios using good gear now

While I am building his amp, I decided to run the speakers for a while with my personal Ref. 801 and ModWright preamp. This combination proved to be a very good match once again. The Ref. 801 / Continuum combo made a debut at the Chicago Audio Society not too long ago and did extremely well and now there will be yet another group of people, or many groups, to give praise.

With the Continuums soon to be gone, I have to get at least a pair of Timepieces in as soon as possible. I can see the light of day when I will have the Revelations standing tall within one of the main reference systems in my showroom.
This system will host a pair of EXtreme ASL 108 mono blocs (now known as the Monsoons). With 105 watts of KT88 power (vs the 70 watts of the 801), I feel the standard will be set

It's now just a matter of patience.

bhobba · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 May 2006, 03:16 am »

Quote from: Response Audio

Today offered a day to play with more amplifiers with teh Continuums.

Its great to hear how these babies sound when fed with some good valve power. But Bob did design them for nearfield monitoring and they are 91db efficient. Why not feed them some SET power and see what they sound like. Sure 105db is out but allowing 15 db headroom 80db (about 73-74 db where I sit) at 1 meter, which is the max level I listen at, looks fine. Come on - give it a go.

Thanks
Bill

bhobba · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 May 2006, 03:21 am »

Quote from: bhobba

Its great to hear how these babies sound when fed with some good valve power. But Bob did design them for nearfield monitoring and they are 91db efficient. Why not feed them some SET power and see what they sound like. Sure 105db is out but allowing 15 db headroom 80db (about 73-74 db where I sit) at 1 meter, which is the max level I listen at, looks fine. Come on - give it a go.

I forgot to add unfortunatly the figures do not play out well for the Timepieces - looks like SET power is out for me with them even at my low listening levels.

Thanks
Bill

Bill Baker · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 May 2006, 12:11 pm »

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Why not feed them some SET power and see what they sound like.

I have only gone as low as 35 watts KT88 triode. For near field small room listening, it's not bad but the dynamic potentail of these speakers is not realized with lower power. Not even close. My room is very large and eats a lot of speaker/amp combinations for breakfast.

I would say the lowest in tube power one would want to go with the Continuums is about 50-60 watts. Most of my listening is with my 70 watt Reference 801 with the speakers 8 feet apart and sitting about 8 feet back. There are no side walls for 20 feet from each speaker.

I guess I could try one of my 300B amps with them. Maybe the 25 watt PP unit? We'll see if time permits.

I was suurprised of jow good the Kavent A-210 integrated hybrid sounds. At 200 watts into 4 ohms, it did very well with these speakers.

bhobba · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 May 2006, 11:36 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio

I have only gone as low as 35 watts KT88 triode. For near field small room listening, it's not bad but the dynamic potentail of these speakers is not realized with lower power. Not even close. My room is very large and eats a lot of speaker/amp combinations for breakfast.

I was afraid of that Bill. Everyone says you need a BIG ASS amp with them and I suspect when I get my Timepieces (even less efficient than the Continuums) that will prove to be the case. Ah well such is the lot of the perpetual upgrader.

Thanks for the post Bill - your comments on lower power amps much appreciated if you could post them.

Thanks
Bill