Lifeforce

stvnharr · « **on:** 1 Jul 2006, 12:30 am »

Someone has to start this off, and, for no particular reason it might as well be me.
I heard Hugh's prototype of the Lifeforce back in March at my last visit to Aspen World Headquarters. I thought it pretty good, and mentioned that to Hugh at the time, and a little bit later as well. It was the usual Hugh audio demonstration with everything set up "just so".
So, when you get this one in your own "just so" set up, and get the fine musical ambience feel, you should feel the musical force of life within you!!!!!

AKSA · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 12:48 am »

Hi Steven,

Thank you for your post; I trust the Wyoming caldera remains dormant and life is quiet.......!

I should explain this new amp a little. It's not the same as the one you heard - we change our amps around here like traffic lights! No, the Lifeforce you heard was a hybrid of a 12AU7 and an AKSA 100W, originally conceived in the mid-nineties and produced in limited quantities back in '97. I revisited the design in 2005, refining it further, and built the amp you heard, but while it was good and had many of the sonic qualities of tube amps with SS muscle, I was never convinced it was superior to the 100N+ so I kept up my search.

Two more topologies later, I had this new amp, which you've not yet heard. However, I'd always liked the name 'Lifeforce' as it so aptly describes the sound, and the organic process of creation behind the R&D. I felt it would be a pity to kill the name off with the hybrid experiment, so I resurrected it for this new amp and I admit I'm very pleased with the look and feel. I've just been listening to 'Ten Easy Pieces' by Jimmy Webb, and the delivery is extraordinarily refined, yet dynamic and resounding.

The reborn Lifeforce is a fully solid state amp with a very different topology to the AKSA. Yet it sounds similar to the AKSA, and delivers more of the good stuff in spades. The 55W has more drive than any other 55W amp I've heard, it's astonishing.

Cheers,

Hugh

lazyfly · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 01:31 am »

Quote from: AKSA on 1 Jul 2006, 12:48 am

...
The reborn Lifeforce is a fully solid state amp with a very different topology to the AKSA. Yet it sounds similar to the AKSA, and delivers more of the good stuff in spades. The 55W has more drive than any other 55W amp I've heard, it's astonishing....

Huh, there's no valve in there at all? Traffic lights indeed! May I ask how it sounds when coupled with a GK-1?

rakrzyy · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 07:07 am »

Hi fellow Aksaphiles,
While not a regular on this forum I felt compelled to add to this post.

I'm one of the lucky ones that have actually heard the new Lifeforce amp that Hugh has recently finalised and thought I would give you my impressions.

The Lifeforce is a noticible improvement (if improvement is possible) over the AKSA 55 N+.
It's bass is the biggest improvement, tight, deep and solid to the point where it's better than the AKSA 100 N+ that I have at home (fed by a GK1R)

It makes the AKSA's sound muddy or flabby by comparison..

Mids and highs are as transparent as always, and I felt that imaging was improved, though that may have been the result of the background being "blacker" than before.
All in all, it really does deliver more of "the goods" that we all love.

Congratulations Hugh on this latest amplifier, a stunning design and a worthy addition to the Aspen product range.

Looks like my AKSA is set to be relegated to the HT room.

Rick.

andyr · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 08:26 am »

Quote from: rakrzyy on 1 Jul 2006, 07:07 am

... The Lifeforce is a noticable improvement (if improvement is possible) over the AKSA 55 N+.

... Its bass is the biggest improvement, tight, deep and solid to the point where it's better than the AKSA 100 N+ that I have at home.

Rick. ...

Aha!!

So we rank them so: AKSA, AKSA 'N', AKSA 'N+' ... and then the Lifeforce!!

Sooo ... can the Lifeforce be tweaked a la 'N' & 'N+' or does it already contain those mods which turned an AKSA 55 into an 'N' or 'N+'??

Regards,

Andy

stvnharr · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 01:14 pm »

Quote from: AKSA on 1 Jul 2006, 12:48 am

Hi Steven,

I should explain this new amp a little. It's not the same as the one you heard - we change our amps around here like traffic lights! No, the Lifeforce you heard was a hybrid of a 12AU7 and an AKSA 100W, originally conceived in the mid-nineties and produced in limited quantities back in '97. I revisited the design in 2005, refining it further, and built the amp you heard, but while it was good and had many of the sonic qualities of tube amps with SS muscle, I was never convinced it was superior to the 100N+ so I kept up my search.

Two more topologies later, I had this new amp, which you've not yet heard. However, I'd always liked the name 'Lifeforce' as it so aptly describes the sound, and the organic process of creation behind the R&D. I felt it would be a pity to kill the name off with the hybrid experiment, so I resurrected it for this new amp and I admit I'm very pleased with the look and feel. I've just been listening to 'Ten Easy Pieces' by Jimmy Webb, and the delivery is extraordinarily refined, yet dynamic and resounding.

The reborn Lifeforce is a fully solid state amp with a very different topology to the AKSA. Yet it sounds similar to the AKSA, and delivers more of the good stuff in spades. The 55W has more drive than any other 55W amp I've heard, it's astonishing.

Cheers,

Hugh

So, Lifeforce has been reincarnated into a new form. Of course this is as one would expect it to be. This is certainly intriguing, to say the least.
I suppose it's only a matter of time before all Aksa's get their just reincarnation!

AKSA · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 02:06 pm »

Nah, Steven,

I think the word should be reintarnation....... this describes the process by which consistent abuse and cussing magically resurrects the dead prototypes lying on my cutting room floor into wonderful new products shrouded in mystery.......

Andy,

In a word - YES!!

Rick,

Thank you for your comments, appreciated!

Hugh

andyr · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 09:15 pm »

Quote from: AKSA on 1 Jul 2006, 02:06 pm

Andy,

In a word - YES!!

Hugh

Hi Hugh,

Is that:
"Yes" to: can the Lifeforce be tweaked a la 'N' & 'N+'?
or
"Yes" to: does it already contain those mods which turned an AKSA 55 into an 'N' or 'N+'?

Regards,

Andy

soitstarts · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 10:25 pm »

Yes as in here we go again....

AKSA · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Jul 2006, 11:16 pm »

Sorry Andy,

I was being mischievous - a bit like, 'Tea or coffee?' and the enigmatic rejoinder, 'Yes'.

To your first question, no, a 55/100 cannot be modded to this topology, and your second, yes, it has all the tweaks and components. In fact it's got more tricks than a monkey on a mile of vine, to quote my favourite mechanic, Smokey Yunick..... (now that dates me, ulp!!)

Some facts on physical size; the 55W AKSA is 75 x 86 mm; the Lifeforce 55W is 82 x 90 mm. The 100W AKSA is 77 x 126 mm; the Lifeforce 100W is 80 x 125 mm. This indicates how much space is required for the new modules.

Lazyfly, your question about the GK1. Absolutely yes, it goes with the GK1 hand in glove. This is a very strong advantage; the original hybrid Lifeforce was not a good match with the GK1. This one is extraordinary.

I will be concentrating on getting a few informal reviews from local listeners so people have more idea of what to expect.

Cheers,

Hugh

andyr · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Jul 2006, 02:45 am »

Quote from: AKSA on 1 Jul 2006, 11:16 pm

Sorry Andy,

To your first question, no, a 55/100 cannot be modded to this topology, and your second, yes, it has all the tweaks and components. In fact it's got more tricks than a monkey on a mile of vine, to quote my favourite mechanic, Smokey Yunick..... (now that dates me, ulp!!)

Cheers,

Hugh ...

Sorry Hugh,

I know an AKSA 55 can't be turned into a Lifeforce 55 ... I'll try and ask my question a bit more clearly:

The "base model" AKSA 55 and AKSA 100 can have certain components replaced which turn it into an 'N' or 'N+'.

Is the Lifeforece you have just released a "base model" so that it can be made to sound better by judicious replacement of certain parts ... or does it already contain the kind of parts-substitution which turned an AKSA 55 into an 'N' or 'N+'? IE. is it already a "Lifeforce N+"??

Regards,

Andy

AKSA · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Jul 2006, 04:21 am »

Hi Andy,

Yes, it's already an N+. Further enhancement may be possible, but I've not found it at this stage. I've thrown everything in my arsenal at this design.....

Cheers,

Hugh

andyr · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Jul 2006, 07:39 am »

Quote from: AKSA on 2 Jul 2006, 04:21 am

Hi Andy,

Yes, it's already an N+. Further enhancement may be possible, but I've not found it at this stage. I've thrown everything in my arsenal at this design.....

Cheers,

Hugh

Hi Hugh,

Terrific!

Thanks,

Andy

fred · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Jul 2006, 03:52 pm »

Will there be a Lifeforce-100 at some point?

LM · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Jul 2006, 09:55 pm »

The Lifeforce is for real Had an hour or so listening to Hugh’s new amplifier yesterday (Saturday) at AKSA HQ. All I can say is Wow! Add me as one of the lucky ones that has heard it.

Hugh had to play it through his backup speakers (still pretty nice though). Had gone to discuss amongst other things an order for an AKSA 100N+ that I wanted to listen too again (a bit like going to the lolly shop again and again to continuously sample).

Well I’m now as pleasantly astonished as many of you will be in future when you hear it. Not that Hugh hasn’t surprised me before when the AKSA came along after the Glass Harmony and couldn’t quite believe that a SS amp could be so involving. Not quite the absolute grunt of the 100N+ (which I did listen to again in comparison) but extremely dynamic, punchy and fast such that to my ears, it is actually better even though of less nominal power. Fast and effortless are the terms that keep coming to mind. Imaging and soundstage were superb such that you are really part of the performance.

I have been extremely happy with my Arcam set-up at home for surround music and movie duties and that also does pretty mean 2 channel (bearing in mind that even with Ron’s mods, my FL and FR speakers are not the worlds best for stereo). However, I tend to feel somewhat towards the back of the hall with orchestral music. Not so with the Lifeforce. The orchestral dynamic range is handled superbly and I am well to the front and extremely involved. And the resolution; wow! Yes I know, vastly different speakers and vastly different room makes a technically meaningless comparison but that was the impression. Can’t wait to try one at home but need to purchase quality speakers for my separate (from HT) stereo area. Oh Hugh, what have you done to me…

Hegemony · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 09:13 am »

Hi all,

I would like to add myself to the list of the few who have at this stage heard the final production version of the Lifeforce 55. I heard it at Hugh's house for the first time a couple of days ago.

I currently own an AKSA 55 N+ and GK1, a modest front end and modest speakers so I am familiar with the AKSA qualities.

When I heard the LF 55 I couldn't wipe the grin off my face, "significant improvement" is right. I found it to be effortless in its painting of difficult pipe organ and orchestral peices with great space around each instrument and note, even the very lowest organ notes, the 55N+ just is not capable of rendering this peice with much definition at all in comparison. The thing that really surprised me is the improvement in the bass over the 55N+. Even through speakers with 5" drivers the base is very present, but effortlessly fast and tight but warm.

In summing up I felt the LF55 had greater detail and resolution right through the range, with amazing rendering of the bass and a much better ability to render orchestral and difficult peices accurately.

This was impression with no time for the BG stuff to burn in at all. I now keep trying to convince myself that there was no way it could have been that much better....but it was! I am still happy with the 55N+ but I am certain that the LF55 is on a new level.

This is only some very brief first impressions, can't wait to get one though!

Russ

AKSA · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 09:24 am »

HI Fred,

Yes, a 100W Lifeforce is already designed, laid out, and 14 production boards are sitting in my workshop ready for stuffing. I've built a couple already, though not yet mounted them in a box for auditioning. This model will arrive when the 55W is properly launched and the initial sales spurt abates!

Russ,

Thank you, I'm really pleased you liked it!! I'm very proud of this amp, and today I've almost completed the first six modules off the line!

Cheers,

Hugh

Rom · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 11:02 am »

Hi Hugh,

Congrats for the new Lifeforce, Man!, there are really, some lucky people around you that could hear them
first hand, I wish I could.

Cheers
Rom

Johnny · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 05:13 pm »

Um, might we know what LF might cost, and what's to become of our old modules?

Johnny · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 10:00 pm »

Oops! As usual, I'm Johnny-come-lately

I found the answer myself in a topic on breaking news

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=11386.msg260204#msg260204

Thanks Hugh!

I'll take my place in line now...