[Smitty]

I just want to say thanks to Bill for my new Response-Modified Almarro A205 MK II. First off it’s dead quiet! Now sporting a pair of NOS 1963 Mullard EL84’s and an old Amperex 12AX7 it has begun opening up after only two days. Even “green” it is making less-than-great recordings become palatable without sacrificing detail. This amp has been voiced to a tee. It also seems to have tamed my tad- bit-forward  Fostex drivers, but again without giving up any detail. This is all happening with brand-new cables and interconnects. I can only imagine how it will sound once everything breaks in. When it does I will check back. It would be a bargain at twice the price. Thanks Bill.
Craig

[Bill Baker]

Thank you for the kind words Craig. It will take some time to reach it's full potential with the Teflon caps. Also, please don't be surprised if during one of your listening sessions within the first 150 hours if the amp does not sound as good as it did the day before.
Teflon has a tendency of doing one step forward - two steps back during the first 150 hours. After this time, it will steadily improve more consistently and reach about 90% of it's potential at about 300-400 hours.

 I am glad you are enjoying the amp. Between the Teflon caps and much better volume control, I wish you many hours of pleasurable listening.

[duggie]

hi bill,

i have an almarro a205a mkll, modded w/hovland musicaps.  a truly extraordinary amp, imo, hard to beat at any price, assuming, of course, that you have speakers efficient enuff to work w/5wpc.  detail, dynamics, soundstage, smoothness - this amp really excels.  of course, it helps that, in my rig, it's actively crossed over to subs at 80hz!      i am curious about the volume pot upgrade - is this something you could send someone for self-install?  cost for the pot?  and, if you run the stock pot wide-open, will you really be gaining any advantage w/swapping out the pot?

thanks...

[Bill Baker]

and, if you run the stock pot wide-open, will you really be gaining any advantage w/swapping out the pot?

 If running the pot full throttle with an extrenal preamp, you may not benefit from an upgraded pot as you are almost taking it out of the circuit. Thepot used in this particualr amp was an ALPS Blue which seems to smooth things out nicely.

[duggie]

and, if you run the stock pot wide-open, will you really be gaining any advantage w/swapping out the pot?

 If running the pot full throttle with an extrenal preamp, you may not benefit from an upgraded pot as you are almost taking it out of the circuit. Thepot used in this particualr amp was an ALPS Blue which seems to smooth things out nicely.

thanks bill, this is as i suspected.  no need to spend money w/o sonic benefits.   

[audiojerry]

Teflon has a tendency of doing one step forward - two steps back during the first 150 hours. After this time, it will steadily improve more consistently and reach about 90% of it's potential at about 300-400 hours.

I can definitely vouch for what Bill is saying related to burn-in in general. With most components I've broken in, it will often sound better initially, but then go south for awhile and become darker and less defined, before opening up to full potential. So there's no need to be concerned until the burn-in completes its metamorphosis.