[marvda1]

before i say anything, is there anyone that can come by friday to verify what i am hearing?  email or pm me and we can get a few brews and a lot of cd's. hell this may even make me go all out tube.  how about this for $3500 + shipping new in box.  http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/atmasphere_m60mkiii.htm


HOT DAMN    Sorry, i have to calm down or get a divorce

[Nels Ferre]

Before you go and spend $3500, send yours to Bill Baker at Response Audio and let him do his mods to it. It's far beyond "a whole new level."

[marvda1]

i know, i can sneak the mod pass my wife before i can hide the $3500 purchase.

[Nels Ferre]

Well???  You are hearing what you are hearing, I know-  I own a modded one now, and have owned a stock unit in the past.  What do you think?

[marvda1]

it mates very well with the usher 6381's, bass is not a problem. the midrange is very you are there and 3d, large soundstage, at first i thought the highs were rolled off but as the amp plays more the highs are coming in line.  the cymbals, bells, triangles have more of a 3d sound and more natural. it's not as dynamic or fast as my reference belles 21a preamp and usher r-1.5 power amp but it sounds more true to life. going to replace the chinese 12ax7's with tung sol reissues ecc803s.  you know for $650 new this may be a no-brainer for mods.
marvin

[vinylkid58]

Replace the stock Chinese driver tubes as well. I'm using Electro Harmonix 12at7's in my 302b and the difference isn't subtle. Much better treble and image. You can go crazy with mods to these amps BTW. I will be upgrading the coupling caps, resistors, and the volume pot next. I will also be converting to triode as well. aa

Happy listening Marvin,
Jeff

[marvda1]

it comes with eh 6550 and 12at7 stock only the 12ax7's are chinese.

[Bill Baker]

I will also be converting to triode as well.

Be careful with the triode mod.  I have seen many people burn out the transformers when doing this. I have done this in the past for customers who wanted it but it would void any warranty I offered. One customer has been running his for three years now without issue.

 The sound is nice but not an optimum triode operation. Just a heads up.

[vinylkid58]

I will also be converting to triode as well.

Be careful with the triode mod.  I have seen many people burn out the transformers when doing this. I have done this in the past for customers who wanted it but it would void any warranty I offered. One customer has been running his for three years now without issue.

 The sound is nice but not an optimum triode operation. Just a heads up.

Thanks for the heads up. I guess if you are trying to drive a difficult speaker load in triode with this amp, you are asking for trouble. I don't think a full range Fostex is going to give my amp too much of a headache, a friend has had his 302b in triode for some time now with no problems. Again driving different sets of full range speakers.

Regards,
Jeff