[justaudiomagic]

Sure, more "better" power
What is better power then? Define better...

Some like tubes and some dont. I will try Belles both preamp and poweramp when I get my SP.
I will also try out Dared, both poweramps (DV-200) and integrated. Even Ayon I will try.

I will also try TheLars, these gives 25 W classA /side - Fully balanced poweramps

[bhobba]

I go back on AC a long way....since the beginning. There was a lot of hype on the Panny's and JVC units...best thing since sliced bread. Well....after trying them...they were not. They just do not sound that great...I feel most of the digital amps that I have heard lack the warmth of tubes and the power and control of solid state boat anchor amps. Of the ones I've heard....Channel Islands has been the best sounding of that group.

Yes Chris.  I do not think they are the best thing since sliced bread either - just excellent value for money.  But my finances force me to be realistic.  I simply can not get a better amp to start with.  In a certain sense I feel that is a plus as I will be able comment on how the Mini's sound on more modest gear - the type of gear those new to the hobby are likely to use.  I have been advocating for some time now you are better of intially getting a good speaker like the Mini, and using something cheap like a panny, and upgrading rather than getting a cheaper speaker and more expensive source gear.

I hope to elaborate a bit more in my reponce to  pbrstreetgang, but for now rest assured I am under no illusions that the Penny will be a 'good' match for the Mini's, in the sense of being optimal.  They will not be.  The Soraya will be a much better match.  In fact I believe it will be a near optimal match to my tastes, as those that have heard it rate it having the quality I admire most in any piece of gear -'no' sound - ie transparent and realistic.  My expectation is the panny will be detailed, cold and analytical - which I actually rather like - but not as much as 'no' sound.

Thanks
Bill  

[lonewolfny42]

Sure, more "better" power
What is better power then? Define better...

Some like tubes and some dont. I will try Belles both preamp and poweramp when I get my SP.
I will also try out Dared, both poweramps (DV-200) and integrated. Even Ayon I will try.

I will also try TheLars, these gives 25 W classA /side - Fully balanced poweramps

Better.....Greater in excellence or higher in quality...
Better....More useful, suitable, or desirable...
Better....More highly skilled or adept...
Better....Greater or larger...

Whats "better" to me....an amp that can grab these speakers...give you the ride of your life....and not let go. Thats the sound I look for...  

I think you'll have fun trying different combo's...I know it will be a real experience...enjoy !!!

[groovybassist]

Sorry, but I don't have any other amps on hand, nor do I have access to any others to borrow (my friends all think I'm nuts).  I can definitively say the Naim Nait5i I'm using (50W) has no problem at all driving the Mini's to very loud levels without strain.

-Mike

[justaudiomagic]

Better.....Greater in excellence or higher in quality...
Better....More useful, suitable, or desirable...
Better....More highly skilled or adept...
Better....Greater or larger...

Whats "better" to me....an amp that can grab these speakers...give you the ride of your life....and not let go. Thats the sound I look for...  

I think you'll have fun trying different combo's...I know it will be a real experience...enjoy !!!

 aa

[bhobba]

Many speakers respond positively to 'more' and 'better' power, and as Chris will attest, the SP Techs are certainly no exception! 

Yes.  The thing is SP speakers can take gobs of power without stress, perhaps better than any other speaker can - so maybe they respond to it better than others.   Interestingly, I believe Karsten's favourite amp only has a puny 70W. 

Thanks
Bill

[lonewolfny42]

Many speakers respond positively to 'more' and 'better' power, and as Chris will attest, the SP Techs are certainly no exception! 

Yes.  The thing is SP speakers can take gobs of power without stress, perhaps better than any other speaker can - so maybe they respond to it better than others.   Interestingly, I believe Karsten's favourite amp only has a puny 70W. 

Thanks
Bill

Bill.....An interesting older thread....here...

[Double Ugly]

Many speakers respond positively to 'more' and 'better' power, and as Chris will attest, the SP Techs are certainly no exception! 

Yes.  The thing is SP speakers can take gobs of power without stress, perhaps better than any other speaker can - so maybe they respond to it better than others.   Interestingly, I believe Karsten's favourite amp only has a puny 70W. 

Yes, I seem to recall him saying the Berning Zero Hysteresis ZH 270 was fabulous with the Revelations. 

However, I have reason to believe Karsten has recently become quite enamored with the Spectron Musician III Signature Edition. 

[Double Ugly]

Sure, more "better" power
What is better power then? Define better...

Better.....Greater in excellence or higher in quality...
Better....More useful, suitable, or desirable...
Better....More highly skilled or adept...
Better....Greater or larger...

Whats "better" to me....an amp that can grab these speakers...give you the ride of your life....and not let go. Thats the sound I look for...  

Definition of "better power":  what Chris said! 

[bhobba]

On very accurate speakers they are cold, super detailed, and kinda lifeless. They do lots of things right but there is an organic element missing.

I hope so - I like cold, super detailed, and kinda lifeless - I call it analytical and perhaps 'transparent' and 'accurate' - although for me those adjectives also include realistic - so maybe they do not apply here.  The 740C I hope to feed it with also has had analytical and over the top detail retrieval thrown at it.  I suspect the pairing will be super analytical.

There is some solice with a tube dac but using it as it should with the digital in the options are limited.

Hmmmmm.  Running it through a DAC, a pre, then the onboard ADC can only add colorations.  I am not predisposed to coloured sound, even though it may it give 'some solice'.  That is one reason I am attracted to the Soraya.  It is basically a highly tweaked SS amp with good (but not spectacular) conventional specs.  Its transparency and realism probably is not a colouration - this is the 'no' sound I like in my equipment. 

I wouldn't think using a $150 Panny with now 5.5K MTPs that are super accurate would be a good match but I havent tried- Please report to us your findings

Sure will

if by MTM you mean the Timepiece mini they are not 5.5K - they are $2995k.  Yes, I be live they are super accurate - in fact I believe they are amongst the most accurate speakers on the planet that will ruthlessly show up the characteristics of what is feeding it.  I supsect the a 740C, panny XR57, and a Timepiece Mini will be over the top analytical - but I rather like that.

Thanks
Bill

[opnly bafld]

Lets try an experiment concerning the Mini TP's....

groovybassist/Mike

bbchem/Bill

opnly bafld / Lin

If you happen to have any other amps on hand (besides what your using now)...or maybe you can borrow another from a friend...could you try them with your Mini TP's and see how they do powering the speakers...and give us your comments on how it worked out. Thanks....

                    Chris

I have been using a Magnum Audio IA200 -100w/ch ss integrated,
but I will also try a McAlister Audio SE32 -15w/ch tube and a Monarchy Audio SE160 (hot rodded) -200w/ch tube/ss hybrid.

Lin

[bhobba]

Hi Chri

Bill.....An interesting older thread....here...

Thanks for posting that.  It confirms everything I have read about SP speakers.  It seems even their earlier models had all those qualities.  As Karsten said: 'As previously stated, these are serious speakers. Of course, monitors like these, will reveal exactly what you are hooking them up with and it is very easy to hear a clear difference even from cables etc. Personally I like this, and I have been reevaluating a lot of equipment lately.  Although they sound good with "lower grade" but honest equipment, they have taken just about any challange I have been able to give them, just showing exactely the qualities (or lack of) with any front end combination.'

Modest gear will sound good, better gear will sound better.  They basically give out what they are fed.  Get a pair of SP Techs, and it is unlikely you will ever be limited by the speakers - only by what you feed them with.  To me that makes them the ultimate speaker to start this hobby with - providing you can scrape up the initial $2995 to get some Mini's.  No need to go for super good source gear intially - you can upgrade that later knowing the speakers will not let you down, and in the interim enjoy good sound 'with "lower grade" but honest equipment'  

Thanks
Bill

[bhobba]

However, I have reason to believe Karsten has recently become quite enamored with the Spectron Musician III Signature Edition. 

Yes, I have heard very good things about that amp - and for the price you would hope so.  A Soraya is only a 'puny' 100W, but a fair bit cheaper.  Everyone that has heard a Soraya has come away very very impressed - it has that 'no' sound I crave:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread/t-108756.html
'Short, sweet and to the point, aurally disappearing is one of the many things this amplifier does well. It does what it should do, play music as it is naturally, without obstruction or a sonic imprint from the gear itself causing you to get lost in and focus on the music, I have been enjoying listening to all of my old recordings that have become new once again with details once hidden .'

It is well and good talking about the fine, but rather expensive amps, that can be mated with SP speakers.  It is only reasonable to expect expensive gear to mate well with SP speakers.  I am now looking forward to seeing just how well they go with more modest gear and how much of an upgrade more expensive gear will be when finances permit me to afford it.

People are raving about the panny amps when fed with a high quality digital source - and as a digital source they done come much netter than the 740C - world class up-sampling with some of the lowest jitter ever measured. Measured lower even than a transporter - 200ps for the transporter, worst case 120ps for the 740C.  And available on ebay here in Aus for under $1000.00 - giving a total price of $1200 for the panny and the 740C.  Mate it with the Mini at about 3k, then you have for a cost of about 4k something that I believe will make some good sounds.

Will it be in the same class as a spectron - no.  Will it have the transparency and realism of a Soraya - no.  Will it sound good - I suspect - yes.

Thanks
Bill

[Double Ugly]

Will it be in the same class as a spectron - no.  Will it have the transparency and realism of a Soraya - no.  Will it sound good - I suspect - yes.

It might; I don't believe I said or implied otherwise.  My post was an update to your comment re: Karsten's favorite amp, not an indictment of your current choice.

The Soraya, however, is an amp I believe will sound fabulous with SP Techs.

[bhobba]

It might; I don't believe I said or implied otherwise. 

Whoops.  Sorry I was unclear.  Of course you never implied or said otherwise.  I BELIEVE the Soraya will best the panny.  This is based on a listening test their designer Hugh Dean did.  To him digital amps have world class clarity, detail, soundstaging etc but are cold and uninvolving.  Hugh believes his amp's have these positive qualities without the coldness ie they have greater transparency and realism.  But at $200 for an amp, pre and DAC in one - what the heck.  I can put up with a bit of coldness in the sound.  And maybe my ears are not the same as Hugh's - the digital amps I have heard are fine to me.  The thing is Hugh has heard a hell of a lot more amps than me.  If he finds them cold then I suspect over time I probably will as well.  But you never know.  And it will be a very interesting experiment - I am actually getting excited about it.

Thanks
Bill

[rajacat]

I had a Panasonic XR55 which possessed many good qualities such as an expansive soundstage, excellent imaging and transparency. The main characteristic of the Panny that made me sell it is a tendency for high notes to sound grungy with digital hash or whatever is called. This would grate on my nerves and would render many a recording an exercise in endurance. I presently have some modded Trends 10.1's which aren't irritable at all in the high frequency realm. However, I do use a tubed preamp which creates a more liquid sound without detracting from the positive aspects of the little Trends 10.1 which include great detail retrieval and separation.

--Roy

[lonewolfny42]

Lets try an experiment concerning the Mini TP's....

groovybassist/Mike

bbchem/Bill

opnly bafld / Lin

If you happen to have any other amps on hand (besides what your using now)...or maybe you can borrow another from a friend...could you try them with your Mini TP's and see how they do powering the speakers...and give us your comments on how it worked out. Thanks....

                    Chris

I have been using a Magnum Audio IA200 -100w/ch ss integrated,
but I will also try a McAlister Audio SE32 -15w/ch tube and a Monarchy Audio SE160 (hot rodded) -200w/ch tube/ss hybrid.

Lin

Thanks Lin.....

[bbchem]

I believe I already did that, I first tired an older Carver 1.5T SS amp rated at 350wpc in the old days. I also used a more recent Proceed by Mark LEvinson AMP2 150 wpc. I find that for my tastes and probably my emotional belief more than anything, my Tube amp floats my boat the most. The Carver drove the Minis to ungodly and unflapable heights which is not how I listen to music. The proceed was very neutral, so I than went to the warmer tube sound of the 60wpc Tad.

Hope this helps. The sound from all three was terrific and tube amps are a psychological thing for me.

Regards, Bill aa

[bhobba]

The main characteristic of the Panny that made me sell it is a tendency for high notes to sound grungy with digital hash or whatever is called. This would grate on my nerves and would render many a recording an exercise in endurance.

I have heard similar things as well.  I suspect it is caused by jitter, and the power lead acting as an antenna picking up the switching hash.  The low jitter source I hope to use should fix the jitter issue.  Replacing the IEC inlet by one with a filter, and using a shield power chord, should fix the second issue.  I can report more once I try it.

I am hopefull the 'grunge' issue will be done away with when properly setup.  This would make it the ideal starter amp for those just startin gout with a some SP speakers.

Thanks
Bill