Digital Amps with VMPS speakers

warnerwh · « **on:** 29 Sep 2003, 01:58 am »

Anybody who has used or is using a digital amp I'd like to hear what you think of them with the VMPS speakers. Brian posted in another thread in the 2 channel forum that he ordered a Carver Pro Tripath. Am very interested in hear what you have to say about it Brian. I need to buy another amp within two weeks or go soundless. Thanks

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Sep 2003, 04:02 am »

The ZR 1600 is breaking in. For now all I can say is that it sounds ghastly out of the box (gummy and bloated), the fan is way too loud, and the binding posts don't accept spades, just bare wire or bananas.

Once it is broken in I will do comparative listening on the RM 40 against the Plinius 250/IV, Ampzilla 2000, QSC PL236 and a Parasound 2200. I'll also take it over to John Curl's place for a run on the test bench.

kana813 · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Sep 2003, 08:59 am »

"it sounds ghastly out of the box (gummy and bloated)," - just like VMPS
speakers.

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 Sep 2003, 12:56 am »

At 72 hrs the ZR1600 is sounding better. I have disabled the fan (the unit ran dead cold with the fan on, quite warm to the touch with the fan off).

I will keep you posted.

warnerwh · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 Sep 2003, 01:44 am »

Brian: Thank you for the update. Ghastly isn't my favorite definition of amplifier sound and I'm already pretty wary of this amp. I'm sure everybody will appreciate your opinion. With all the rumors it will be nice to have an opinion of someone we know and trust.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Sep 2003, 01:57 am »

Ditto here. I'm curious how much tuning the speakers will need; isn't the bass control & damping factor of digital amps pretty high?

In a way I'm really hoping this is the Super Amp I've heard it is, broken in. On the other hand, if it is, I'll need a rackful of 'em to cover 5 channels and maybe even my subs...

I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

SWG255 · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 01:37 am »

Brian,

I'm glad to hear the amp is sounding better after 72 hours, i just purdchased a ZR 1600 from Nathan at 8th nerve today, and I really don't want a ghastly amp either, VMPS speakers or not.

I have a question about your observation that the binding posts on the amp won't accept spades. What speaker wire are you using? I've been told the binding posts, while not "special audiophile types" are quite standard. Do you believe this to be true?

Thanks very much for your continuing reports on this amp.

Quote from: Brian Cheney

At 72 hrs the ZR1600 is sounding better. I have disabled the fan (the unit ran dead cold with the fan on, quite warm to the touch with the fan off).

I will keep you posted.

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 03:59 am »

The binding posts on the ZR 1000 and 1600 are the "insulated" kind standard on pro amps. They do not accept any kind of spade lug and take bare wire (12 gauge max) or bananas, but only from the underside of the unit. The BP's are mostly plastic and can only be tightened by finger.

The outputs are modular: the BP's plug into an output circuit board and will be the devil to replace. There is very little point-to-point wiring in the ZR amps and none of it is signal-carrying.

warnerwh · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 04:13 am »

Yes your report has helped alot. Thanks Brian.

James Romeyn · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 04:18 am »

I ABd it against the Ampzilla 2000. Even though rated lower power, the A2K played louder & with more auythority. The II was nice by itself. When ABd it was one or two clear steps below the A2K in every audiophile category. Funny that even in the bass, which was nice on the II, the A2K was a huge upgrade in sound quality. I was quite underwhelmed with the II after the AB. I think I'd take a McCormack DNA225 over the Spectron. My 1/2 cent worth.

kana813 · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 06:00 am »

I thought the topic was the CarverPro ZR amp, how did it jump to the
Spectron MII. The MII with RSC cables have great bass, but I guess
those large monkey coffins like the extra control of bipolar devises.

Like the CarverPro amps the Spectron wants you to use the Speakon connectors(rated for 30 amps), which make for better connections than any spade. The NL 4FC Speakons can take 10 gauge cable and are very easy to install.

Wire larger than 12 gauge isn't needed unless the speakers require a very high damping factor or the installation needs long cable runs.

Funny, lots of audiophiles are raving about the Audience Au24 speaker cables which are a very small guage coax design.

warnerwh · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 06:47 am »

Kana: The thread is for ANY digital amp and VMPS speakers. I wanted feedback on digital amps but am convinced to go with old technology at this point.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 06:51 am »

Brian's been pretty big about ignoring the monkey coffin crack. kana813, you're not posting from under a bridge, are you?

rkapadia@ROOP · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 07:10 am »

Jim,

Would you please comment on if you have any affiliation with Spectron / McCormack / Ampzilla? Also, have you had the opportunity to try VMPS with Bel Canto, Carver, Rowland, PS Audio, or other digital modulation amplifiers?

Kind Regards,

Rup

JoshK · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 02:11 pm »

Quote from: RibbonSpeakers.net

I ABd it against the Ampzilla 2000. Even though rated lower power, the A2K played louder & with more auythority. The II was nice by itself. When ABd it was one or two clear steps below the A2K in every audiophile category. Funny that even in the bass, which was nice on the II, the A2K was a huge upgrade in sound quality. I was quite underwhelmed with the II after the AB. I think I'd take a McCormack DNA225 over the Spectron. My 1/2 cent worth.

Funny how your account gets worse and worse every time you tell it. And of course, you don't have in vested interest in the outcome neither!

TheeeChosenOne · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 04:42 pm »

Quote from: JoshK

Quote from: RibbonSpeakers.net
I ABd it against the Ampzilla 2000. Even though rated lower power, the A2K played louder & with more auythority. The II was nice by itself. When ABd it was one or two clear steps below the A2K in every audiophile category. Funny that even in the bass, which was nice on the II, the A2K was a huge upgrade in sound quality. I was quite underwhelmed with the II after the AB. I think I'd take a McCormack DNA225 over the Spectron. My 1/2 cent worth.

Funny how your account gets worse and worse every time you tell it. And of course, you don't have in vested interest in the outcome neither!

Funny you mentioned this. I thought the same thing.

kana813 · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 09:05 pm »

warnerwh - before you give up on the new tech amps, check out the review of the Tact M2150 on Stereo Times.

Rob- your right the MC crack was out of line. I ran out of kava last night, while I was passing under a bridge.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 09:13 pm »

Never heard 'em called monkey coffins, tho. That is kinda funny...

rkapadia@ROOP · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 09:29 pm »

Warner,

I'd urge you to let your ears decide. I think it's a shame to discount an entire field of component because of the post of 10 people online. I'd suggest checking out a thread on A.A., where people list the most synergistic speaker/amplifier combinations of all time. Quite a few of these people have cited/own a digital modulation amp as their choice for the amplifier end.

Kind Regards,

Rup

warnerwh · « **Reply #19 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 11:12 pm »

Rup: Being a new technology I suspect the digital amps are still under development so to speak. Kind of like cd players. Therefore they will no doubt leapfrog each other and the technology will mature. Until then the old fashioned technology will have to do. If the digital amps were really that much better than analog amps then people would be moving to them in droves by now as they've been out for a couple of years yet I keep seeing them for sale. After reading about all of the companies moving to digital amplification on this planet though I have no doubt it's in our future bigtime. No doubt some of these amps work and sound quite well. I'm just too conservative I guess.