Benchmark Amplifiers for VMPS Speakers?

SWG255 · « **Reply #20 on:** 19 Dec 2003, 10:55 pm »

Greetings:

When I auditioned the VMPS RM40s at Lucius Morris' place, he was driving them with the Pass Labs X.350 monoblocks. This sounded excellent to me, smooth, sweet and very detailed.

I now have a pair of RM40s in my home, and I'm driving them with a Carver Pro ZR 1600 which has been modified by Nathan at Eighth Nerve. It won't be popular for me to say this, but i think the Carver has 90% of the Pass Labs sound for about one-eighth the price! In fact, the music seems to have a bit more "snap" than I remember hearing with the Pass Labs amp, although this could be other synergies at work.

At any rate, if you want big VMPS speakers (the RM40s at least) and are looking for a suitable amp that won't break the bank, I think a modified Carver Pro ZR amp will fill the bill nicely. I'm not claiming that it's SOTA, but it doesn't cost like SOTA either. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to afford the Ampzilla's or something similar, but for now, I'm very happy with the RM40s and the modified Carver Pro ZR 1600.

Sedona Sky Sound · « **Reply #21 on:** 20 Dec 2003, 03:49 am »

Just for the fun of it, I did a little experiment yesterday where I replaced the Ampzillas powering the mid/tweeter on my RM/Xs this a Marsh A200S. The results were pretty good. The panels/tweeter don't seem to be drawing that much current (my bass Ampzillas get very warm to the touch but the mid/tweeter Ampzillas never get warmer than at idle) so the lower current of the Marsh was not that big a factor.

The first thing I noticed was that the Marsh had just a slight bit more gain than the Ampzillas. No problem, just have to adjust the pots down a little to keep the same bass integration as before. Soundwise, the Marsh was just a little forward of neutral. No grit/grain that I could detect even at louder levels. The only other difference was that on drum attacks the decay with the Ampzillas was ever so slightly longer. Overall, it sounded quite good.

While I would never recommend using the Marsh full-range with the RM40 (tried it, didn't work at all), I believe using the Marsh for the top and using a decent high-current amp on the bottom (QSC, ATI, Adcom, etc.) would please most people. Total cost would be something like $2500 or so ($1500 for the Marsh and maybe $1k for the bas amp). Just a relatively inexpensive way to get good sound.

Julian

Sa-dono · « **Reply #22 on:** 20 Dec 2003, 03:53 am »

Quote from: ctviggen

I wish JR would make an amp without the fancy case (or cases for my amp -- the power supply is in one case and the amp section is in another). I'd have to go for the "no frills" version, especially since I intend to encase everything anyway. (Who wants to see all those darn LEDs?) I know, it's a tragedy to encase something so beautiful, but I'll give it a gander every once in a while.

That's all just wrong IMO

rblnr · « **Reply #23 on:** 20 Dec 2003, 07:58 pm »

After trying different amps (krell, bryson, others) w/my RM40's and LRC, I settled on Llano tube/ss hybrids that run class A all the way. A solid notch above the others and worth seeking out.

tdangelo · « **Reply #24 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 01:41 pm »

well unfortunately the Acoustic Reality eAR2 blew up so to speak... I was disconnectiong my RM40's the other night - turned everything off - plugged my bananas into my Acoustats - turned everything back on and no sound

checked everything again - no sound. I decided to open up the eAR2(bought from Azyran) and found a 10amp fuse blown - got another fuse - no sound

When the eAR2 worked it sounded awesome with the 40's - I only had 2 days to play with the system before packing it up because we sold our house but the RM40's and AR eAR2 worked together beautifully!! Very open wide/deep soundstage - effortless dynamics - worked together very nicely even in my furnitureless room. I have 2 4x8' sound absorbtion panels that were already in storage so it was a little echoey... Just got a Wadia 301 and that fed the amp great without my preamp(Y&S Audio Symphonies). So I email AR in Denmark last week - no answer - I have sent 4 emails over the week - no reply. Hopefully they are closed for the holidays because if that is how their customer service is I'm going to get the amp repaired and then sell it. I hate to do that because its the best amp I have heard. My previous amp was a Muse 160 II that I just sold. Before that was a GAS Ampzilla II that had been fully modified by Gas Works - very nice amp....

Tony D.

ekovalsky · « **Reply #25 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 04:57 pm »

Hey Tony,

Sorry to hear about the Acoustic Reality There may be more than one fuse inside the amp. Look carefully in there, if you haven't already.

If you like the amp but end up selling it, check into Ric Schultz's http://www.tweakaudio.com upcoming ICEpower amps and also the Solar HiFi amps. Horsehead is getting the latter soon and should be able to tell us how the work with the VMPS speakers.

My ICEpower amp (JRDG 302/4) is arriving today and I should be able to describe it with the RM/X within one week. They make a smaller, less costly ICEpower monoblock (JRDG 201) which may be worth checking out too.

rosconey · « **Reply #26 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 05:03 pm »

odyssey

that sucks no amp for the holidays-

dvican · « **Reply #27 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 06:12 pm »

hi everybody,

another addition to the above list would be the solar hi-fi amps. i am running my 40s with the monos for over a month now and have to say that i am very pleased with the sound (i use to bridge them with four monos - cary and marantz). the combo is now very envolving, lush, detailed and controled; all that evenly distributed across the spectrum.

i haven't finished tuning my speakers yet (do i ever?) but hopefuly am getting pretty close - i know becuase it is hard for me to recall hearing any better system in a long long time

let me know if you have any ?s
david

ekovalsky · « **Reply #28 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 06:53 pm »

Put up a few pics of my new amp in the gallery, http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=164

Since I'm off a few more days and the speakers aren't here yet, I may open the chassis for a few nude shots

A new, proper rack will be ordered once my system stabilizes. I may yet sell the P1000 for a BPT 3.5 Signature, if the hum issue I've read about gets fixed, and I may end up getting a TacT 2.0S or 2.2X RCS and perhaps a Bent NOH, Placette RVC, or Sonic Euphoria PLC (if the dCs digital volume control doesn't work out well).

jgubman · « **Reply #29 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 08:22 pm »

Wow...

I'm jealous, nice stack!

I guess you've resolved your PS Audio problems? Do you just have the dCS stack plugged into the p1000?

I take it your RM/Xs are en route?

tdangelo · « **Reply #30 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 08:59 pm »

Eric: there are 2 other fuses - some weird kind that I'm not familiar with - TCM or TMC something like that, they are less than 1/4 inch square and .075 amp - guess I should try to find some of them before shipping it... How much are the 201's? I was actually thinking about the Sonics, I sure do like the sound of my eAR but you were right - trying different speaker cables is a little work - I bought some 4 pole Neutrik connectors but didn't get a chance to try them to biwire before the amp blew ;(

Thanks

Tony

btw: My friend and I carried the RM40's without the boxes - man those things are HEAVY

Thanks for packing them so nicely!

John Casler · « **Reply #31 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 09:11 pm »

Quote

I may yet sell the P1000 for a BPT 3.5 Signature, if the hum issue I've read about gets fixed,

I might interject that there is "no" hum issue with the BP3.5 "Signature".

Just ask Zybar.

ekovalsky · « **Reply #32 on:** 24 Dec 2003, 11:51 pm »

The 201 monoblocks retail at $4700/pr. Very reasonable by JRDG standards. You won't get much better than a 5% discount, though, unless you are a dealer.

Glad the BPT 3.5 Sig isn't humming. Now I can order one and sell teh PS Audio Powerplant

James Romeyn · « **Reply #33 on:** 2 Jan 2004, 01:32 am »

Quote from: ekovalsky

check your PM, I'm too embarrased to say here

Yeah Eric, & what if someone at home logged onto this forum & read the post?.....

ekovalsky · « **Reply #34 on:** 2 Jan 2004, 01:42 am »

tdangelo · « **Reply #35 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 05:20 am »

Update: Well, we finally moved into our new house about a week ago - not doing that any time soon - 4 loads in a 26 foot truck

Got the Acoustic Reality eAR2 back from Denmark - seems I blew an ICE module one night - apparently I shorted the biwires together (a few beers will do that to you) well $600+ later its back and it was updated a bit too (DC filtering etc)... While I was waiting for the eAR2 I bought some new Aragon Palladium 1K's - sweet amps - they drive the RM40's nicely and dont get any thing more than warm even after extended periods! Only thing I dont like about them is the binding posts - they dont accept normal sized spades - had to put some Eichmann bullet banana plugs on my TMC cables - gonna have to sell those - they are a bit too long ;( as are my Tara Labs RSC 3 balanced IC's... So it looks like I'm gonna sell the eAR2 - have no need two amps ;( I'll post some pics later.
Tony

ctviggen · « **Reply #36 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 01:37 pm »

I don't think that $4,700 is bad for two monoblocks. My #10 retailed for $7,500, and it has 100w/channel less power at 8 ohms and 225w/channel less at 4 ohms. I personally think that JR amps are the sweetest sounding non-tube amps. I'm just wondering how my amp is going to do with the RM40s? Plus, with monoblocks, it's easier to place them right near the speaker.

zybar · « **Reply #37 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 02:53 pm »

Bob,

Check some of my other threads in the VMPS forum where I do give a little bit on how much I like the 201's.

They are working very, very well on the 40's.

Here are some pics of the Rowland 201's and the Pass x250:

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/modules.php?set_albumName=albuo19&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

GW

rosconey · « **Reply #38 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 03:02 pm »

i use odyssey monos for my large sub-quality bass