New Naksa Amplifier! Quick Initial Impression......

LM · « **Reply #380 on:** 26 Oct 2010, 06:06 am »

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Looking forward to hear more about the new beast

Jens,

The NAKSA 100 is sure a beauty; you will certainly love it when you hear it for yourself IMHO.

I had to spend some time at Hugh's this morning so I had the chance to listen to the fourth version for a while with some familiar music. I believe from what Hugh said that there are only one or two small adjustments left to make/try before the board design is finalised so what I heard was pretty much production though with a relatively basic power supply and not in a case. What I heard was the NAKSA 70 sound on steroids. The same lovely 'SET like' tonality, solid base and rich mids but with a clear increase in overall drive and snap. The other main difference to my ears was a small but noticeable increase in refinement and treble extension. Finalising the power supply and case won't do any harm to its refinement level either. It is a very joyful and musical amp.

bhobba · « **Reply #381 on:** 26 Oct 2010, 09:18 am »

I am sad guys. When I popped the Tranquility Signature into my system came the dreaded hum/buzz. I thought it was something in the new DAC. I was mistaken. Removed everything, switched everything off and sure enough it was not the new DAC - the actual leads were picking something up that was not there before I switched DAC's - in the few days I had nothing while I was switching over someone decided to start using some new electrical gizmo that radiates like a sieve. The cables I use are not shielded so I tried some shielded stuff that did not do much good. I will try some heavily shielded stuff but if that doesn't work will need to look at some balanced stuff.

Just in case anyone has some other ideas I thought I would put it out there. If only I could find exactly what that basterd piece of gear is and get it turned off.

Thanks
Bill

AKSA · « **Reply #382 on:** 26 Oct 2010, 10:57 am »

Bill,

Maybe throw sonics to the wind and use shielded cable, some good stuff?

Or do you think it's coming through the mains?

Lyn,

My thanks, you always say such nice things!! But yes, I'm REAL happy with this new NAKSA, but it won't be quite the economy version that the 70 is fast becoming....

Hugh

bhobba · « **Reply #383 on:** 26 Oct 2010, 11:39 am »

Quote from: AKSA on 26 Oct 2010, 10:57 am

Maybe throw sonics to the wind and use shielded cable, some good stuff? Or do you think it's coming through the mains?

I don't think its through the mains since what I did was switch everything off except the amp and plugged the cables in with the other end connected to nothing and still got it. It's fairly obvious the cables are picking some rubbish up since they are not shielded. And yea the answer is some shielded cables - the buzz is worse than the the bit extra transparency those cables give. Mike is only too well aware of the problem since he has run into it on his premises - but then again it is in the middle of an industrial estate. You know the only other guy to experience it - you guessed it - me. He has a solution as well - he can retrofit a very transparent Jenson balanced transformer onto the NAKSA or whatever amp I may eventually use but like you is a bit wary of balanced runs for exactly the reasons you espouse. But as you also say in the few domestic situations where noise is a problem it is probably better to get rid of the noise and put up with the other problems - that buzz is really annoying.

Oh does anyone know some well shielded RCA cables? I was thinking of these:
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/LC1-design-notes.htm

Thanks
Bill

sureshm · « **Reply #384 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 12:42 am »

Another successful and satisfying Naksa70 build!! I bought the module last month when I was in Melbourne. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Hugh, he is one great guy who you can have very interesting conversations with. I got the case from Altronics and transformer from Antek. After hooking everything up, checked that it all works and let it warm up for 30 minutes. I really liked what I heard. The sound was just that much more natural sounding compared to everything else I have heard. I then let is run for about 50 hours for all the components to settle in. Compared to my old Denon amplifier, the Naksa has much better clarity and separation. The tone of the sound just felt more ‘right’. I will post more comments when I take it to my friend’s house and listen to it on his system.

Johnny · « **Reply #385 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 01:37 am »

Elegant build sureshm. I really like your layout :thumb

AKSA · « **Reply #386 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 03:28 am »

I 2nd that, John!

Bewdiful build, Suresh, very clean, very elegant, and doubtless very well cooled. It will be extremely reliable, congratulations!

It's great to hear of another NAKSA crying its first notes!!

Thanks for posting, great piccies too!

Cheers,

Hugh

AKSA · « **Reply #387 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 12:42 pm »

Heard my NAKSA 70 on ESL57s, that icon from Quad almost fifty years ago.

Stunning, simply extraordinary. I have never heard a SS amp sound so good on the older Quads. The owner feels they do a better job than the Quad II 40, the new $7K monobloc amps from Tim de Paravicini.

Cheers,

Hugh

jkeny · « **Reply #388 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 12:59 pm »

Yes Hugh, that' what Fran also found in his review of the Naksa which is worth repeating:

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This amp just seemed to love the quads. To all those users over the years who gloried in using Naim amps with quads – well watch out, there is a competitor for that slot – and at much less cost I might add. This really was a revelation – I couldn’t believe it. Maybe you could say I was preconditioned by my low expectations, but does not invalidate the results – this amp sounded fantastic with the quads.

AKSA · « **Reply #389 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 10:17 pm »

John,

You are quite right; I'd foolishly forgotten about that comment from Francis, how true it is!!

In any event, the owner was extremely impressed; he has the whole 9 yards; Azura horns, no less than seven turntables, numerous amps, preamps and head amps, a virtual Aladdin's Cave of high end you could fill two rooms with at CES in Vegas!!

The Tim de Paravicini Quad II 40 is a very nice looking amp - around $7K the pair - and quite a bit more powerful than the original. BUT, it is still a pentode output stage, and the owner says it's just a little hard.

Thanks for the post,

Hugh

jkeny · « **Reply #390 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 10:27 pm »

Hugh, there definitely seems to be some synergy between the Naksa & Quads - any idea what might be behind that?

AKSA · « **Reply #391 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 10:45 pm »

Hi John,

Yes, very low phase shift in the design, giving more stability, and much reduced global negative feedback over usual SS designs, meaning less phase shift imposed on the feedback network due to reactance of the electrostats. Both these issues make for good imaging, and very load tolerant behaviour.

Finally, the feedback is converted into current feedback in this amp, the usual is voltage feedback, which is far more susceptible to instability with reactive loads.

But it's an interesting one. The Quads sounded almost rich and powerful, not the usual twee sound I hear, little blackbirds chirping using smallish tube amps....

Hugh

AKSA · « **Reply #392 on:** 10 Nov 2010, 08:49 pm »

NAKSA 100 is nearing completion, and will soon be available.

Integrated power supplies on each board, which is 276mm long, almost the same dimensions as the NAKSA 70 pcb.

Two boards and two heatsinks for two channels; just double the hardware of the NAKSA 70. Pcb is gold immersion, 2oz copper, double sided, 2mm thick FR4, premium quality. Design took an eternity, but is very tight and extremely compact.

Sound quality: Very similar to the NAKSA 70, the same sonic imprint, slightly more refined if anything.

Transformer requirement: One single 425VA with two 35Vac secondaries. 500VA may also be used.

Will drive loads down to 2.5R, even less if rails are lowered to 42 volts each. Servo circuit of uniquely elegant design used to tightly control offset.

Sold fully built and tested, with two year conditional warranty, including heatsinks, RCAs, onnectors, mounting studs, chassis earth loom, signal, speaker and power loom, heatshrink.

Unconditional stability into any load, electrostatic speakers a specialty. This amp is extraordinarily robust; even output shorts merely blow fuses and emitter resistors, no danger to output devices!!

Estimated cost at this point: $AUD1420.

This design is exemplary, up there with the Soraya and Maya retail amps, but slightly different. It is designed for use with simply a volume adjustable source, or a passive attentuator, and delivers sound quality very like a tube amp with real power. It has palpable warmth and engagement, and will tap feet and bring smiles to the listener, my primary focus. It is cheaper than the Lifeforce, more compact, and does not require two transformers and a separate power supply pcb. The Maya is an amp of almost supernatural presence and purity; the Soraya an amp of uncanny refinement. These three amps fill different sonic tastes, no question.

I will post pictures of the first production boards, they will look wonderful, with two large filter caps at each end of the pcb! Very pleased with how all this has turned out, it's a corker!

Cheers,

Hugh

Johnny · « **Reply #393 on:** 10 Nov 2010, 09:06 pm »

Cheers! Hugh

Getting that itchy feeling

mjosef · « **Reply #394 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 05:48 am »

I am dreaming of a Naksa in my near future system...mainly to replace/supplement my tube amp which is too hot for summer use...of course, should it whip my tube amp butt it may just replace it.
Awaiting a closeby audiophile's completed build to knock all hesitation from the mind.

AKSA · « **Reply #395 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 06:26 am »

Ah, that would be one Occam, MJosef, bonnie friend of yore?

Ciao,

Hugh

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #396 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 06:34 am »

From Australia to Brooklyn, N.Y. ....pretty cool....

Looking forward to listening.....

mjosef · « **Reply #397 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 07:10 am »

Hey Hugh, its actually an audiophile in Connecticut...
Aye...Occam has the original (but still excellent) SORAYA...

AKSA · « **Reply #398 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 07:30 am »

Thanks Mark (?),

Connecticut, ah, I know that NAKSA 70! Has he finished it, and had a good listen? I guess not?

Chris,

There's a little bit of me right there, my daughter Alessandra, who lives in Brooklyn and works in the fashion industry in Manhattan.... Today we take Manhattan, tomorrow, the World.....

But I have to say, while I love my city of Melbourne, I loved NYC more, and I completely understand her desire to live there. For a young person, ambitious, competent, I can't think of a more exciting place.

Take care on those sky platforms, Chris, I often think of you as I accelerate indulgently on my bike, I would imagine I'm safer than you though!

Cheers,

Hugh

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #399 on:** 11 Nov 2010, 07:43 am »

Hugh...

I had forgotten that Jim/Hogg had ordered a NAKSA 70....

He'll match that with his Tannoy speakers...their pretty nice...and he's a classical music lover.

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Today we take Manhattan, tomorrow, the World.....

NY is the place for fashion and excitement....your daughter should do well...

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But I have to say, while I love my city of Melbourne, I loved NYC more....

You need an "I Love NY" bumper sticker....

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Take care on those sky platforms, Chris, I often think of you as I accelerate indulgently on my bike, I would imagine I'm safer than you though!

Always pays to be safe.....no matter what one does.

Looking forward to hearing the NAKSA at a future Rave.....good luck with the new "100".....