[Lindsay]

Hi Hugh & fellow music enthusiasts

Good to hear so many positive experiences with the Naksa 70, I really like the review by Johnny Darko, music ebbing and flowing............

Hugh, good to hear the 100 version is nearly there!

I have a question about volume control and source selection, what are people using?
Also is the optimum set up for adding a volume control the way described in the manual?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Cheers
Lindsay..

[AKSA]

Hi Lindsay,

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the post!!

Some of the guys here have been with Aspen for almost a decade, so you are in good company!!

Yes, 100 NAKSA is nearly ready, I'm building up modules right now in fact.

I hope the shakes are completely stilled now in Christchurch.  That must be a terrifying experience.   

Cheers,

Hugh

[denjo]

Hi Hugh

For those who aren't too proficient with the soldering iron, do you sell assembled units of the NAKSA 70 and the new 100? If so, what are the prices respectively?

Best Regards
Dennis

[AKSA]

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your post.

This is an issue of some angst for me.

I would like to offer completed amps, BUT, this would require Ctick, CE, and UL, and for Europe, ROHS lead free construction.  Combined, these certifications cost tens of thousands of dollars, too much for this little business.  Furthermore, shipping for modules across the pond is far, far less than shipping entire enclosures with heavy trafos.

Therefore, I can offer you nothing unfortunately in this department, although if you are in Oz I am prepared to negotiate and have many helpful contacts who might also help.

I'm sorry, not what you wanted to hear, but, in truth, very little soldering is required!!

Cheers,

Hugh

[denjo]

Hi Hugh

Thank you for your frank reply! Yes, I can understand your situation and the added business cost of securing all the various certifications, etc. Unfortunately, I cannot trust myself with a soldering gun even though there may be only a few joints to solder. My brother stays in Perth and regular visits me in Singapore so that is one option. The other option is for me to befriend an audio techie who will probably find that what is needed is 'easy' stuff for him to assemble. Either way, I am very intrigued with AKSA amplifiers and your latest 100 offering.

Will see how!

Best Regards
Dennis

[jkeny]

Dennis,
I can assure you that there is very little soldering required - most of the work in assembling this amp is in planning the layout of the enclosure into which you will be installing the amp board(s). It would be far more economical to have this work done locally in your area by someone you know or have been recommended.

I have one of the Naksa 70s & love it's sound - I posted my short review earlier in the thread!

[denjo]

Dennis,
I can assure you that there is very little soldering required - most of the work in assembling this amp is in planning the layout of the enclosure into which you will be installing the amp board(s). It would be far more economical to have this work done locally in your area by someone you know or have been recommended.

I have one of the Naksa 70s & love it's sound - I posted my short review earlier in the thread!

Thank you jkeny! I will be interested to read your review of the Naksa 70. Let me see if I can get someone to assemble the Naksa kit locally. Can I ask a quick question: does the Naksa 70 turn on and off with a thud or plop? Does it run hot?

[bhobba]

Hi Dennis

Most places have a high end audio shop with a connection to an electronic/audio technician of some sort.  The work required is a doodle for one of those guys.  There are a few around my way in Brisbane that I got to know through the audio outlet I mostly frequent these days.  Just ask around a bit.

Thanks
Bill

[denjo]

Thanks very much Bill! Thanks for your assurance that the EE job is a doodle for a trained techie! 

[AKSA]

Yes, Denjo,

Bill is absolutely 100% correct.  It is not difficult, and the NAKSA 100 promises to be even easier!

BTW, an almost imperceptible thump, very quiet, almost at the threshold of audibility is all you hear at switch on for both amps.

Cheers,

Hugh

[denjo]

Thanks Hugh!
Last question - what is the amplifier gain? I was hoping to pair it with a Bent Audio TAP TVC which I think requires about 32 dB gain to work best!

[Lindsay]

Still shaking over here Hugh, we had a 4.8 magnitude last night. It seems just as we think things are settling down another good jolt hits.

Is it worth starting another thread on pre amps for the Aksa range of power amps?

I'm currently using the pre outs of an integrated amp, which is a bit of a waste.
I thought I'd be better off to sell the integrated and purchase a decent pre amp.

Cheers

Lindsay.     

[AKSA]

Hi Dennis,

Gain is 29dB (Av of 28.5), the THX standard, to enable integration with HE systems, a standard of some sort I cannot disagree with!!

Lindsay,

4.8 is high;  that's a very serious jolt.  I thought it was all over too - there is no doubt, it's an unstable piece of land, sitting atop a submarine mountain range as it does.  I hope it settles down, this can't be easy for anyone.

A pre.  I have such designs, but they are difficult to build and seriously challenging to build hum free.  True of any preamp, of course.  The NAKSA was designed, however, for simply a passive pre, a simple volume control, so you should be able to save your money with a good pot!

Cheers,

Hugh

[Lindsay]

Thanks for the reply Hugh.

The very forces that formed the group of islands I call home may very well destroy us.

Sounds like a simple solution for the volume control, any brands/types in particular that will be suitable?
To narrow the question down a bit, is it worth going with one of the high end brands or will I get worth while results with something from Jaycar?

Cheers

Lindsay.

[AKSA]

Hi Lindsay,

You can try the ALPS pots, the RK27 series, and the Lightspeed light dependent resistor volume control, sold on the web.  Both are very good, with the ALPS condutive plastic, acknowledged as one of the best.  The ceramic pots made by Sfernice were pretty good too, but tracked badly.  They are now owned by Vishay, which has made available very difficult (made in Nice, in the south of France) and horrifically expensive.  If you examine the growth and growth of Vishay, you will see that they are slowly swallowing up all the passive component makers all over the world.

Volcanic activity is increasing off Indonesia, too, with Merapi recently blowing its top, and there is some evidence the entire Pacific rim is warming up for more earthquakes.  It's all a bit of a worry... particularly to NZ citizens because you live right on a tectonic boundary.

Cheers,

Hugh

[Lindsay]

Hi Hugh,

Good info on the volume controls, gives me an idea of where to go from here, thank you.

A friend of mine has a poster in his workshop of the ring of fire and as you say it runs up the middle of NZ, man are we in the sh!t when the alpine fault decides to let go.

Better get back to listening to some tunes, never know how long we've got. 

Cheers

Lindsay.

[bhobba]

Hi Guys

Now here is something interesting.  As I was growing up a very famous speaker was Gale 401/402's.  In fact they were my first speakers I had apart from an old stereo I inherited from my parents.  The interesting thing here is they were known amp killers - literally known to fry amps.  I ran them with a 40 watt Proton which was basically a NAD ripoff.   But because of its reputation I kept volumes to reasonable levels although a friend one time did wind it up a bit and blew the tweeter.

Of interest to this thread is some guys over in WA who are checking out the NAKSA have Gale 401's and 402's and will put the NAKSA through its paces on them.  Now that will be an interesting pairing - just how will a modern amp with excellent bass drive go with the Gales?

Will keep you posted.

Thanks
Bill

[gaetan8888]

Hello Bill

You bring me back some memories, wen I was much more younger, I was facinated by the Gale 401.

Me to I would be currious to know how the Naksa sound with those speakers.

For those who never seen a Gale 401 here a link to an image;

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cwe_PvXJocY/SBIaTIy1xrI/AAAAAAAAAeM/O2db294YyqY/s400/Gale+GS401A+on+stand.JPG

Bye

Gaetan

[stvnharr]

Hello,
A couple days ago I had my first listen to the new Naksa, after reading about it for months. Hugh came for a visit and we were able to compare the Naksa with my hot rodded LF55.  The system also included my newly remodelled cd player that is a superb performer.  We played the LF first, with a few specially selected pieces that I knew well.  Then we switched amps, and nothing else.

I was a bit surprised at the huge difference in bass from the Naksa, being much more solid and THERE.  I had improved the LF bass sound so much that I thought I really had it, but no, I didn't.
Midrange resolution was also different/better, as it the music images were much more focused images.
We played a couple orchestral selections, and the LF compared a little better there.

But for popular tunes with single instrument bass, WOW, the Naksa is one of the best I've heard, and I have heard a lot of amplifiers in a lot of systems.

Time to start supplying the audio piggybank once again!!!!!!
Also, looking forward to hearing the bigger Naksa one of these days too.

[bhobba]

Hi Guys

A little birdy told me they found out I sold my NAKSA 70 and wondered why since I was/am so enthusiastic about it.  Rest assured it had nothing to do with the amp - in fact its because I am so impressed with the amp I sold it for a higher purpose - I want to get the 100W version.  Trouble is the techo I want to build it for me is run off his feet right now and won't be able to build it for a while.

Rest assured once it is built I will hold a get together to check it out.

Thanks
Bill