Amp for unifield 3

Afterimage · « **Reply #20 on:** 24 Feb 2011, 03:19 pm »

Thanks for the informative reply JackD. Unfortunately I will not have any coin to invest in electronics, kind of already did that. What I have is a Herron pre amp (VTSP3a) which is incredible. I love this pre. I chose this over the Audio Research REF 5 that I demoed in house and the RWA Isabella, which is also a very good pre. For amps I have a modded (by Underwood HIfI) Unison Unico SE, a Sim Audio W3, an Arte Forma 1-150 Intergrated, and the flagship amp from Aspen (The Maya) on the way. So hopefully among that bunch something will work. I just did not want to get a speaker that took the enjoyment out the music like some audiophile speakers tend to do. Of course none of this would be an issue if freaking recording studios took a little more pride in their production. I guess they think we are going to use car stereos, Ipods and boom boxes for playback. Oh well.

JackD201 · « **Reply #21 on:** 24 Feb 2011, 04:49 pm »

I never heard of the Maya until I read your post. Funny that a quick google directed me right back here to AC where you were discussing your initial impressions!

Looks like Hugh and Collin are my type of guys. Personally I like zero NFB designs, which the Maya is. My personal amp history is a fairly long list of zero NFB amps both tube and SS. Pass Aleph 0s, BAT VK-150s, a whole bunch of 300B SETs and a 2a3, and now Lamm. I'm guessing, and this is a big 'ol guess here that if you are getting great highs with your Tidals, you will get at least the same with the U3's ribbons (I have a thing for ribbon tweeters). There's an organic feel I associate with zero NFB as well as class A operation. Feed U3s that and organic is what you'll get. Whatever you decide, enjoy the hunt!

It's Kieran right? Pleasure to meet you

Jack

Afterimage · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 Feb 2011, 05:03 pm »

Indeed, Kieran. Good to meet you too.

yeah, I had the earlier version of the Maya. Hugh found some further refinements so I sent it back to get it updated. What I heard when I had it was the best 2 channel amp I have heard.

afterfire · « **Reply #23 on:** 24 Feb 2011, 11:59 pm »

Never heard Unifield 3, but E.A.R /yoshino works fine with Unifield One. I ended up buying Audio Space Galaxy 88 because that was what I could afford as a student. I listen to a very wide range of music, from hard rock electro pop jazz blues and so on, and I´m very satisfied with that combo. The sound is smooth and very pleasant but yet detailed and involving. With Audio Analogue the sound was a bit faster and more detailed but I found it too much "in your face" for my taste, but still without any harshness! I guess the UF3 have similar sonic signatures as the UF1.
Happy hunting!

Afterimage · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 Feb 2011, 12:02 am »

No more hunting. I pulled the trigger on the Unifield 3. Can't believe I did that, I really am crazy.

Oh well, lets hope they are the real deal.

es347 · « **Reply #25 on:** 25 Feb 2011, 02:10 am »

Welcome to the club...we're all crazy here

Afterimage · « **Reply #26 on:** 25 Feb 2011, 03:59 am »

Thanks ES347. The funny thing is I tell my wife I am normal, for this hobby that is.

varsharun · « **Reply #27 on:** 26 Feb 2011, 05:11 am »

The Uni3's are amazing speakers! You will not be disappointed.

-Arun

Quote from: Afterimage on 25 Feb 2011, 12:02 am

No more hunting. I pulled the trigger on the Unifield 3. Can't believe I did that, I really am crazy. Oh well, lets hope they are the real deal.

Afterimage · « **Reply #28 on:** 26 Feb 2011, 01:01 pm »

Just for reference, here is a list of speakers I have owned since starting in the hobby in 1993. Actually, I first was bitten by the stereo bug in 1981 as a 14 year old. At the time, most of my friends had older brothers and a lot of them had stereo's in their basements, kind of like the 70s show. One day one of my friends brother dropped Asia's "Heat of the Moment" (don't laugh, the song was cool to us at the time, actually I still like it but don't tell anyone

). I can't remember the system, I think the were Klipsch Horns. He cranked it up. I was in awe. From that point on, I became interested in stereos. Problem was, never had any money. Fast forward to 1993 when I had a job and some money and I bought a pair of Bose 401s. Since then I have owned...

Paradigm 11SE MK III
New Form Research 645 R
Dali Euphonia MS4s
AAD E48s-these were only 650.00, I wish I still them!
Green Mountain Audio Europa
VSA VR-1s
Green Mountain Audio Callisto
Amphion Xenon's
Monitor Audio GS 60s
Mark and Daniel Rubies
WLM La Scala
Tidal Piano (freaking expensive)
Fritz Carbon 7s (I'm keeping these no matter what)

I have two systems running so the list is not from switching everything on one system.
As you can see I had some decent speakers. I confess I did not always do my homework and am guilty of swapping gear without taking time and care of the other stuff that effects sound. For instance room acoustics. I do have some panels and base traps in the corner, but I have to drill down some more to optimize everything. Once I get the Unified 3s up and running that will be next project, the room. So, has anyone heard anything from my list that can verify if the Unifield 3s may be a step up with all things being equal (gear room ect...)?

BigSwede · « **Reply #29 on:** 26 Feb 2011, 06:17 pm »

Heh, you have been a bit more active than me...my list is pretty short, even though it starts in 1980:

Large Advents
Polk Audio Monitor 10Bs
Von Schweikert VR-2s

That's it!

vincent28 · « **Reply #30 on:** 1 Mar 2011, 06:03 am »

what do u guys think of modwright ls100 and 100se/150 for U3?

Steve · « **Reply #31 on:** 1 Mar 2011, 08:36 pm »

Quote from: Afterimage on 26 Feb 2011, 01:01 pm

For instance room acoustics. I do have some panels and base traps in the corner, but I have to drill down some more to optimize everything. Once I get the Unified 3s up and running that will be next project, the room. So, has anyone heard anything from my list that can verify if the Unifield 3s may be a step up with all things being equal (gear room ect...)?

Super Afterimage. I have heard them and they are wonderful. If you want to do some initial testing with bass issues, on the cheap, try some large bed pillows from Walmart or Kmart. $4.00 or less per pillow. Stick two or three in the corners. You may be able to get an idea of what may be needed if you wish to proceed further.

Again congradulations.

Steve

Afterimage · « **Reply #32 on:** 2 Mar 2011, 02:31 am »

Quote from: Steve on 1 Mar 2011, 08:36 pm

Super Afterimage. I have heard them and they are wonderful. If you want to do some initial testing with bass issues, on the cheap, try some large bed pillows from Walmart or Kmart. $4.00 or less per pillow. Stick two or three in the corners. You may be able to get an idea of what may be needed if you wish to proceed further.

Again congradulations.

Steve

Thanks for the tip Steve. However, I will not being doing anything room wise for another 6 weeks. I had surgery for hip dysplasia and will in a hospital bed positioned in my listening room(which is a best case scenario). When the Unified 3s get here someone will have to set them up for me. Oh, in your post you said you heard "them and they are wonderful". Are you referring to the Uni 3s or one of the others from the list above? thanks.

Steve · « **Reply #33 on:** 2 Mar 2011, 07:15 pm »

Sorry to hear of the surgery. Get well soon.

I auditioned the Unifield 3s.

Cheers.

thebearded1 · « **Reply #34 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 01:14 pm »

Bi amping a Mac mc275 w a Mac mc 252 works nicely with the u3s. SS improved the bass dramatically compared with all tube in my listening room. Though I need to pick up a crossover...the tubes run hot. I'm thinking men 220....

JackD201 · « **Reply #35 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 02:46 pm »

I've been playing Unifield 3s now for the last week with the Valvet Soulshine Linestage, Valvet A3.5 Mono Blocks, EERA Essentiel CDP and Townshend DCT-100 ICs and Townshend Maxwire SCs. The combination is wonderful.

The soundstage is huge in height, width and depth and there is an abundance of detail while the sound is full and harmonically rich. The Valvet Mono Blocks are tiny 50wpc into 8 ohm full Class A operation direct coupled solid state amps around the size of the little Jeff Rowland 201s or Nuforce Class D amps. The preamp is all tube with a separate power supply called the VUPPS. The VUPPS has a cool feature where you can easily choose between solid state rectification or tube rectification with the supplied 5AR4 or one of your own choosing. Tubes are one 12ax7 and one 12at7 per channel. Both pre and amps are wired throughout with silver wiring and are fitted with the same WBT posts as the Unifield line.

I can't recommend the CDP, Pre and Amp combo for the Unifield 1 and Unifield 3 highly enough, especially for the real estate challenged music lover who values timbre, texture and nuance over balls to the wall sound pressure levels. This is not to say the combo can't rock but remember, this is in my bedroom. My main rig consists of VR-9s and 4 Lamm Monoblocks so my perspective is a little bit different with regards to playing loud with very little effort.

McTwins · « **Reply #36 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 02:53 pm »

Hi
Yes, you need a active crossover if you are gonna bi-amp these speakers and, specially, if Tubes are involved. I read the specs of the Uni but it is little bit confusing where the x-over freq are between the Low and M/T.

Is it 100Hz or 300Hz?

It mentioned something about
"trailing slope @ -6dB, 300Hz/4kHz overlap"
what now this means. I suspect it is 300Hz.

You have to know this first if active crossover is gonna be used.

I can recommend dbx PA+, works great and have all the settings you need.
Thanks

JackD201 · « **Reply #37 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 02:58 pm »

Quote from: vincent28 on 1 Mar 2011, 06:03 am

what do u guys think of modwright ls100 and 100se/150 for U3?

I met Dan last November. I have the highest regard for his work. Heck I have very high regards for Dan as a person. He's a great guy and I think he and his company will get even better, despite his already high standings in the audio community right now.

The 150 is a wonderful amp that punches above its weight class. I find them at their best operating in stereo but thought they lost some liquidity and grace when bridged mono. The good news is that if you're going to get two of them, just bi-amp instead and be happy

The better news is that with Unifield 3s or most any speaker for that matter, one is all you'd need.

mikel51 · « **Reply #38 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 04:49 pm »

I am running a KWA150 to power my VR5 Anniversaries. It was a nice step up from mr BAT VK75SE. I am on the waitlist to get it upgraded to an SE in the near future.

mfsoa · « **Reply #39 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 10:15 pm »

Quote

Hi
Yes, you need a active crossover if you are gonna bi-amp these speakers and, specially, if Tubes are involved. I read the specs of the Uni but it is little bit confusing where the x-over freq are between the Low and M/T.

I don't see why an active crossover is needed? Each cabinet has a passive crossover inside, no?

I say no active crossover needed unless you want to bypass the internal crossover, which I'm sure Mr. Albert has spent a great deal of time and sweat on.

Please let me know if/why I'm getting this wrong

I got to hear the Modwright 100SE amp at my place one day and it was not a good match for my VR4JRs (MK I) in my well-damped room using a VAC Standard MKII preamp. Relative to my Digital Amp Co Cherry Plus, the Modwright was rolled off in the highs and had much less bass extension and control. People were asking "Where'd the bass go?" and then switched from the tube to the SS output from my dac, in an attempt to get some life back into the system. Due to the lifeless presentation there was no real sense of imaging from the Modwright, relative the Cherry. (Standard disclaimer - Digital Amp Co designer has become a friend of mine, so ignore me if you'd like)

I'll just chalk it up to a system synergy thing, I guess, as the Modwright was checked out at the shop and was found to be working properly. The Cherry might not fare so well on the very revealing Uni IIIs (though I'd just love to try. If there is a pr in the NJ/NY area, my Cherry Plus and VAC preamp love to make road trips) in a livelier room.