Amp for the V1s

ebag4 · « **on:** 29 Mar 2011, 02:20 pm »

Gents,
I am currently feeding my V1s with a ClassD amp fed by a Dodd Buffer, while this combo sounds very good I am considering replacing the amp. I am leaning towards building the Simple SE amp but I am open to other recommendations (under 1K). I will be keeping the Dodd Buffer in the loop regardless. DIY is preferred but not a necessity. The amplifier is currently fed with a hi-passed input from the Dodd, it crosses in around 140Hz (via a .047uF cap).

What have you used with the V series speakers?

Some additional information; the system is in a small room, I listen to rock and blues primarily.

Thanks,
Ed

corndog71 · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 02:48 pm »

Bottlehead S.E.X. Amp.

doubles as a killer headphone amp.

http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=433&action=show_detail

PDR · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 04:13 pm »

Ed......I know ths is overkill but it sounds so nice on my V-1.

Its a Grant Fidelity a-88.....its just a rebadged Yaquin MC-100B
Think you can get one for around $700

ebag4 · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 04:27 pm »

Quote from: corndog71 on 29 Mar 2011, 02:48 pm

Bottlehead S.E.X. Amp.

doubles as a killer headphone amp.

http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=433&action=show_detail

Thanks Corndog. The price is certainly right but I wonder how well 2 Watts will drive the coaxes in th V1. Of course they are 97dB efficient and I have eliminated the need for much if any deep bass reproduction so perhaps 2 watts would do it.

Quote from: PDR on 29 Mar 2011, 04:13 pm

Ed......I know ths is overkill but it sounds so nice on my V-1.

Its a Grant Fidelity a-88.....its just a rebadged Yaquin MC-100B
Think you can get one for around $700

Thanks Perry, that is a really nice looking amp. It appears to be an integrated and I am really looking for a power amp to use with the Dodd Buffer. I guess you are driving the servo amps with a high level signal. A little OT but I had a gentleman drive about 6 hrs round trip to demo the V1s on Saturday. He seemed to really like them, it was his first time hearing OBs and he commented on the depth of the soundstage.

I love the speakers and feel my amp is the current botleneck in the system, hence the thread.

Best,
Ed

PDR · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 04:55 pm »

Yes Ed integrated.....

Bruce, the fellow with a set of V-1s just a 100 miles or so from me is driving his with a Dodd amp....
cant remember what one, custom made I think.....see if I can find it......he is VERY happy with his.

corndog71 · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 04:57 pm »

I'm in the process of building a classdaudio amp.

What would you say are its weaknesses?

ebag4 · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 05:03 pm »

Quote from: corndog71 on 29 Mar 2011, 04:57 pm

I'm in the process of building a classdaudio amp.

What would you say are its weaknesses?

I wouldn't say the ClassD has a specific weakness, for me it is more about listening for a sound that I have not yet found. The ClassD is a very nice amp and a great bargain.

Best,
Ed

Tyson · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 05:41 pm »

Simple SE is a great amp, why not build 2 and get a DCX to run the V1's fully active

ebag4 · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 29 Mar 2011, 05:41 pm

Simple SE is a great amp, why not build 2 and get a DCX to run the V1's fully active

I think I will stay with the passve xover for now, thanks!

Have you heard the Simple SE with your V2s? What did you think, any amp you prefered over the Simple SE?

Thanks,
Ed

Tyson · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 06:26 pm »

The V2's are only 93db efficient, so they didn't do as well with the Simple SE's (Pez brought his amp over a while back). I run mine with a pair of VTA ST-70's, about 30 watts each, and the V2's like the extra power. On the other hand, a 97db speaker is probably going to sound a lot better with a low watt amp.

Philistine · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 07:46 pm »

I'm driving my V2's with a Musical Fidelity KW500 (over 500 Watts) and an Eddie Vaughn Carina (1.5 Watts SET, 3.2 Watts Ultralinear) - the Carina drives the V2's with ease. I've also heard the Carina with the Hawthorne 15" Sterling Silver Iris's (96dB) and the volume is way louder than I can deal with.

ebag4 · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 07:51 pm »

Thanks guys. I am currently driving my V1s with my old self modded T-amp (around 6 watts max) just to verify that I can live with a lower wattage amp. While it doesn't sound as good as my ClassD, it does have more than enough power to play to levels well beyond what I would ever listen.

Best,
Ed

ebag4 · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Apr 2011, 09:03 pm »

Hi Guys,
I am still trying to decide which amp to build. I have been scouring the web and have narrowed the amps in contention (maybe

) to the following:

Tubelab SE
Tubelab Simple SE
The DIYTube.com Getsetgo amp
Spud amp available through the Hawthorne audio site

I like the idea of both the Tubelab SE and the Getsetgo amps because they can both be setup or modded to run 2a3 and 300B tubes, bth of which I have never heard but would like to. I would like to try the 45s at some point as well but the co$t may take them out of contention (as well as the very low power).

I would like to hear your impressions of these various amps. As a reminder I am running 97dB efficient speakers with the amp in consideration hi passed at around 140 Hz. The speakers have a pretty flat impedence hovering around 8 ohms.

Thanks!
Ed

HT cOz · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 03:03 am »

Here are something else to look at...

DIY HiFi Supply LUX SET Amp?

Tyson · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 04:22 am »

For a high efficiency speaker, the simple SE is the best amp I have heard. Ever.

Pez · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 05:33 am »

I love the Simple SE. I have been living with it for a while. There are a lot of variables involved when we are talking about Tyson's setup and the SSE amps. For one, we were using tubes in Tyson's system that are now verified to have been in bad working condition. Another is the fact that we never listened to the SSE in active mode which I can accomodate having 2 of them. I have heard my SSEs in many many systems including the Daedalus audio room on the Ulysses speakers FULL RANGE at RMAF and the First Sound audio room again on the Ulysses, this time running off of AMR-FirstSound-Berning-Ulysses at the show. I think pretty much everyone there was pretty impressed with the sound they heard. We were hanging out with a gentleman from a hifi mag that shall remain unamed and he absolutely LOVED the SSE. Any way I hope that you figure out a solution, I personally couldn't agree more with Tyson's assessment of going full active. So many doors open up that allow you to play with low watt amps that might not be so great in a system with passive parts.

jtwrace · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 12:30 pm »

Quote from: Pez on 18 Apr 2011, 05:33 am

I love the Simple SE. I have been living with it for a while. There are a lot of variables involved when we are talking about Tyson's setup and the SSE amps. For one, we were using tubes in Tyson's system that are now verified to have been in bad working condition. Another is the fact that we never listened to the SSE in active mode which I can accomodate having 2 of them. I have heard my SSEs in many many systems including the Daedalus audio room on the Ulysses speakers FULL RANGE at RMAF and the First Sound audio room again on the Ulysses, this time running off of AMR-FirstSound-Berning-Ulysses at the show. I think pretty much everyone there was pretty impressed with the sound they heard. We were hanging out with a gentleman from a hifi mag that shall remain unamed and he absolutely LOVED the SSE. Any way I hope that you figure out a solution, I personally couldn't agree more with Tyson's assessment of going full active. So many doors open up that allow you to play with low watt amps that might not be so great in a system with passive parts.

What do you think it costs to build a fully decked out Simple SE?

ebag4 · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 12:38 pm »

Thanks for the replies guys.

Pez, I have gone back to your build thread and see that you did list your parts choices, thanks for that. I have read nothing but great things about the Tubelab stuff. I may end up going that way but hope to keep the cost in the range of your initial budget and not your actual final cost!

If anyone has any experience (good or bad) with the other amps listed please speak up.

Thanks,
Ed

jtwrace · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 12:56 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 18 Apr 2011, 12:30 pm

What do you think it costs to build a fully decked out Simple SE?

Got it! http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=73713.0

Pez · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Apr 2011, 03:26 pm »

Guys, check out Wushuliu's SSE thread. He built his for substantially less than I built mine and he is pretty happy with the results. I think that the biggest things the SSE amp does is emotion and soundstaging. It's quite nice to hear in person.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=92341.0