Absolare Integrated

pke10000

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2018
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Hello GuillaumeB
In August 2017, KOPO which is an Korean dealer upgraded my Absolare. As I know they exchanged the power block with active type and added Mundorf cap at input line.
Do you mean Absolare removed the active one?
 
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butler

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2013
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Hi Bulter,
there is many many combinaison and tubes references and it's very difficult to give you a reliable answer. especially since I think every device and system will react on this own way... what will be true for one system will not be true for another, in addition to your perception !... I'm afraid, you have to find a good stock of triodes and try! (but it's quite fun... with the good drink !)

However, it is for now the tubes stock (of my own integrated signature) that seems to me the closest to your research. Not insistent on the treble, but the most "free feeling" in this register. What is your integrated model ?

And about the Special Edition, i don't really know but i think, it's available on demand... to confirm !

PS : for your personal problem you can also play on other elements of your system... the cables but it will not necessarily be the same price. I would, perhaps, have a nice client for you in modulation. And sorry for my english probably "little french".

Thanks for the reply BF38, and not to worry, your English is good. If you are suggesting that the stock NOS tubes are the best you have tried to suit my hearing issue, are you talking about the RT's (Radiotechnique)? My amp is the Signature edition, which sounds great with almost any tube I've tried, but I would agree the RT's are terrific. Also messing with power cords and interconnects like you suggested, they do make a difference, just need patience for the trial & error iterations.

Now wondering about that V2 upgrade and how much more performance can potentially be squeezed out.....and the cost, of course.

Question for Absolare owners who have (or will) shipped your amp: do you stuff the flight case back into a box, or just ship the case itself? (My box was, after multiple days in the hands of Customs, an unusable mess)
 

Absolare

New Member
Mar 23, 2018
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Dear all,

In order to avoid any confusion, I would like to clarify certain points that have caught my attention in the forum:

- Robert Harley has reviewed the Passion model. The Signature model is a substantially improved design over the Passion model.
(The Signature model's sonic performance therefore is significantly higher than the Passion model)

All other Absolare products have seen 3 major revisions in the past 10 years.

Absolare Integrated amplifier has only seen a single revision (the V2 Upgrade to be explained below) because it is the reflection of the high learning curve of Absolare.

- Absolare has three models for all its products:

PASSION,
SIGNATURE,
and a rare production model called the
ALTIUS (we have seen that some of our clients called this the Special Edition or SE +, but the official name is ALTIUS).

In each model, the power supply implementation, internal cabling (both for signal and power sections), connectors and the type of capacitors vary.
(Please refer to the website for the details and please refer to the regional distributors or dealers for pricing information as well)

In Q3 2017, a V2 upgrade has been introduced that is backward compatible to all Absolare Integrated models above.

V2 Upgrade is totally redesigned power supply section of the amplifier and a few changes in other key areas. The resulting improvements are absolute silence, an increased harmonic resolution and dynamic contrast; as the prime parameters that improve the amplifier’s performance.

Since 2017 Q3, all Integrated amplifiers are supplied with this revised power supply.
For all amplifiers manufactured before Q3 2017, the power supply section is upgradable in our service centers in the US and the Netherlands.

Please note that there is no digital attenuation in any models of the Integrated amplifier. Absolare Integrated is a pure analog design.

There is no further customization in any of the models explained as well.

Thank you.

Absolare
 

BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
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113
Little Hi from France mister Absolare !
and many thanks for theses Nice clarifications...

Be well with music.
 

GuillaumeB

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Mar 10, 2014
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Welcome to the forum Absolare!! :)

Guillaume
 

pke10000

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2018
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Thank yoy for your kind explaination.
I hope you to introduce some operation tip for absolare.
 
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BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
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113
Hi all,
my Signature vs the Altuis version from a neighbor friend since à few days.
And here it is ! i want to exchange but I'm not sure he will agree but why...eh, we are friends or not ?!

And finally about the tube, if you find some, try a set of E80CC on your integrated, these triodes seems to focus
a lot of qualities from silky to depht, opening and dynamic.

Be well in music

image1.JPG
 

Sablon Audio

Industry Expert, VIP Donor
May 22, 2015
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The e80cc is a lovely sub for 12au7/5814 if your psu can handle the extra current. Do you have the Hungarian Tungsram or Neths production? I’ve never heard a bad tube out of Holland.
 

BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
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There are RCT (NOS sq), not the Hungarian Tungsram production.
 

Sablon Audio

Industry Expert, VIP Donor
May 22, 2015
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As RTC / Radiotechnique was an affiliate of Philips, they will be Neths production. Tungsram often got relabelled by Siemens. Both factories have their merits and this thread gives a helpful comparison -

www.audioasylum.com/messages/tubes/...ngsram-e80cc-amperex-e80cc-and-amperex-7316pq
 

GuillaumeB

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Mar 10, 2014
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Hi all,
my Signature vs the Altuis version from a neighbor friend since à few days.
And here it is ! i want to exchange but I'm not sure he will agree but why...eh, we are friends or not ?!

And finally about the tube, if you find some, try a set of E80CC on your integrated, these triodes seems to focus
a lot of qualities from silky to depht, opening and dynamic.

Be well in music

View attachment 39640

Wow! And how do they compare?!

Guillaume
 

BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
168
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113
yes, Wow!
if you like your signature, you'll be crazy about the Altius!
the most significant thing is the harmonic richness and the sensation of space which offers even more serenity and depth to music but while preserving, in my opinion, the whole dynamic!. Speaking of technos, it is more "tube-like" keeping all the characteristics of a super extra solid state with an extraordinary transparenc & fluidity. We are still getting closer to the intentions of the musicians, Stunning !

I continue to like my signature but it's up to you ... try or not try this Altius ?!

Nice experience & great sensations for an incredible ABSOLARE integrated (one more)
 

GuillaumeB

VIP/Donor
Mar 10, 2014
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www.boyeraudio.com
yes, Wow!
if you like your signature, you'll be crazy about the Altius!
the most significant thing is the harmonic richness and the sensation of space which offers even more serenity and depth to music but while preserving, in my opinion, the whole dynamic!. Speaking of technos, it is more "tube-like" keeping all the characteristics of a super extra solid state with an extraordinary transparenc & fluidity. We are still getting closer to the intentions of the musicians, Stunning !

I continue to like my signature but it's up to you ... try or not try this Altius ?!

Nice experience & great sensations for an incredible ABSOLARE integrated (one more)

Do you know which versions both your Signature and friend's Altius are?

I am soon sending my Signature Integrated back to the service centre in NL for the upgrade to V2. I've been told by the folks at Absolare to expect a pretty big improvement, due to the replacement of the PSU and various other tweaks.

Guillaume
 

BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
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I don't know what is my signature version, I'm going to ask Vincent (Totaldac)
and I think the Altius is the ultimate one or something very similar.
 

GuillaumeB

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Mar 10, 2014
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My Integrated left on Wednesday to go for its service/upgrade to V2. Missing it already although I am sure the round trip to NL will be worth the effort. Boy that integrated is heavy!! Was definitely a two-man job getting it off the rack and packaged up.

In the meantime I got this from the good folks at Absolare: a nice presentation celebrating their 10 years of activity:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/injsnz09v8nl7x6/Absolare 2018 Presentation.ppsx?dl=0

The new hybrid mono amplifier looks interesting!

Guillaume
 

GuillaumeB

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Mar 10, 2014
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Well I can confirm that this is a very serious upgrade; the first thing is that it is now possible to use the full range of the volume control whereas previously I reached 90db in just a few steps. Second the amplifier is incredibly quiet, the noise floor appears to have dropped considerably. To my ears everything is even more life-like and the sounds seem to “hang” in the air between the speakers. There is better spatial info too.

I have clocked up barely 24 hours on the unit so I expect things to continue to evolve, this could turn out to be pretty spectacular! I now wonder how the upgraded v2 Signature Integrated now compares to the very best integrated amplifiers out there.

Guillaume
 

pke10000

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2018
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Well I can confirm that this is a very serious upgrade; the first thing is that it is now possible to use the full range of the volume control whereas previously I reached 90db in just a few steps. Second the amplifier is incredibly quiet, the noise floor appears to have dropped considerably. To my ears everything is even more life-like and the sounds seem to “hang” in the air between the speakers. There is better spatial info too.

I have clocked up barely 24 hours on the unit so I expect things to continue to evolve, this could turn out to be pretty spectacular! I now wonder how the upgraded v2 Signature Integrated now compares to the very best integrated amplifiers out there.

Guillaume

Congraturation !
Have you ever audit Altius?
If I upgrade my passion, I hope Altius, but there is no information.
 

BF38

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2017
168
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113
Yes congrats Guillaume, it seems so so gooood !
not very far from my signature feeling ((V1) versus the Altius version which I commented above ( pke10000 question)
here a general view of my little audio bazaar with my (stunning) trumpets & there sub.

Be well in music.

Totaldac d150_piece.jpg
 

adamaley

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2016
581
541
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Minnetonka, MN
Yes congrats Guillaume, it seems so so gooood !
not very far from my signature feeling ((V1) versus the Altius version which I commented above ( pke10000 question)
here a general view of my little audio bazaar with my (stunning) trumpets & there sub.

Be well in music.

View attachment 40562

Beautiful setup. Closeup pics would be appreciated, especially of the speakers.
 

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