Anyone heard the Cube Audio Nenuphar with the Linear Tube Audio Ultralinear amp?
- Thread starter tommylion
- Start date
I have not heard the Nenuphar driven by the LTA Ultralinear. Sorry.
The original spec Nenuphar are 6ohm impedance which is why they dance so well with the SIT3 which prefers that load.
The Nenuphar V2 are 8ohms.
I have 2018 Nenuphar with the V2 upgrade and a SIT3 with LTA MZ3 as preamp.
What people are saying about the SIT4 driving the Nenuphar V2 deserves your attention. It’s supposed to be really special.
When finances allow I intend to upgrade to the new EM/IA GM70 SET four box monos. If one can afford it this is where the real magic hidden in the Cubes resides. But if I am unable to swing the EM/IA I will be looking at the SIT4 or upcoming 40watt SIT5 monos.
The original spec Nenuphar are 6ohm impedance which is why they dance so well with the SIT3 which prefers that load.
The Nenuphar V2 are 8ohms.
I have 2018 Nenuphar with the V2 upgrade and a SIT3 with LTA MZ3 as preamp.
What people are saying about the SIT4 driving the Nenuphar V2 deserves your attention. It’s supposed to be really special.
When finances allow I intend to upgrade to the new EM/IA GM70 SET four box monos. If one can afford it this is where the real magic hidden in the Cubes resides. But if I am unable to swing the EM/IA I will be looking at the SIT4 or upcoming 40watt SIT5 monos.
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MRubey,
Thanks for your reply.
I just emailed Linear Tube Audio about this combo, and got a quick reply. I am posting it here for the benefit of anyone else who might be interested:
Tom -
Hello. Thanks for reaching out.
Yes, we've heard from a few customers who use the Cube Audio Nenuphar speakers with our Ultralinear+ / Ultralinear+ Integrated, and it's a stellar pairing at 20wpc. The UL+ is our most tonally accurate amp, so pairing them with the natural sounding of the Nenuphars gives a very live and "in the room" presentation.
Damping factor is a strange and variable metric, as it is based on the impedance load presented by the speaker, which is always changing based on the music being played. A more telling specification, which is essentially static, is amplifier output impedance. The output impedance of the UL+ amps is 1.6ohms, which is exceedingly low for tube amplifiers.
To directly answer your question, this translates to a damping factor of 5 when using the nominal impedance of 8ohm of the Nenuphar to calculate it. Any solid state amplifier will have a damping factor several times this, but I doubt many will sound better than the UL+ with the Nenuphars.
High damping speaker damping attributes show up most dramatically in the bass. High damping is likely to give a tighter, dryer, and more analytical sound, and low damping is likely to give a more open and resonant sound.
The UL+ is known for its controlled and natural bass with tons of texture.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks again.
Nicholas
Thanks for your reply.
I just emailed Linear Tube Audio about this combo, and got a quick reply. I am posting it here for the benefit of anyone else who might be interested:
Tom -
Hello. Thanks for reaching out.
Yes, we've heard from a few customers who use the Cube Audio Nenuphar speakers with our Ultralinear+ / Ultralinear+ Integrated, and it's a stellar pairing at 20wpc. The UL+ is our most tonally accurate amp, so pairing them with the natural sounding of the Nenuphars gives a very live and "in the room" presentation.
Damping factor is a strange and variable metric, as it is based on the impedance load presented by the speaker, which is always changing based on the music being played. A more telling specification, which is essentially static, is amplifier output impedance. The output impedance of the UL+ amps is 1.6ohms, which is exceedingly low for tube amplifiers.
To directly answer your question, this translates to a damping factor of 5 when using the nominal impedance of 8ohm of the Nenuphar to calculate it. Any solid state amplifier will have a damping factor several times this, but I doubt many will sound better than the UL+ with the Nenuphars.
High damping speaker damping attributes show up most dramatically in the bass. High damping is likely to give a tighter, dryer, and more analytical sound, and low damping is likely to give a more open and resonant sound.
The UL+ is known for its controlled and natural bass with tons of texture.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks again.
Nicholas
Very interesting. Thank you.
Yes, the Nenuphar are powerfully self damping and require as low a dampening factor as possible. If I remember correctly my First Watt has a DF of 10. The Ultra Linear will no doubt sound glorious.
I asked Jon at Refined Audio, the Cube importer and former owner of Lowther USA what he would do if cost were no object. He told me that he has heard the Nenuphar at its most magical twice. Once with level Five ANUK, at Peter Bs house (bless him) and another time with a similarly refined SET amp. He suggested approaching Jeffery Jackson about a GM70 SET. When I contacted J.J. he let me know they were already planning a four box GM70 amp as an EM/IA product. I believe you can order one now. It’s a pricey piece of kit and we’ve had some medical issues here (no worries, all is well)
I hope to acquire one when I can.
Yes, the Nenuphar are powerfully self damping and require as low a dampening factor as possible. If I remember correctly my First Watt has a DF of 10. The Ultra Linear will no doubt sound glorious.
I asked Jon at Refined Audio, the Cube importer and former owner of Lowther USA what he would do if cost were no object. He told me that he has heard the Nenuphar at its most magical twice. Once with level Five ANUK, at Peter Bs house (bless him) and another time with a similarly refined SET amp. He suggested approaching Jeffery Jackson about a GM70 SET. When I contacted J.J. he let me know they were already planning a four box GM70 amp as an EM/IA product. I believe you can order one now. It’s a pricey piece of kit and we’ve had some medical issues here (no worries, all is well)
I hope to acquire one when I can.
I have extensive experience of the Nenuphar (mini) with the LTA Ultralinear + integrated and it has been my personal favorite combination with these speakers.
Unfortunately, I originally got the amp as part of a trade I did with a friend and (a good six months later...) he changed his mind and wanted to revert it, so my motto being "better to have friends than gear" I had no choice but to agree.
I have over the course of the four years I have owned the Nenuphars auditioned many amps, most of them tube (some push-pull, some single ended) but also two transistor.
My favorite amongst the tube amps were the Ultralinear+ and the Yamamoto A-08S.
The Yamamoto, I also used to own, but unfortunately had to let go of prior to my having the Nenuphars.
However the person I had sold it to has recently brought it back to my my house for an audition (as he's also thinking of getting the Nenuphars) and I got to hear what an incredible combination that was.
Of course the Yamamoto is only two watts and that poses some consideration, especially if one wants to listen to large orchestras, or play loud or have a large space (none of these apply in my case).
The Ultralinear on the other hand has none of those restrictions and also has a "sound" that is perfect for where I'm coming from musically speaking, as it manages to sound both big and detailed, resolving but also finely laced and involving but not tiring, all at the same time.
It's also "an amp for modern times", as it doesn't rely on expensive glass, consumes very little power, gives off very little heat and the tubes last "forever" it seems.
As far as transistor amps are concerned, I've had the (first generation) Enleum AMP 23R (which I've recently sold, originally planning to upgrade to a newer generation one) and, after my interest had been piqued by the favourable 6moons review, I've had the chance last week to audition the First Watt SIT 4.
Both are a great match with the Nenuphars, but I would say that the Enleum is a bit more detailed and has a more tactile presentation, while the First Watt has better tonal saturation and fluidity.
My part of the aforementioned trade involved the LTA ZOTL 10 mkII, which BTW was my first LTA amp, and which I now have once again.
In between all the changes I also got to upgrade my drivers from v1 to v2 (a huge upgrade!) and while the ZOTL had been sounding a tad forward with the v1 drivers in the critical for widebanders "presence" region, it now sounds perfect with v2 ones.
I apologise for the long post, but Nenupahars and LTAs are my bread and butter...
Unfortunately, I originally got the amp as part of a trade I did with a friend and (a good six months later...) he changed his mind and wanted to revert it, so my motto being "better to have friends than gear" I had no choice but to agree.
I have over the course of the four years I have owned the Nenuphars auditioned many amps, most of them tube (some push-pull, some single ended) but also two transistor.
My favorite amongst the tube amps were the Ultralinear+ and the Yamamoto A-08S.
The Yamamoto, I also used to own, but unfortunately had to let go of prior to my having the Nenuphars.
However the person I had sold it to has recently brought it back to my my house for an audition (as he's also thinking of getting the Nenuphars) and I got to hear what an incredible combination that was.
Of course the Yamamoto is only two watts and that poses some consideration, especially if one wants to listen to large orchestras, or play loud or have a large space (none of these apply in my case).
The Ultralinear on the other hand has none of those restrictions and also has a "sound" that is perfect for where I'm coming from musically speaking, as it manages to sound both big and detailed, resolving but also finely laced and involving but not tiring, all at the same time.
It's also "an amp for modern times", as it doesn't rely on expensive glass, consumes very little power, gives off very little heat and the tubes last "forever" it seems.
As far as transistor amps are concerned, I've had the (first generation) Enleum AMP 23R (which I've recently sold, originally planning to upgrade to a newer generation one) and, after my interest had been piqued by the favourable 6moons review, I've had the chance last week to audition the First Watt SIT 4.
Both are a great match with the Nenuphars, but I would say that the Enleum is a bit more detailed and has a more tactile presentation, while the First Watt has better tonal saturation and fluidity.
My part of the aforementioned trade involved the LTA ZOTL 10 mkII, which BTW was my first LTA amp, and which I now have once again.
In between all the changes I also got to upgrade my drivers from v1 to v2 (a huge upgrade!) and while the ZOTL had been sounding a tad forward with the v1 drivers in the critical for widebanders "presence" region, it now sounds perfect with v2 ones.
I apologise for the long post, but Nenupahars and LTAs are my bread and butter...
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