Keith's Dream Amplifier Thread

[Ron Resnick]

Ron,

What would you expect to learn or prove with such comparison? . . .

I would expect to learn which of the amplifiers in the comparison I like best in Keith's system.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Microstrip doesnt like skepticism.
Part of the hobby is hooking up a lot of different brands and see how they sound on the speakers .
But afaic microstrip is one of the absolute champs in this regard, there are not many amps he has not heard

 

[DaveC]

2400 WPC for $1300...

https://www.crownaudio.com/en/products/xls-2502

 

[sbnx]

What's the difference in spectral and the audionet? And what is the basic level at which audionet gets good, without having to go to stern and Heisenberg? @Taiko Audio can answer that one too

I have owned both a full spectral system (360 s2 monblocks etc) with full MIT and I have also owned AudioNet Max/Stern. I bought the Spectral system when I had WIlson Maxx2's. I moved on to Vivid G1's and initially hooked up the spectral gear. I will say that spectral does do something magical in the mids/highs that does give that 3D soundstage thing. However, those amps were not really capable of driving the woofers in my Vivids. The bass was really weak. I auditioned several amps/preamps in my home comparing to the spectral. I ended up with the AudioNet although I have since moved on to Gryphon. The AudioNet does not sound like Spectral. It had much better bass with the G1's. It was also much warmer sounding than the Spectral.

I have set up some YG's. They are not a easy speaker to drive and they are finicky with setup. The AudioNet's do sound nice with the YG speakers. Someone suggested the CAT tube amps which I think is a great suggestion for tubes. Gryphon Diablo 300 works well. To me Solution with the YG would be as dry as the Sahara but I have not directly heard that combo and that sound might work for some people. I have also hear YG with Constellation -- good sound.

This is not a criticism. To me the YG's are very analytical and the tweeter is a little on the bright side. I would be looking for electronics on the warm/meaty side of the line. In Keith's list of "I won't be getting any of these" it seems like he is headed that direction.

 

[Solypsa]

2400 WPC for $1300...

https://www.crownaudio.com/en/products/xls-2502

They don't like complex subwoofer loads ime.

 

[morricab]

2400 WPC for $1300...

https://www.crownaudio.com/en/products/xls-2502

Moar power!!!!!

 

[morricab]

I have owned both a full spectral system (360 s2 monblocks etc) with full MIT and I have also owned AudioNet Max/Stern. I bought the Spectral system when I had WIlson Maxx2's. I moved on to Vivid G1's and initially hooked up the spectral gear. I will say that spectral does do something magical in the mids/highs that does give that 3D soundstage thing. However, those amps were not really capable of driving the woofers in my Vivids. The bass was really weak. I auditioned several amps/preamps in my home comparing to the spectral. I ended up with the AudioNet although I have since moved on to Gryphon. The AudioNet does not sound like Spectral. It had much better bass with the G1's. It was also much warmer sounding than the Spectral.

I have set up some YG's. They are not a easy speaker to drive and they are finicky with setup. The AudioNet's do sound nice with the YG speakers. Someone suggested the CAT tube amps which I think is a great suggestion for tubes. Gryphon Diablo 300 works well. To me Solution with the YG would be as dry as the Sahara but I have not directly heard that combo and that sound might work for some people. I have also hear YG with Constellation -- good sound.

This is not a criticism. To me the YG's are very analytical and the tweeter is a little on the bright side. I would be looking for electronics on the warm/meaty side of the line. In Keith's list of "I won't be getting any of these" it seems like he is headed that direction.

For SS, the Ampzillas he has are on the warm meaty side I would say.

 

[Mdp632]

I have owned both a full spectral system (360 s2 monblocks etc) with full MIT and I have also owned AudioNet Max/Stern. I bought the Spectral system when I had WIlson Maxx2's. I moved on to Vivid G1's and initially hooked up the spectral gear. I will say that spectral does do something magical in the mids/highs that does give that 3D soundstage thing. However, those amps were not really capable of driving the woofers in my Vivids. The bass was really weak. I auditioned several amps/preamps in my home comparing to the spectral. I ended up with the AudioNet although I have since moved on to Gryphon. The AudioNet does not sound like Spectral. It had much better bass with the G1's. It was also much warmer sounding than the Spectral.

I have set up some YG's. They are not a easy speaker to drive and they are finicky with setup. The AudioNet's do sound nice with the YG speakers. Someone suggested the CAT tube amps which I think is a great suggestion for tubes. Gryphon Diablo 300 works well. To me Solution with the YG would be as dry as the Sahara but I have not directly heard that combo and that sound might work for some people. I have also hear YG with Constellation -- good sound.

This is not a criticism. To me the YG's are very analytical and the tweeter is a little on the bright side. I would be looking for electronics on the warm/meaty side of the line. In Keith's list of "I won't be getting any of these" it seems like he is headed that direction.

Did the MIT interconnects carry over throughout your various electronics? If Audionet made a Stereo amp version the Hesinerberg would you consider it? To pair with your Stern?

 

[Mdp632]

Mdp632, do you really mean "only" and "every"? How would one know this? I am reminded of Jimi Hendrix's comment that he plays "amplifier", not guitar, as if the guitar made no contribution to the sound and what one hears in his sound is the amplifier he chooses to amplify his guitar. You make it sound as though the YG has no sound at all.

@PeterA I say this based on what I've read about the brand, the technology and the designer's words.

*I'm not an engineer just an end user.

I can share you the lnks via a PM if you want. Btw, all the links are already posted on the internet. But, instead of posting in the thread and being flamed away .

But, I don't want to derail the topic. Let me know via a PM if you those links.

 

[sbnx]

Did the MIT interconnects carry over throughout your various electronics? If Audionet made a Stereo amp version the Hesinerberg would you consider it? To pair with your Stern?

Yes, i have stayed with MIT cables. I would have to hear a heisenberg stereo to know. It would have some big shoes to fill comparing to Gryphon Mephisto.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

They don't like complex subwoofer loads ime.

As well as they cant be in the same room as the speakers with those loud ass fans.

 

[213Cobra]

As well as they cant be in the same room as the speakers with those loud ass fans.

My guess is the Crown was not a serious suggestion. As Crown itself notes on the product page, the amps are intended as ideal for PA use. They are lightweight Class D amps, designed for abuse; hence fans, raw power, cheap enough to inventory for quick replacement. But these amps are not aimed at the hifi market. I've heard them. They are better sounding than you think but not good enough for high end hifi expectations. And, yes, fans.

Phil

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

My guess is the Crown was not a serious suggestion. As Crown itself notes on the product page, the amps are intended as ideal for PA use. They are lightweight Class D amps, designed for abuse; hence fans, raw power, cheap enough to inventory for quick replacement. But these amps are not aimed at the hifi market. I've heard them. They are better sounding than you think but not good enough for high end hifi expectations. And, yes, fans.

Phil

LOL absolutely agree. A very dear and good friend had a couple of them hooked up to some old big ass Altecs down in a huge basement with exposed concrete and wood studs everywhere and loved cranking them to ear bleeding levels. He thought it sounded fantastic!
What ever keeps the boat on top of the water.

 

[Solypsa]

I know it was a joke, but also a good ( albeit extreme) example of how big watts on paper (with standard test protocol) can still be insufficient with challenging speaker loads.

 

[morricab]

My guess is the Crown was not a serious suggestion. As Crown itself notes on the product page, the amps are intended as ideal for PA use. They are lightweight Class D amps, designed for abuse; hence fans, raw power, cheap enough to inventory for quick replacement. But these amps are not aimed at the hifi market. I've heard them. They are better sounding than you think but not good enough for high end hifi expectations. And, yes, fans.

Phil

Funny, the drivers in your Zus are also intended for PA use (Eminence and Radian make their money in the pro sector) but they work well for hifi (as do the pro drivers I use)... not saying I disagree with you about the Crown amp (I am sure it is suitable for what it is intended and not more) but it is mildly ironic, don't you think?

 

[213Cobra]

Funny, the drivers in your Zus are also intended for PA use (Eminence and Radian make their money in the pro sector) but they work well for hifi (as do the pro drivers I use)... not saying I disagree with you about the Crown amp (I am sure it is suitable for what it is intended and not more) but it is mildly ironic, don't you think?

The Zu FRD is so heavily modified from the Eminence stock drivers that it is a driver that's hifi optimized, but also has the power handling for PA. It starts as a special request order and then the driver assembly gets considerable surgery to become a Zu FRD. Zu has supplied PA systems using it.

But my point wasn't that PA use precludes hifi use but that design decisions were made for that amp line to meet a very low price point while veering to PA requirements over hifi. 40 years ago, in the day of the Crown D150 and DC300A, there was no difference, but those Crowns were equally credible for hifi and PA, which isn't the case recently.

Phil

 

[tima]

Bi-wired?

 

[PeterA]

@PeterA I say this based on what I've read about the brand, the technology and the designer's words.

*I'm not an engineer just an end user.

I can share you the lnks via a PM if you want. Btw, all the links are already posted on the internet. But, instead of posting in the thread and being flamed away .

But, I don't want to derail the topic. Let me know via a PM if you those links.

I see. I attributed your comments to you as it seemed you made them in your post. It was not clear to me that you were referring to other people's impressions and not your own. I thought you were describing Keith's speaker as audibly invisible based on your own listening. I did not know this is the brand's reputation.

 

[Billygxx]

I see. I attributed your comments to you as it seemed you made them in your post. It was not clear to me that you were referring to other people's impressions and not your own. I thought you were describing Keith's speaker as audibly invisible based on your own listening. I did not know this is the brand's reputation.

In Munich, I felt one of the very best sounding rooms used YG speakers driven by Nagra (HD?) amplifiers. I know these are very expensive amps and this room had a gifted EMT guy tuning the cartridge, but the music was exceptional.

 

[KeithR]

I think my (very) short list of amps to try would be:

Lamm M2.2
McIntosh MC611
Pass XA.8 series

My guess is the Ampzillas are comparable to several of these. I will get to hear the Macs soon on YG. I'm in no hurry to buy new amps though, just diggin' the music- sorry to disappoint!