Pilium Audio in action-

[defride]

As stated Dave in the UK is the authorized Pilium dealer in the UK. ( contact information below )

Pilium has no affiliation with Nintronics and Nintronics cannot sell Pilium, not sure why they have the Pilium prices listed on their site.

United KingdomMr. Paul Benge and Mr. Dave Wood
Company: HIFIGUY
Address: 18 Grosvenor Crescent, St Leonards on Sea, TN380AA
Email: paul@hifitraders
Email: dave@hifiguy.co.uk
Website: www.hifiguy.co.uk
Phone: Paul +44 7842126218
Phone: Dave +44 7344436180

That's interesting.

The main reason I visited The UK Audio Show last year was an advert that suggested Hifiguy was going to show Pilium with Marten speakers. As it turned out the room was run by Nintronics and while they had a Pilium amp in the room it wasn't used. When I asked they mentioned they were waiting for Dave - Hifiguy and some more power cords for it. In the end it wasn't run while I was there.

I assumed Nintronics were a Pilium dealer - sure would like to hear some in action

 

[Rhapsody]

That's interesting.

The main reason I visited The UK Audio Show last year was an advert that suggested Hifiguy was going to show Pilium with Marten speakers. As it turned out the room was run by Nintronics and while they had a Pilium amp in the room it wasn't used. When I asked they mentioned they were waiting for Dave - Hifiguy and some more power cords for it. In the end it wasn't run while I was there.

I assumed Nintronics were a Pilium dealer - sure would like to hear some in action

Interesting. I will check it out with Konstantinos and report back.

 

[Rhapsody]

Interesting. I will check it out with Konstantinos and report

It’s possible that nintronics is a dealer for hi-fi guy who is the distributor. Probably best to just ask Dave/high-fi guy

 

[defride]

That would make sense.

 

[RaChiK]

Do we know the input impedance of Pilium Hercules or achilles amp. The website does not mention those. I am assuming it will be low, as the output impedance of Alexander preamp is low (< 10 ohm). Will these amps be a good match for tube preamp like Aries Cerat Incite S or Impera II ref ?. I know we cannot say until it is tried as they are very rare brands to be owned, let alone try together.

 

[Rhapsody]

Do we know the input impedance of Pilium Hercules or achilles amp. The website does not mention those. I am assuming it will be low, as the output impedance of Alexander preamp is low (< 10 ohm). Will these amps be a good match for tube preamp like Aries Cerat Incite S or Impera II ref ?. I know we cannot say until it is tried as they are very rare brands to be owned, let alone try together.

The Pilium amplifiers are designed to work with Pilium preamplifiers or other SS amplifiers. The Pilium amplifiers are NOT designed to work well with tube preamplifiers. The input impedance of the Achilles is 80K ohms.

The Pilium amplifiers were designed primarily with the dedicated P Link connecting the Pilium Preamps and amplifiers. If tube preamps are used, with especially NOS tubes, trouble could occur, therefore Pilium does NOT recommend using tube preamps with the Pilium amps.

 

[LL21]

The Pilium amplifiers are designed to work with Pilium preamplifiers or other SS amplifiers. The Pilium amplifiers are NOT designed to work well with tube preamplifiers. The input impedance of the Achilles is 80K ohms.

The Pilium amplifiers were designed primarily with the dedicated P Link connecting the Pilium Preamps and amplifiers. If tube preamps are used, with especially NOS tubes, trouble could occur, therefore Pilium does NOT recommend using tube preamps with the Pilium amps.

That is good to know. Without getting too technical, why is that?

 

[Rhapsody]

That is good to know. Without getting too technical, why is that?

Basically because Pilium decided to go all out and the real magic of their complete circuit goes from the Pilium preamps into the Pilium amplifiers with a special P link that optimizes the sound.

Pilium is more interested in making the best sound possible versus selling a lot of gear.

 

[LL21]

Basically because Pilium decided to go all out and the real magic of their complete circuit goes from the Pilium preamps into the Pilium amplifiers with a special P link that optimizes the sound.

Pilium is more interested in making the best sound possible versus selling a lot of gear.

Thank you...but is it that the tube preamps will not sound as optimized/good...or that there will actually be 'trouble' as you wrote? It was the word 'trouble' that I was surprised about. I took that to mean that something might break? (The reason is because it reminded me of the time some 30 years ago when people used to talk about certain Krell amps not working well with tubed preamps because the miniscule DC from the preamp could causes operational issues with the old Krell...no idea if that was real or not, but there certainly were more than enough posts and discussions about tubed preamps not working with that particular generation/set of Krell amps.)

...The Pilium amplifiers are NOT designed to work well with tube preamplifiers. ... If tube preamps are used, with especially NOS tubes, trouble could occur, therefore Pilium does NOT recommend using tube preamps with the Pilium amps.

I may have misunderstood...hence just asking.

 

[Rhapsody]

Thank you...but is it that the tube preamps will not sound as optimized/good...or that there will actually be 'trouble' as you wrote? It was the word 'trouble' that I was surprised about. I took that to mean that something might break? (The reason is because it reminded me of the time some 30 years ago when people used to talk about certain Krell amps not working well with tubed preamps because the miniscule DC from the preamp could causes operational issues with the old Krell...no idea if that was real or not, but there certainly were more than enough posts and discussions about tubed preamps not working with that particular generation/set of Krell amps.)

I may have misunderstood...hence just asking.

We have no control over what type of tubes and NOS tubes that might feed the almost 300lb Pilium amps. This is where trouble might arise as in faulty tubes.

Sure it will work and probably will have no problems but that is not the way the Pilium gear has been designed.

The Pilium preamps and amplifiers were designed to work together.

There are compromises made when you protect the inputs of amplifiers that degrade the sound. PILIUM has decided to go the no compromise route and offer the best sound that they know how to produce. Although to get the Pilium sound we recommend To use both the preamplifiers and amplifiers as they were designed together.

We recommend customers that want to use to preamplifiers or even other solid state preamplifiers to purchase another amplifier that was designed to work with any preamplifier that you connect to it and produce optimum sound.

 

[LL21]

The Pilium amplifiers are designed to work with Pilium preamplifiers or other SS amplifiers. The Pilium amplifiers are NOT designed to work well with tube preamplifiers. The input impedance of the Achilles is 80K ohms.

The Pilium amplifiers were designed primarily with the dedicated P Link connecting the Pilium Preamps and amplifiers. If tube preamps are used, with especially NOS tubes, trouble could occur, therefore Pilium does NOT recommend using tube preamps with the Pilium amps.

We have no control over what type of tubes and NOS tubes that might feed the almost 300lb Pilium amps. This is where trouble might arise as in faulty tubes.

Sure it will work and probably will have no problems but that is not the way the Pilium gear has been designed.

The Pilium preamps and amplifiers were designed to work together.

There are compromises made when you protect the inputs of amplifiers that degrade the sound. PILIUM has decided to go the no compromise route and offer the best sound that they know how to produce. Although to get the Pilium sound we recommend To use both the preamplifiers and amplifiers as they were designed together.

We recommend customers that want to use to preamplifiers or even other solid state preamplifiers to purchase another amplifier that was designed to work with any preamplifier that you connect to it and produce optimum sound.

Got it. Thank you!

 

[Rhapsody]

Got it. Thank you!

Additionally, Pilium amps are HIGH GAIN amplifiers. Pilium preamps are LOW GAIN preamps. If one uses a high gain tube preamp or a preamp that might have oscillations this is where the trouble might come in.

Pilium amplifiers are 36 gain amplifiers. The Pilium preamplifiers gain is only 2. A LOT of tube preamps have 6, 8 and 10 gain. As a result at high volumes a tube preamp with a high gain can damage the input stage of the Pilium amplifiers.

 

[LL21]

Additionally, Pilium amps are HIGH GAIN amplifiers. Pilium preamps are LOW GAIN preamps. If one uses a high gain tube preamp or a preamp that might have oscillations this is where the trouble might come in.

Pilium amplifiers are 36 gain amplifiers. The Pilium preamplifiers gain is only 2. A LOT of tube preamps have 6, 8 and 10 gain. As a result at high volumes a tube preamp with a high gain can damage the input stage of the Pilium amplifiers.

Aha...that makes sense. Thank you.

 

[RaChiK]

The Pilium amplifiers are designed to work with Pilium preamplifiers or other SS amplifiers. The Pilium amplifiers are NOT designed to work well with tube preamplifiers. The input impedance of the Achilles is 80K ohms.

The Pilium amplifiers were designed primarily with the dedicated P Link connecting the Pilium Preamps and amplifiers. If tube preamps are used, with especially NOS tubes, trouble could occur, therefore Pilium does NOT recommend using tube preamps with the Pilium amps.

I understand and respect the philosophy of the brand to get the best potential with their proprietary interlinks as well as gears that work best when used within their brands, as they have designed that way. Having said that, I wish they were compatible with tube preamps, as in this day and age, with availability of high class equipments across different brands, alchemy of mixing with tube and solid state has traditionally given good results. It is just me. But I have heard Pilium to sound great with their preamps. Kudos to pilium team.

 

[Rhapsody]

I understand and respect the philosophy of the brand to get the best potential with their proprietary interlinks as well as gears that work best when used within their brands, as they have designed that way. Having said that, I wish they were compatible with tube preamps, as in this day and age, with availability of high class equipments across different brands, alchemy of mixing with tube and solid state has traditionally given good results. It is just me. But I have heard Pilium to sound great with their preamps. Kudos to pilium team.

You can't be everything to everyone. No matter what you do, it won't work for certain people. Pilium has very carefully chosen it's path, and the Pilium owners around the globe are very happy that Pilium has taken the path that it has.

For those that want to match tube preamps and SS amps there are many choices available, so everyone can choose their own path and pursue their journey in the manner that suits them.

Pilium has no apologies for the path that it has taken.

 

[Rhapsody]

As stated Dave in the UK is the authorized Pilium dealer in the UK. ( contact information below )

Pilium has no affiliation with Nintronics and Nintronics cannot sell Pilium, not sure why they have the Pilium prices listed on their site.

United KingdomMr. Paul Benge and Mr. Dave Wood
Company: HIFIGUY
Address: 18 Grosvenor Crescent, St Leonards on Sea, TN380AA
Email: paul@hifitraders
Email: dave@hifiguy.co.uk
Website: www.hifiguy.co.uk
Phone: Paul +44 7842126218
Phone: Dave +44 7344436180

It is too late to edit this post, but Nintronics in the UK IS a dealer for HIFIGUY in the UK. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[Hifiaddict]

Thanks for the Update and clarification for the U.K.

Hifitraders is the U.K. distributor

hifiguy
Nintronics
DB audio

are dealers for pilium in the U.K.

Rhapsody are an amazing representative for Pilium and other awesome brands like Bayz audio and very protective for his brands in the USA (quite rightly so)

 

[sonrock]

Finally, after years of using my beautiful Karan KAM2000, I placed an order for the very first pair of the new flagship monoblocks and preamp from Pilium. Actually, I was about to purchase the Hercules and Alexander then stopped immediately after knowing that they started to make Zeus and Olympus.

I thought the new monoblocks would be called Zeus too but it turned out that I was wrong, they are called Atlas - just found out earlier today from Konstantinos. And instead of having SN1 and SN2, I'll have my unique serial numbers with my children names ^^, and my wife name will be used for the Olympus pre, can't be better than that.

I thought I would receive them by the end of this month and posting the pictures/review here as a surprise for everyone as I placed an order by late July, but it won't happen until January next year, pretty painful and annoying for the extra 3 months wait. Konstantinos told me the reason for this timeline so will be patient then.

Now I'm looking for a new pair of speakers that I'll use them with the new Pilium combo for many years in the future, be happy to keep my Q5s until the right time comes as they're still excellent to me in every meaningful way. The Atlas and Olympus, hopefully, will unveil new things that I have not discovered with my beloved Q5 speakers yet and give me a whole new world with whatever comes after.

 

[Bobvin]

Finally, after years of using my beautiful Karan KAM2000, I placed an order for the very first pair of the new flagship monoblocks and preamp from Pilium. Actually, I was about to purchase the Hercules and Alexander then stopped immediately after knowing that they started to make Zeus and Olympus.

I thought the new monoblocks would be called Zeus too but it turned out that I was wrong, they are called Atlas - just found out earlier today from Konstantinos. And instead of having SN1 and SN2, I'll have my unique serial numbers with my children names ^^, and my wife name will be used for the Olympus pre, can't be better than that.

I thought I would receive them by the end of this month and posting the pictures/review here as a surprise for everyone as I placed an order by late July, but it won't happen until January next year, pretty painful and annoying for the extra 3 months wait. Konstantinos told me the reason for this timeline so will be patient then.

Now I'm looking for a new pair of speakers that I'll use them with the new Pilium combo for many years in the future, be happy to keep my Q5s until the right time comes as they're still excellent to me in every meaningful way. The Atlas and Olympus, hopefully, will unveil new things that I have not discovered with my beloved Q5 speakers yet and give me a whole new world with whatever comes after.

I’ve enjoyed Alexander and Achilles for about a year now — and I can only imagine the smile you will have when your new kit finally arrives. And the little extra you have with the serial numbers — well done!

 

[defride]

Finally, after years of using my beautiful Karan KAM2000, I placed an order for the very first pair of the new flagship monoblocks and preamp from Pilium. Actually, I was about to purchase the Hercules and Alexander then stopped immediately after knowing that they started to make Zeus and Olympus.

I thought the new monoblocks would be called Zeus too but it turned out that I was wrong, they are called Atlas - just found out earlier today from Konstantinos. And instead of having SN1 and SN2, I'll have my unique serial numbers with my children names ^^, and my wife name will be used for the Olympus pre, can't be better than that.

I thought I would receive them by the end of this month and posting the pictures/review here as a surprise for everyone as I placed an order by late July, but it won't happen until January next year, pretty painful and annoying for the extra 3 months wait. Konstantinos told me the reason for this timeline so will be patient then.

Now I'm looking for a new pair of speakers that I'll use them with the new Pilium combo for many years in the future, be happy to keep my Q5s until the right time comes as they're still excellent to me in every meaningful way. The Atlas and Olympus, hopefully, will unveil new things that I have not discovered with my beloved Q5 speakers yet and give me a whole new world with whatever comes after.

Big congrats!

Pilium should be dynamite and a great match for Q5 or whatever direction you decide to take

Are you still in the same place in Leeds?