SET amp owners thread

[cjfrbw]

It would be interesting to upgrade the output transformers on your cheap chinese amp. The big improvement though was the replacement of the chinese output transformers with Lundahl C core line output transformers. MUCH clearer, particularly in the bass.

The little transformers on the el cheapo flea are Japanese manufacture. The 45 amp has no-name trannies. I have already improved the line caps and components.
When audiophiles have huge air gapped transformers on flea powered amps, they usually state that it is for the purpose of linearizing and improving the bass output. Question is, if you use your flea for the midrange and don't use it for bass, what is the advantage of huge transformers? Are smaller transformers better for 300 Hz to 7 Khz? I would think less copper in the path would be better in that instance.
Anyway, I am pleased with the the way they are and it's unlikely I will choose to go on a nervosa binge over them. All of the amps I have been using so far sound excellent, albeit different, whether el cheapo flea or up the cost echelon.

 

[spiritofmusic]

It depends on the recording somewhat how deep you want to dig. I love my Rush albums but they don’t really shine sonically on any high end rig So far. In the car from YouTube I am rocking though. Put a piano Sonata from Beethoven on the car and it’s a no go but on a true high end rig it’s awesome. Just the way the recordings are engineered I guess. Digging as deep as possible with classical and good jazz matters to the meaning but not nearly so much (in fact in can be detrimental) with heavily compressed rock music. There it is about best and drive (ok some sounds really good on high end gear like some Steely Dan or Dire Straits).

Brad, my Zu based system has always excelled w Rush, other prog, fusion, prog electronica, electric jazz.
And yes I'd agree, it struggled w more eclectic, acoustic music. I have 500ish classical and jazz lps that have been a bit unloved.

But my well documented and "boring to anyone else" journey of new room and sweating the small stuff has elevated my performance on genres previously challenging to my Zus to a level I never thought possible, primarily via way better timbral accuracy, air and microdynamics.

What's fascinating is my fave genres are even more enjoyable despite extra resolution and neutrality often rendering Rush etc too limited in fidelity in other systems.

THIS is the reason I've stuck by Zu for over a decade. With the added bonus of a new lease of life where I least expected it.

Have cake/eat it.

 

[bonzo75]

Brad, my Zu based system has always excelled w Rush, other prog, fusion, prog electronica, electric jazz.

Have cake/eat it.

Let's see if you can rock out with your cock out, Marc. Just put up a video of the Zus playing rock. Do on mobile at 6m for a fair compare. You have almost 22 times the power of this 3.5 watt flea amp, and I am sure your TT and arm are better than this unmodded 301 with Ortofon arm, and your highly modded soundsmith has much more resolution than the classic SPU. Plus, there is no grounding or isolation on the below. Or power conditioning.

Ps: if you don't know how to upload, send me the video by text/whatsapp/email and I will.

 

[spiritofmusic]

There are things that audiophiles should do. And shouldn't do. And REALLY never do.

Rocking out w their cock out is one of them. Even w the forced isolation of Covid.

 

[morricab]

The little transformers on the el cheapo flea are Japanese manufacture. The 45 amp has no-name trannies. I have already improved the line caps and components.
When audiophiles have huge air gapped transformers on flea powered amps, they usually state that it is for the purpose of linearizing and improving the bass output. Question is, if you use your flea for the midrange and don't use it for bass, what is the advantage of huge transformers? Are smaller transformers better for 300 Hz to 7 Khz? I would think less copper in the path would be better in that instance.
Anyway, I am pleased with the the way they are and it's unlikely I will choose to go on a nervosa binge over them. All of the amps I have been using so far sound excellent, albeit different, whether el cheapo flea or up the cost echelon.

I was thinking quality over quantity...

 

[Exlibris]

Brought my new (used) amps home. Allnic A-6000. Genalex Gold Lion PX300Bs.

 

[morricab]

 

[morricab]

 

[morricab]

 

[cjfrbw]

Are these recordings with phone or your upgraded recording rig?

 

[cjfrbw]

Oddly enough, the Galaxy 8 seems to do about the best overall job and keeps more of the bass response. It'll also compress the video for You Tube. This one with flea on BG 75, from Mysterious Island:

 

[morricab]

Are these recordings with phone or your upgraded recording rig?

Theses are just iPhone 7 on highest resolution settings. With TASCAM it’s even better but I need to convert from 24/96 pcm to MP4 in order to upload on YouTube.

 

[morricab]

Brought my new (used) amps home. Allnic A-6000. Genalex Gold Lion PX300Bs.

How do they sound??

 

[bonzo75]

Theses are just iPhone 7 on highest resolution settings. With TASCAM it’s even better but I need to convert from 24/96 pcm to MP4 in order to upload on YouTube.

How do you change setting to highest resolution in iPhone for recording?

 

[bonzo75]

Brought my new (used) amps home. Allnic A-6000. Genalex Gold Lion PX300Bs.

But you haven't received the Odeon yet, have you?

 

[morricab]

How do you change setting to highest resolution in iPhone for recording?

I looked again and I have it set at 1080p 60fps. Not sure if this higher video rate impacts sound or not...there don’t seem to be audio specific controls.

 

[morricab]

Oddly enough, the Galaxy 8 seems to do about the best overall job and keeps more of the bass response. It'll also compress the video for You Tube. This one with flea on BG 75, from Mysterious Island:

Way better than the iPod. Now I have some idea of what your system sounds like

 

[morricab]

Let's see if you can rock out with your cock out, Marc. Just put up a video of the Zus playing rock. Do on mobile at 6m for a fair compare. You have almost 22 times the power of this 3.5 watt flea amp, and I am sure your TT and arm are better than this unmodded 301 with Ortofon arm, and your highly modded soundsmith has much more resolution than the classic SPU. Plus, there is no grounding or isolation on the below. Or power conditioning.

Ps: if you don't know how to upload, send me the video by text/whatsapp/email and I will.

A bit veiled and woolly sounding...highs sound rolled off as well

 

[bonzo75]

A bit veiled and woolly sounding...highs sound rolled off as well

It was anything but veiled and woolly. Yes Altec does not have same highs as Radian or TAD, nor does Garrard and SPU. Altec goes till 16 and rolls off earlier

Being 6m away does take out a bit as compared to being closer with the phone.

 

[213Cobra]

I can't believe people here are seriously making comparative evaluations of systems, amps, etc. based on smartphone recordings. No wonder audiophilia has crushed credibility in the larger world. -Phil