SET amp owners thread

[Rob181]

WOW - I can't recall hearing a better reproduction of strings - EVER...

 

[bonzo75]

WOW - I can't recall hearing a better reproduction of strings - EVER...

*sheepish shy grin like I actually performed it myself*

 

[Carlos269]

WOW - I can't recall hearing a better reproduction of strings - EVER...

Compare and contrast:

Perlman Violin

 

[RCanelas]

This does sound absolutely fantastic. I hope to pay a visit to Jean in the coming months, maybe he can lead me here...

 

[adamaley]

Anyone have any experience with the Wyetech Labs Ruby XR300b? I have it in house currently and was wondering if there are any tube upgrade experiences to share. It goes without saying that these monoblocks are leagues better than my Line Magnetic 508ia.



All the Altec talk is getting my juices flowing.

These came in the mail last week.



I still haven't had time to remove them from their crates, but here's a sneak peak.

 

[adamaley]

It's coincidental that they have the same color scheme as the Wyetechs. Will they eventually be a match made in heaven? Who knows?

 

[Rob181]

Compare and contrast:

Perlman Violin

Hi - the difference for me is significant. @bonzo75 VID sounds like I'm at the venue where the strings are playing. The VID you posted sounds like I'm listening to a VERY GOOD horn setup but doesn't present the same "you are there" magic - at least to me. I am sure others will have differing thoughts based on their hearing & perception.

 

[Carlos269]

Hi - the difference for me is significant. @bonzo75 VID sounds like I'm at the venue where the strings are playing. The VID you posted sounds like I'm listening to a VERY GOOD horn setup but doesn't present the same "you are there" magic - at least to me. I am sure others will have differing thoughts based on their hearing & perception.

The perceived “venue” is due to the lack of high frequency extension & resolution coupled with the bloated bass.

I think that becomes more evident in this compare and contrast:

Battle for Stalingrad

One needs to consider if one wants to listen to the microphone-feed or a curtailed rendition. The issue is that while the “venue” sound might complement classical music, how will those deficiencies play across different genres?

 

[acousticsguru]

Hi - the difference for me is significant. @bonzo75 VID sounds like I'm at the venue where the strings are playing. The VID you posted sounds like I'm listening to a VERY GOOD horn setup but doesn't present the same "you are there" magic - at least to me. I am sure others will have differing thoughts based on their hearing & perception.

I happen to find this a somewhat unfair comparison on the basis of these two recordings - knowing both, the one in my experience does have that "you are there" magic, the other, not quite. But I must say the combination of front-loaded bass and multi-cell horn does sound surprisingly transition-less, I'm impressed.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

[bonzo75]

But I must say the combination of front-loaded bass and multi-cell horn does sound surprisingly transition-less, I'm impressed.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

My biggest raison d’etre for dual FLH is transition less ness, whether with multi cells or otherwise. With Altec 817 the standard crossover point and matching of drivers just works, so it is the crossover to get right while with other dual FLH like the ones Leif made you have to match drivers well and play with your cross point more.

the difference between Misho’s and this is that Misho’s was standard 817 plan, while this guy made his own design bass horn that is quite wide. 1.2m and it does not have the vents. He also made his own multi cells. The bass horn is sand filled. Sonically they are close.

 

[bonzo75]

Anyone have any experience with the Wyetech Labs Ruby XR300b? I have it in house currently and was wondering if there are any tube upgrade experiences to share. It goes without saying that these monoblocks are leagues better than my Line Magnetic 508ia.

View attachment 123445

All the Altec talk is getting my juices flowing.

These came in the mail last week.

View attachment 123446View attachment 123447

I still haven't had time to remove them from their crates, but here's a sneak peak.

View attachment 123448

Hiraga has the Wytech, partridge and a VAC Renaissance mk2. You might know that Hiraga was instrumental in popularising 300b back on 80s or 90s. He suggests the VAC for his Altecs due to the balance. But his point is for different speakers it is different.

if you are following the 817 Misho’s model and crossover, I would start with Misho’s electronics. It is still one of the top systems I heard. Once you set that up right, you can then compare other amps and you can take your time to find the right one to replace it. Every time you change the amp you change the balance, so while you are putting crossover etc in place that is not a good idea.

what I found interesting is if I take one part of Misho’s chain over to another system to compare it can be bettered, but when it is all playing in sync it is just amazing. So get that 817 set up right and are golden. Then find your final whatever it is.

 

[bonzo75]

The perceived “venue” is due to the lack of high frequency extension & resolution coupled with the bloated bass.

I think that becomes more evident in this compare and contrast:

Battle for Stalingrad

One needs to consider if one wants to listen to the microphone-feed or a curtailed rendition. The issue is that while the “venue” sound might complement classical music, how will those deficiencies play across different genres?

video was posted out of context, was meant to be an example of a digital LP selected over TAS’ recommendation of Andre Previn’s performance.

 

[bonzo75]

What an audiophile needs more of. For those unfamiliar with rock just need to wait till the end of the clip.

ps: Cheap repress. Sounds not so good on phone but quite nice when streamed to a soundbar or such.

 

[acousticsguru]

My biggest raison d’etre for dual FLH is transition less ness, whether with multi cells or otherwise. With Altec 817 the standard crossover point and matching of drivers just works, so it is the crossover to get right while with other dual FLH like the ones Leif made you have to match drivers well and play with your cross point more.

the difference between Misho’s and this is that Misho’s was standard 817 plan, while this guy made his own design bass horn that is quite wide. 1.2m and it does not have the vents. He also made his own multi cells. The bass horn is sand filled. Sonically they are close.

What are in your opinion sonically the advantages and disadvantages of the vents? To me these sealed cabinets sound particularly clean given the drivers are playing fairly high, so there's quite a bit of delayed midrange grunge with the traditional vented cabinets, a major pet peeve of mine that admittedly shows more on some music (solo piano) than other.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

[bonzo75]

What are in your opinion sonically the advantages and disadvantages of the vents? To me these sealed cabinets sound particularly clean given the drivers are playing fairly high, so there's quite a bit of delayed midrange grunge with the traditional vented cabinets, a major pet peeve of mine that admittedly shows more on some music (solo piano) than other.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

i don’t know how many vents you heard, but on Misho’s 817 piano is great. Apparently the 817 cabinet can be made bigger and then you can lose the vents but there are room size pragmatisms in there. I would be happy either with this or the vented one I liked. On the other hand there are two many Altecs that sound bad, nothing to do with design. Mostly crossover, electronics, not matching drivers

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

I wonder how the frequency curve looks like on this Altec system
for once I tend to agree with Carlos

 

[bonzo75]

I wonder how the frequency curve looks like on this Altec system
for once I tend to agree with Carlos

Actually will be very good as Hiraga is into measurements. There was no lack of extension, and there was no bloated bass, it played everything from Mahler 2, Mahler 3, rock, and small scale piano, cello, and violin brilliantly. Midbass and weight was fantastic.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

good can be anything from flat to 10db fall from 1-20K, as long as it´s even
sounds more like the latter due to tonal balance

 

[bonzo75]

good can be anything from flat to 10db fall from 1-20K, as long as it´s even
sounds more like the latter due to tonal balance

Tonal balance was fantastic. By good I mean Hiraga would have measured and adjusted to what he thought ideal, which worked to my ears consistently across records and music. It sounded crappy on bad pressings.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

I don´t doubt that but would still like to see the frequency plot from listening pos....
that would tell me more than your subjective experience