Duetta signatures with the right amps are a very good sounding speaker. A big dipole speaker can work well in a small space. You have to remember that the Diva is actually a better line source approximation than its shorter brethren. This means less floor/ceiling interaction. As they are all dipoles then you can have them in pretty close proximity to side walls with only modest toe-in. The DIva is a bit wider so they need to be a bit further apart to have the same gap between the speakers, which implies a somewhat wider room requirement. Other than that though, the Diva is arguably more room friendly due to the reduced ceiling/floor interactions. That said, I think a three-way speaker is more difficult to make coherent sounding than a two-way and to my ears the Duetta sounds a bit more coherent than what i heard with the Diva. The Diva will play louder with less effort and distortion though and it is a couple of db more sensitive than the Duetta Signature.
Solid state amps that emulate tube amps but don't try to copy them...
- Thread starter spiritofmusic
- Start date
Duetta signatures with the right amps are a very good sounding speaker. A big dipole speaker can work well in a small space. You have to remember that the Diva is actually a better line source approximation than its shorter brethren. This means less floor/ceiling interaction. As they are all dipoles then you can have them in pretty close proximity to side walls with only modest toe-in. The DIva is a bit wider so they need to be a bit further apart to have the same gap between the speakers, which implies a somewhat wider room requirement. Other than that though, the Diva is arguably more room friendly due to the reduced ceiling/floor interactions. That said, I think a three-way speaker is more difficult to make coherent sounding than a two-way and to my ears the Duetta sounds a bit more coherent than what i heard with the Diva. The Diva will play louder with less effort and distortion though and it is a couple of db more sensitive than the Duetta Signature.
I thought Kip was going all NAT. How do we know he is getting it right? I haven't heard the set up, have you? Just beause he is happy with it that doesn't necessarily mean it really works as you know. I am very sensitive to coherence, which is why I was with full range electrostats for so long and have real difficulty understanding how people can like most multi-way, multi-driver speakers...they just don't sound right. A two-way, time coherent design is the most I can tolerate for long term listening. I am sure you have friends from whom you could borrow a big SS amp for a day or two to try out as well in comparison to a Transmitter on the panels. By all means do so if you can. Nothing beats firsthand experimental observation...take it from a scientist. The big Krells have an iron grip on the Apogee bass panels...too tight as they don't really need this iron grip. I tried a Krell KSA150 on my Caliper signatures and yes the bass was deeper and more powerful...but it lost all texture and came through as a leaden thump rather than bass instruments playing. It was a disaster and it made me wonder what people think is good bass.
Hello everyone I'm new to this forum but very interested in the Apogee speakers, I have Apogee Duettas rebuilt and modified by Jon Oakey of Reality Audio and have tried quite a few different amps with them all using the Arc ref 5 pre amp, the first ones i tried were the arc ref 210 monos no control at all. then i tried krell 750mcx monos these certainly grabbed the Duettas by the scruff of the neck but no finesse, I then tried a Gryphon Sig stereo power amp and WOW this has the grip of the big Krells but all the finesse of a valve amp I was quite shocked just how good this amp is as it only has 150 watts a channel against the Krells 750 but it drives them with ease, without a doubt the best amp I have ever owned.
Having been extremely impressed by the A/B of m800 (60w stereo, 240w bridged, into 8 ohms, then doubling down) vs Ypsilon Aelius in Joel's Vivid G1 system, and then the B1000 in Philip O Hanlon's system, I saw that the m900u were rated as the best power amp he ever heard by Soundstage Hifi.
The m900u are 150w stereo and 300 bridged, stable to 1ohm. Which means, for speakers like Apogees, one can start with a Duetta with just one power amp, bridge it if he wanted to by adding another, and if he upgrades to Diva or FR, add a crossover without having to spend more an amp. The cost of two together is less than a Gryphon Colosseum or a Dagostino stereo, both usually rated at the top.
So, not sure why not more exploring this on the forums, even for a 150w amp, some of which is class A?
Excellent service and engineering as well.
The m900u are 150w stereo and 300 bridged, stable to 1ohm. Which means, for speakers like Apogees, one can start with a Duetta with just one power amp, bridge it if he wanted to by adding another, and if he upgrades to Diva or FR, add a crossover without having to spend more an amp. The cost of two together is less than a Gryphon Colosseum or a Dagostino stereo, both usually rated at the top.
So, not sure why not more exploring this on the forums, even for a 150w amp, some of which is class A?
Excellent service and engineering as well.
How did the Luxman sound compared to the Ypsilon Aelius? It is one of the few amplifiers that attracts my curiosity from a technical point of view - tube input followed by an interstage balancing transformer driving a cyclotron MOSFET power stage, including tube rectifier for the gain stage and plenty of chokes. Do you know what was the input tube type?
I think it was the c3g. It's been a while now but my impression was more full bodied, smooth, stronger mid bass and bass and dynamics. Joel marginally preferred the ypsilon as it was more neutral. I am not so sure about hybrids I would rather stay tube or SS. Luxman was also moving with much more ease on orchestral.
Funnily enough, the only tube amp I have preferred on tough to drive speakers were the tube research labs on the apogee duettas at Lissnrs. Which is why I think Ayon might be a good choice, Joel recommends it, he has had good SS amp exposure
Funnily enough, the only tube amp I have preferred on tough to drive speakers were the tube research labs on the apogee duettas at Lissnrs. Which is why I think Ayon might be a good choice, Joel recommends it, he has had good SS amp exposure
Pass labs xs 300 sounds full bodied, organic , lush without the overly too- sweet of a sound most tubes are guilty of.
I realize that McIntosh is rarely at the top of any self respecting WBF member's list but the MC601 checks all the boxes IMO..
I know this is an old post but aside from my laughing at the posters comments, inquiring minds want to know .........what's wrong with Mac ??
It's not too hard to make a lot of amps lean towards a tube sound. But how many are really remarkable?
Esoteric A-02 Stereo has (IMHO) the best of both worlds while still being 100% solid state. If you can find one, they are quite remarkable.
I've been through a bunch of gear, mostly for the fun of trying something new. But, since discovering Ayre this past year, it totally stopped me in my tracks. I am thoroughly satisfied.
While it is all solid state, there's a hint of tube sweetness and air (
). Just a wonderful presentation, IMO.
I know others will disagree, but Ayre truly is MY destination. The R series gear just does it for me. It does need a good warm up but once there, nirvana.
While it is all solid state, there's a hint of tube sweetness and air (
). Just a wonderful presentation, IMO. I know others will disagree, but Ayre truly is MY destination. The R series gear just does it for me. It does need a good warm up but once there, nirvana.
Empirical Audio
Industry Expert
I've been listening to amps at trade shows for 15 years, as an exhibitor.
the only SS amp I would classify as having a tube-like sound is the Wells Audio amps. highly recommended.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
the only SS amp I would classify as having a tube-like sound is the Wells Audio amps. highly recommended.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Congrats...that sounds like a great system. As a fellow Gryphon owner, it is nice to read about your comparisons with other amps with your speakers as well. As for best amp you've ever owned...same here. Enjoy and look forward to reading more about your system. Source? Cables? As Bonzo75 asks...is this the Antileon Signature? I have owned the original Antileon before upgrading to the Colosseum.
Koda K10 pre is SS but has such a beguiling texture and tonal colour range, you’d swear it was tubes.