Have not heard SPL for a while since my mastering studio days, and never an amplifier from them anyway. For me the phono preamp using the 120v tech is more interesting. Will have to try one out one day soon...
I recently bought SPL Elector pre and S1200 power. I use them to drive TAD Evolution 1 TX speakers. The SPL gear punches way above their price point. However I must add that you need to experiment with footers to get the best from the duo. They respond positively to tweaks and power cords
I am considering the SPL s1200 for my Yamaha NS5000 speakers. One important consideration is a small form factor since I am limited in space where I can drop an amp.
Can someone describe the sound of the amp to me. This would have to be a blind buy since I have no place to hear it and TMRAudio.com does not have the s1200 listed anymore. I could have done home demos with them.
The other small form factor amps I am considering are:
- CODA #8 (I have the CODA #16 in my office system and owned the #8 before)
- NAD M23 (I like the Benchmark AHB2 sound but want more power and do not want to run monos. The Purifi should be similar to the AHB2.)
- SPL s1200
- A used KRELL Dou 300XD (this amp is rather big but I know this sound and might be able to drop the amp on the floor if I did some rearranging. A smaller amp other than the KRELL would be ideal)
The KRELL is a very smooth Class A sound. Smoother than the CODA #16, but maybe slightly less detailed with both having strong bass. I could consider dropping the CODA #16 into the floor but it would be better with a smaller amp.
Of the amps I have listed I think the SPL could be closest to the KRELL Dou 300XD. So owners of the s1200 how would you characterize the sound? What type of system would it be a good match for it, bright, neutral, or warm? I am trying to get a neutral system with the Yamaha only slightly warm.
My preamp options are the Benchmark LA4 or Holo Serene. My 2 DAC options are the Benchmark DAC3B or PlayBack Designs Dream. I am not sure which permutations I will use.
I have an SPL Pre driving 2 Bridged Gold Note PA-10's and the combination is just wonderful. As another posted here SPL punches way above its weight. Footer wise I use hockey pucks best footers I ever bought.
I never listened to my S1200 without the accompanying pre. So I cannot tell whether the slightly warm side of neutral sound I am getting is coming from the preamp or the power. The nice thing about the S1200 when used with other pre-amps is that there is gain control so can be used with high output preamps. The SPL preamps have very low outputs.
Yamaha NS5000 speakers are very good when they can be placed in free space well off the walls front and sides. I heard then driven my Mark Levinson tower power amplifiers, and I was amazed by the sound. My own environment does not allow this kind of placement, and so I settled for the NS5000s distant Japanese cousin, TAD Evolution 1TX. The TAD are just as resolving and transparent when matched with SPL. But are much easier to place in a small room such as mine, and need not be pushed as hard as the NS5000 to sound great.
I never listened to my S1200 without the accompanying pre. So I cannot tell whether the slightly warm side of neutral sound I am getting is coming from the preamp or the power. The nice thing about the S1200 when used with other pre-amps is that there is gain control so can be used with high output preamps. The SPL preamps have very low outputs.
Yamaha NS5000 speakers are very good when they can be placed in free space well off the walls front and sides. I heard then driven my Mark Levinson tower power amplifiers, and I was amazed by the sound. My own environment does not allow this kind of placement, and so I settled for the NS5000s distant Japanese cousin, TAD Evolution 1TX. The TAD are just as resolving and transparent when matched with SPL. But are much easier to place in a small room such as mine, and need not be pushed as hard as the NS5000 to sound great.
I know the TAD well. I was seriously considering the TAD ME1 for my office, but the office is too small. I have a Magnepan LRS+ in the office now with a KEF KC62 sub which works very nicely. I have the CODA #16 in the office with my Benchmark LA4 preamp and Benchmark DAC3B. Both Benchmark pieces are nice and small.
This Saturday, I am going to try these 3 pieces with the NS5000. I can see where power is important with this speaker. The CODA #16 is extremely powerful. If this sounds as good as I think I will deal with the wife about the space issue . At the very least, this should give a proper frame of reference as to what type of power I will need.
I think the NS5000 need lots of driving ability based on my audition. I only had limited exposure to them so take my comment with a pinch of salt. If you have the space, SPL also have M1000 mono blocks that put out 420W into 8 ohms. More important than brute power is the space to optimally position the speakers. I heard them in small rooms before, and they could not impress me till I heard them in a very big room.
I saw the m1000 before and it is under consideration.
I think this Saturday will be very telling as to what I do. I do know that the 150-watt CODA #16 is the most powerful amp I have ever owned. Maybe it is recency bias but I used to own some very high power amps from Bryston, KRELL, Parsound and the #16 seems to be the most powerful.
With regards to the NS5000 I have a 25-foot ceiling in my Livingroom where the NS5000 resides. I also have a lot of side wall space. I can only keep the speakers about 24 inches from the front wall. Though I am keeping them at 16 inches so that the foot traffic does not run into then (kid, dog, + wife). I also have a nice cover for them to keep it safer.
None of these placement settings are final but I am very happy with the sound do far. I am not getting the bass blown up in this space. I think the very high volume of the room helps. I only have 12 feet from the front wall to the wall behind me. I sit about 9 feet away.
I was about to exclude the NS5000 from purchase because of the 3-foot+ front wall distance recommendations I read online. I contacted an owner up in Canada and got some dealer advice. One dealer said buy it and the other said do not. I am glad I got it. It is the best speaker I have ever owned.
I have heard the T+A HV gear in the past and they used something they referred to as High-Voltage (HV) tech inside this line. There used to be a long description of this tech on the T+A web site but I cannot find it today.
Both T+A and SPL are German and I was wondering if SPL's Voltair tech is similar to T+A's HV tech?
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