Adventures in amplification

[jaybee]

ahem...


Air Tight ATH-2A/ATE-2005.........???????


....can open


......worms everywhere......!!!!

[DaveF]

Eh, I hate to be reality check fran, but the search for a pre might not be easy!!

Especially one with a decent phonostage, and does it need to be balanced as well? Chequebook alert.....

ah I dont think it will be that difficult. I already have a good phonostage but the preamp will need balanced outputs. Cloney have a few options.

[DaveF]

ahem...


Air Tight ATH-2A/ATE-2005.........???????


....can open


......worms everywhere......!!!!

8k sterling for that combo! Think I'll be crossing that one off my list.

[DaveF]

Time for an another update........

This past week has given me immense satisfaction on each occasion that I've sat down to listen to music, so much so that I couldnt wait for each working day to end so that I could go home and listen to some music. Hell, I even skipped or shortened a few gym sessions, a routine that I've religously kept in recent months.
One observation I made during the week was that the monos require a good hour to fully come on song, more so that any other amplifier I've owned to date including the valve amps. Not just sitting idle for an hour will do, it requires music to be played through the amps to fully 'open' them up. Until that point the sound has a hard edge which disappears after the warmup. All of this of course was just with the CDP connected directly to the monos. Given that my previous problems this past year followed both CD and vinyl playback I had to be sure that vinyl playback issues were eliminated also.

This morning I popped down to Cloney's to take on loan the Kharma preamp. Now I'm in no position to purchase this which I believe to be in the region of 4 to 6K!! but I was quite eager to evaluate vinyl playback. Like the monos this preamp is a fairly unassuming looking piece of kit and has quite the 'lifestyle' look about it. Far heavier than its size suggests and it does come in a rather smart looking wooden and aluminium briefcase. Unlike the monos though, the preamp is a fully class A design. Certainly its quite warm to the touch while in operation. I should also hang my head in shame and admit that I also took not one but two Nordost power chords with me also. My excuse is that I was short of power chords and I didnt like the colour of any of the 20 or so kettle leads that I have at home.

Anyway, back home and had the whole thing set up in less than 10mins. No lugging around big ass heavy amps here and the usual cable sorting that is often tedious to make tidy. This affair was rather more straightforward.

After an hour or so of warmup time I sat down to listen to some vinyl with a critical ear. No complaints whatsoever with the sound. Like with CD the treble issues are eliminated completely and the preamp is so transparent and neutral that I'm hearing the distintive character of great vinyl playback coming through the speakers. No midrange euphonics as such, just like I reported last week with CD, but that vinyl richness is there albeit with a smooth and relaxed presentation. Several LP's were thrown at the system particularly ones that have occasional soaring vocals as these havent sounded quite right to me in various incarnations of my system this past year. Each one was handled without fuss this time around. I was that thrilled and pleased with what I was hearing that I ignored the good weather outside and sat on my hole inside for most of the day.
It'll be tough to hand back this pre as it is the prefect match for the monos no doubt. The manual mentions specific design details that give this pre its transparancy, neutrality and speed. In my opinion its easily one of the best amplifier combos that I've ever come across. Its presentation wont suit everyone but I think it sits somewhere between the best solid state amp and a very good SET amp. I still have to go back and listen to CD with the preamp in the chain but I'm quite positive that all will be fine there.

Here are a few crappy pics I took with the phone.

[PeterK]

Looks like the pre amp might be staying Dave, just like the ATM 2 did in my system!!!!

[DaveF]

Looks like the pre amp might be staying Dave, just like the ATM 2 did in my system!!!!

ah so you took the ATM2 :-). I noticed that it wasnt on display in the shop recently. I take it that it matches your quads perfectly! I'm glad that it has found a good home.

[PeterK]

I hope so. I really enjoyed them. I had followed your thread for its duration and had a little hesitation to take them on. However when it came to returning them I found I missed them. They are a good match for the Quads. I have visitors at the moment so I can't get some down time with them. Also trying out some cables. I love your set up and the Kharmas must be brilliant. I'm delighted you are getting sonic nirvana.Also the Croft Syntegra which I traded in for them is a little beauty. I cannot recommend it more highly. Somebody out there is in for a treat.

[tony]

Congrats Peter. I reckon there will be a few broken hearts here to see that amp gone. Thats a fabulous set up you have.
Dave is the leben still knocking around?

[Ivor]

I hope so. I really enjoyed them. I had followed your thread for its duration and had a little hesitation to take them on. However when it came to returning them I found I missed them. They are a good match for the Quads. I have visitors at the moment so I can't get some down time with them. Also trying out some cables. I love your set up and the Kharmas must be brilliant. I'm delighted you are getting sonic nirvana.Also the Croft Syntegra which I traded in for them is a little beauty. I cannot recommend it more highly. Somebody out there is in for a treat.

Sorry to go off-topic (slightly) but which quads are you using the the ATM2?

[Ivor]

Dave is the leben still knocking around?

What kept ye?