Dream Amps

[MarinJim]

Just bought my dream amp: Doshi JHOR 180 monos.

[still-one]

Nick's products compete nicely with any tube gear out there. Happy listening.

[MarinJim]

Nick's products compete nicely with any tube gear out there. Happy listening.

Many thanks. I used to have a Graaf GM-100 OTL amp and missed that "tube amp magic", even though top rated ss amps come awfully close.

[a.wayne]

I hear you , when the tubes hit ....

Just finished a listening session with a pr of 3 way Folded horns driven by a 4 watt SET , fantastic !!! There was some limitation if you really push too much on high DR music , but the way this little amp placed the musicians and instruments right their in the room , was really good , loved the naturalness of it all and this on run of the mill digital ...


Regards

[Howiebrou]

I think I have my dream amps: Kondo Kaguras.

That’s after a long circuit through Goldmund, Gryphon, Soulution, Vitus, Constellation and others...

[Odyssey]

I think I have my dream amps: Kondo Kaguras.

That’s after a long circuit through Goldmund, Gryphon, Soulution, Vitus, Constellation and others...

I have heard this particular pair, and they are outstanding!

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/tube-kondo-audionote-japan-kagura-mono-amps-cost-no-object-ref-2017-12-16-amplifiers

[Howiebrou]

I have heard this particular pair, and they are outstanding!

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/tube-kondo-audionote-japan-kagura-mono-amps-cost-no-object-ref-2017-12-16-amplifiers

I have had mine for about 8 months and couldn’t agree more!

I would love to hear them with your Raidho 5.1s!

[Odyssey]

I have had mine for about 8 months and couldn’t agree more!

I would love to hear them with your Raidho 5.1s!

Now that would be a real treat!

Tell us something about the rest of your system Howie.

[joeinid]

Great to see you again Howie.

I have had mine for about 8 months and couldn’t agree more!

I would love to hear them with your Raidho 5.1s!

[Mechnutt]

20,000 watts and hand made in Italy, lol.

https://www.higherfi.com/amplifiers/pivetta-opera

Just kidding, I have know idea what my dream amp would be. Maybe some high end high power tube amps like Atma-sphere MA-3's or VTL MB-450. Of course I would want a refrigerated room to deal with the heat.

[Howiebrou]

Hi Joe,

Good to finally get back into some Audio banter. Have just been too busy last few years!

Howie

[Howiebrou]

Now that would be a real treat!

Tell us something about the rest of your system Howie.

Sure.

Preamp; Kondo M1000MkII
Power; Kondo Kagura
Sources; Avid Acutus SP with SME V and Benz LP-S;
Clearaudio Master Innovation with Thales Simplicity II and Ortofon Anna and Audio Research Ref 2 Phono
Meridian Sooloos and CH Precision C1 Dac
Speakers; Sonus Faber Aida

[MarinJim]

Sure.

Preamp; Kondo M1000MkII
Power; Kondo Kagura
Sources; Avid Acutus SP with SME V and Benz LP-S;
Clearaudio Master Innovation with Thales Simplicity II and Ortofon Anna and Audio Research Ref 2 Phono
Meridian Sooloos and CH Precision C1 Dac
Speakers; Sonus Faber Aida

Now that is a system... We demand pic's.

[Howiebrou]

Now that is a system... We demand pic's.

Thank you for your kind words. Okay will try and take a few snaps later...

[joeinid]

You always had great taste Howie. Wonderful system.

[Howiebrou]

You always had great taste Howie. Wonderful system.

Joe you are too kind...as usual...

[sharkmouth]

Nice to see your amps Howie. That is one hell of an exciting ride you've been on to get where you are now. I would love to read a thread of you relating to the journey & your most memorable moments.... Not many get to live in that post code of hifi nirvana Howie.

[Howiebrou]

Nice to see your amps Howie. That is one hell of an exciting ride you've been on to get where you are now. I would love to read a thread of you relating to the journey & your most memorable moments.... Not many get to live in that post code of hifi nirvana Howie.

Kev,

You have a very exciting system yourself! Always wanted to try the Torus with my Guarneris but never got around to it. Okay I'll need to plan that thread carefully!

Cheers

howie

[sharkmouth]

Kev,

You have a very exciting system yourself! Always wanted to try the Torus with my Guarneris but never got around to it. Okay I'll need to plan that thread carefully!

Cheers

howie

Howie, the Torus are good with anything. At the moment I am in a room with a floating floor so am in no hurry to use mine as the Mingus Quintet have some surprising bass & I think I might invite too much vibration. Very much look forward to your thread.

[Howiebrou]

Now that is a system... We demand pic's.

http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...l=1#post226140


Here you go!

Howie

[Howiebrou]

Howie, the Torus are good with anything. At the moment I am in a room with a floating floor so am in no hurry to use mine as the Mingus Quintet have some surprising bass & I think I might invite too much vibration. Very much look forward to your thread.

Kev,

Any photos of your set up? Would love to see some!

Howie

[sharkmouth]

Kev,

Any photos of your set up? Would love to see some!

Howie

Howie, for you, easy as... Marten Mingus Quintet

[Glareskin]

AudioNet Heisenberg

[Howiebrou]

Howie, for you, easy as... Marten Mingus Quintet

WoW! TWO Toruses!

Great system you got there!

Howie

[mhanc]

in keeping with the air tight dream amps of others on this thread, ATM-300



i have had my eye on this amp for quite a while... two issues that maybe others can comment on:

1) the volume controls allow this amp to be used as a single source integrated amp. anyone see any problems operating it that way or any problems putting a pre-amp in the system?

2) one review i read said the amp was a little noisy. not a single other review even came close to mentioning this. anyone having heard this amp hear noise?

[Howiebrou]

in keeping with the air tight dream amps of others on this thread, ATM-300



i have had my eye on this amp for quite a while... two issues that maybe others can comment on:

1) the volume controls allow this amp to be used as a single source integrated amp. anyone see any problems operating it that way or any problems putting a pre-amp in the system?

2) one review i read said the amp was a little noisy. not a single other review even came close to mentioning this. anyone having heard this amp hear noise?

No. Love the Airtight stuff. Never heard any issue with them being noisy. Having said that I have found with the Kondo or Audio Note UK Ongaku integrated amps they benefit greatly from having a preamp in teh system.

Howie

[Etunes]

in keeping with the air tight dream amps of others on this thread, ATM-300



i have had my eye on this amp for quite a while... two issues that maybe others can comment on:

1) the volume controls allow this amp to be used as a single source integrated amp. anyone see any problems operating it that way or any problems putting a pre-amp in the system?

2) one review i read said the amp was a little noisy. not a single other review even came close to mentioning this. anyone having heard this amp hear noise?

I have the anniversary edition paired with Avant-garde Uno XD’s and no noise issues I find it very quite. Very sweet and non fatigueing.
I’ve always used a preamp in the system but will use the attenuation to adjust gain.

[RichardAusten]

No. Love the Airtight stuff. Never heard any issue with them being noisy. Having said that I have found with the Kondo or Audio Note UK Ongaku integrated amps they benefit greatly from having a preamp in teh system.

Howie

That's what ultimately steered me off the Jinro - at every show they had a preamp connected so I don't feel they will stand alone as an integrated. My Line Magnetic 219IA was vastly better when used as a power amp. I tried three pramps and all three were very different but all were better than the preamp section of the 219IA. Now the 219IA was very good as an integrated amp but when you start paying more premium dollars you probably want to go separates if you can. AirTight is pretty awesome too. Perhaps they make a dedicated power amp version of the amp - With the Jinro they now make a dedicated balanced power amp version which IMO is the way to go.

As for noise - it may have to do with the sensitivity of the speaker - a 110dB sensitive speaker may reveal noise that a 95-100dB speaker won't. Or it could just be that particular unit or that particular home has noise in the line. I once had a dimmer dial on the lights that caused problems in my old stereo. Oddly it was the SS amp that affected while the tube amp was dead quiet.

[mhanc]

thanks for the atm-300 info! i would have been surprised if noise was a systemic issue w/ this amp.

there is just something about a quality hand-made, hand-wired amp that is really appealing on many levels. not to mention it can be serviced practically forever.

[Marlin]

Cary 805AE monos for me thanks.

[wizard]

Solid state -Two-stage cascode driven lateral mosfet design, so much better than vertical mosfet and bipolar transistor amps.
Tube - Parafeed or Ultra Parafeed topologies.

[Rob181]

Solid state -Two-stage cascode driven lateral mosfet design, so much better than vertical mosfet and bipolar transistor amps.
Tube - Parafeed or Ultra Parafeed topologies.

Hey Wiz...want to give some actual examples...
Especially how the eliminates MOSFET mist...
And just tried to have a look at your Wizard Ultimate site...
But got told to "bugger off" (note that's Aussie Slang for - you are not welcome)...

[wizard]

Hey Wiz...want to give some actual examples...
Especially how the eliminates MOSFET mist...
And just tried to have a look at your Wizard Ultimate site...
But got told to "bugger off" (note that's Aussie Slang for - you are not welcome)...

Ultimate is a paysite, for members only.

Which mosfet amps has that mist...?

[wizard]

Solid state -Two-stage cascode driven lateral mosfet design, so much better than vertical mosfet and bipolar transistor amps.
Tube - Parafeed or Ultra Parafeed topologies.

That's class A with constant damping factor and only low local feedback or nothing in the cascode driver stage.

[a.wayne]

Hey Wiz...want to give some actual examples...
Especially how the eliminates MOSFET mist...
And just tried to have a look at your Wizard Ultimate site...
But got told to "bugger off" (note that's Aussie Slang for - you are not welcome)...

Mosfet mist is from running them too low on operating Bias , early MOSFET designers did this, Mosfet mist hasn't been an issue for at least 20 yrs TMK ......


Regards

[wizard]

Mosfet mist is from running them too low on operating Bias , early MOSFET designers did this, Mosfet mist hasn't been an issue for at least 20 yrs TMK ......


Regards

Correct, also the mosfet warmth was because of too low bias.
On lateral mosfets designs today bias is set around 100-150mA.

Vertical mosfets aren't designed for audio, but switching.
I don't like the sound of them, because they need very high bias they have thermal and hysteresis loop problems.
I've seen many designs blow up are unstable because of this.