Exciting stuff, Mike....hopefully Lars was able to help with your decision on amps, as I'm sure it would be sad to have your speakers powerless in your house.
Amps for Raidho D3's
- Thread starter Mike
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Exciting stuff, Mike....hopefully Lars was able to help with your decision on amps, as I'm sure it would be sad to have your speakers powerless in your house.
socfan12
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:exciting:
- Thread Author
- #123
Thanks Wizard. I'll check it out.
- Thread Author
- #124
Exciting stuff, Mike....hopefully Lars was able to help with your decision on amps, as I'm sure it would be sad to have your speakers powerless in your house.
He did.
He said, "1. Soulution. 2. Jeff Rowland. 3. Sim" All depends on budget." Of course, we discussed lots of other great choices/options...but these are the top three we kept coming back to.
He did.
He said, "1. Soulution. 2. Jeff Rowland. 3. Sim" All depends on budget." Of course, we discussed lots of other great choices/options...but these are the top three we kept coming back to.
Very cool, Mike. It sounds like he was able to confirm what much of your hard work and thorough research was able to find. That Soulution stuff looks mighty fine, both on paper and aesthetically.
- Thread Author
- #126
Thanks Sean. I was a little concerned about it's limited power, but he assured me he has heard the Soulution 501's driving D3's and it was "magnificent....one of the most dynamic systems in the world....while still sounding very musical."
That is even better he was able to comment on that. I know you were saying that controlling the woofers is one of the biggest priorities. Looks like this combo is one you surely have to take seriously.....this is getting very exciting.
- Thread Author
- #128
I know! Thanks Sean!! Admittedly, my favorite amp that I've ever heard is the D'Agostino monos. Nothing comes close IMO. I'm hoping its amazing on the D3's. But if not....I have a backup plan (Soulution).
It all sounds golden to me! Looking forward to highly anticipated deliveries.
the professor
Active member
I need to find some Soulution to listen to.
veindoc
Member
Mike, you seem on top of things and remember:
1) Formulate a plan
2) Execute that plan
3) And if plan doesn't work, Change that plan!
"The truth changes"
Nick
1) Formulate a plan
2) Execute that plan
3) And if plan doesn't work, Change that plan!
"The truth changes"
Nick
- Thread Author
- #133
I'm the Audiophile Buddist.....no attachment to gear!
That being said, I am taking a page out of your book. Audition, audition, audition.
Next up - a big demo of TADS in Orlando. Then on RMAF.
What I have found is that it is so important to weed out what you aren't fond of and keep copious notes.
Next up....room improvements, power improvements, cable improvements. The foundation.
veindoc
Member
Auditions in the long run will provide best chance for satisfaction. My guess is r friends from Switzerland will win this battle but I am excited to c who prevails. I know Thor loves nordost cables and conditioners.
Nick
Nick
- Thread Author
- #135
I think you're right.
socfan12
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Mike, when/where are you auditioning the Tads in Orlando? I'm in Disneyworld with the fam now, last full day tomorrow (tues). If you're available tomorrow, I'll try to get away for 1/2 day or so.
In either case, I look forward to what you think of the TADs. They are the speaker to beat IMO.
Mike, when/where are you auditioning the Tads in Orlando? I'm in Disneyworld with the fam now, last full day tomorrow (tues). If you're available tomorrow, I'll try to get away for 1/2 day or so.
In either case, I look forward to what you think of the TADs. They are the speaker to beat IMO.
+1 and :woot:
socfan12
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I totally agree Nick. But I'm finding it's harder to audition gear I'd like to try without traveling a good many hours, and then, only one or two pieces at best. In home auditions are even more difficult. Sigh.
kiwi_1282001
New member
Hi Guys,
I am new to this forum and have read this thread with some interest – and some concern.
I have been an owner of Raidho speakers for the past six years, initially the C-Series and more latterly the D-Series.
I would like to share some experience and facts – as I best understand them – about Raidho speakers and their amplification needs.
First up, Raidho speakers do not need hundreds of watts of power or damping factors into the thousands to sound their best. In fact, Raidho claim that their speakers are relatively easy to drive with impedance that does not dip much below 5 ohm. For this reason, Raidho advertise on their website the speakers to be tube friendly – but more on that later.
I have heard Raidho speakers sounding absolutely superb with a $3000 Sim Audio (Moon) integrated amplifier and that opinion was formed after passing several Kraftwerk tracks through them!
Further, I’ve read in this thread that “damping factor” is being used to explain subjective differences in woofer control. Some caution needs to be taken in walking that path because all damping represents is a ratio of impedances. But that is not the only factor involved. Global feedback includes the speaker in the feedback loop and so global feedback has a very large effect on the damping factor. It is the use of feedback that causes some switch mode amps to have insanely high damping factors. Further, it is generally acknowledged that you quickly reach a point of diminishing returns and that damping factors greater than about 30 will have little practical effect. In any case, this is usually a moot point because most speakers use passive crossovers that ruin the damping factor.
So that naturally leads to the question – if damping factor is largely specsmanship, why do we hear differences with different amplifiers bolted to the Raidhos? One possible answer and certainly my preferred one having employed Raidho speakers for the past six years – is that it comes down to the quality of amplifier design, in particular, the inclusion of an extremely robust (stiff) power supply which is capable of maintaining voltage even when output transistors are demanding large amounts of current. Since it is current that ultimately drives the cones in your loudspeakers back in forth it is actually the amplifiers power supply design, not some lofty and frequently misrepresented wattage moniker, which underpins perceptions of sound quality.
Other than Sim Audio (Canada), I have had great results using amplifiers from Gryphon Audio (Denmark) and surprisingly the relatively low cost Sanders Sound Systems (USA) Magtech and the extra-ordinarily low cost as in <US$500 integrated from NAD Electronics (Canada) . The common thread here is not the purchase price or the power output or the damping factor – but the well-designed power supplies sections with heavy metal transformers.
Circling back to tube amplification, I must say that so far I have not – despite Raidho’s public statement otherwise – had good results driving Raidho’s with tubes. My otherwise much loved Cary Audio (USA) 120 Watt (ultra linear) / 60 Watt (triode) power amplifier failed miserably. The only exception to this was a dealer system using a VTL (USA) S-400, a 100KG 400 Watt (into 4 ohm, tetrode mode) beast. Damping factor of 4 be damned – sonically, that hit the ball clean out of the stadium.
I am new to this forum and have read this thread with some interest – and some concern.
I have been an owner of Raidho speakers for the past six years, initially the C-Series and more latterly the D-Series.
I would like to share some experience and facts – as I best understand them – about Raidho speakers and their amplification needs.
First up, Raidho speakers do not need hundreds of watts of power or damping factors into the thousands to sound their best. In fact, Raidho claim that their speakers are relatively easy to drive with impedance that does not dip much below 5 ohm. For this reason, Raidho advertise on their website the speakers to be tube friendly – but more on that later.
I have heard Raidho speakers sounding absolutely superb with a $3000 Sim Audio (Moon) integrated amplifier and that opinion was formed after passing several Kraftwerk tracks through them!
Further, I’ve read in this thread that “damping factor” is being used to explain subjective differences in woofer control. Some caution needs to be taken in walking that path because all damping represents is a ratio of impedances. But that is not the only factor involved. Global feedback includes the speaker in the feedback loop and so global feedback has a very large effect on the damping factor. It is the use of feedback that causes some switch mode amps to have insanely high damping factors. Further, it is generally acknowledged that you quickly reach a point of diminishing returns and that damping factors greater than about 30 will have little practical effect. In any case, this is usually a moot point because most speakers use passive crossovers that ruin the damping factor.
So that naturally leads to the question – if damping factor is largely specsmanship, why do we hear differences with different amplifiers bolted to the Raidhos? One possible answer and certainly my preferred one having employed Raidho speakers for the past six years – is that it comes down to the quality of amplifier design, in particular, the inclusion of an extremely robust (stiff) power supply which is capable of maintaining voltage even when output transistors are demanding large amounts of current. Since it is current that ultimately drives the cones in your loudspeakers back in forth it is actually the amplifiers power supply design, not some lofty and frequently misrepresented wattage moniker, which underpins perceptions of sound quality.
Other than Sim Audio (Canada), I have had great results using amplifiers from Gryphon Audio (Denmark) and surprisingly the relatively low cost Sanders Sound Systems (USA) Magtech and the extra-ordinarily low cost as in <US$500 integrated from NAD Electronics (Canada) . The common thread here is not the purchase price or the power output or the damping factor – but the well-designed power supplies sections with heavy metal transformers.
Circling back to tube amplification, I must say that so far I have not – despite Raidho’s public statement otherwise – had good results driving Raidho’s with tubes. My otherwise much loved Cary Audio (USA) 120 Watt (ultra linear) / 60 Watt (triode) power amplifier failed miserably. The only exception to this was a dealer system using a VTL (USA) S-400, a 100KG 400 Watt (into 4 ohm, tetrode mode) beast. Damping factor of 4 be damned – sonically, that hit the ball clean out of the stadium.
- Thread Author
- #140
Hi Kiwi - welcome! Thanks for your comments. Very interesting reading. Have you had any experience with D'Agostino amps on Raidho D series speakers?