Soulution 711

Tech talk:

First the input stage voltage amplifier which has a cut-off frequency of 80 megahertz, and is then subdivided into:

A error amp that receives the feedback signal, but will not contribute to the amplification.
And the actual zero-feedback with 20x voltage amplification.

The output current stage comprises 14 bipolar power transistors per channel, all mounted onto a massive copper rail which is temperature controlled for a constant quiescent current. The soulution 711‘s impressive low level signal handling is reflected in its raw power delivery. Current levels of 120A and more are readily attainable.

There's no global/overall feedback in any Soulution amps.


From TAS:

"This speed or bandwidth has nothing to do with the MHz-range frequencies that can be reproduced by such an amplifier; the bandwidth is required to make the “feedback loops” of solid-state designs work properly. “Feedback loops” compare the amplified music signal at the output with the input signal. Due to the fact that the music signal is constantly changing, the time delay (propagation delay) of the amplifier must be zero; otherwise, applying feedback will add timing errors to the music signal. In other words, if the propagation delay is not zero or close to zero the “feedback loop” will be comparing apples at the output to oranges at the input.

Big solid-state amplifiers can have propagation delays of 1–5 microseconds. Now, the period of a 20kHz sine wave is 50 microseconds. Under these conditions such timing errors are significant—and they get even worse for higher frequencies. The Soulution amplifiers work with an overall propagation delay of 5–10 nanoseconds. This is up to 1000 times faster than other amplifiers. The voltage amplification stage—where we apply the most negative feedback—runs at 80MHz bandwidth and has a propagation delay of 1–2 nanoseconds. Since the timing errors of the Soulution amplifiers are negligible, this gives us the opportunity to apply as much negative “feedback” as we need wherever it is required in the amplifier without reducing sonic performance. This is how we can lower distortion to never-before-seen levels."
 
sharkmouth said:
Mark, thats what I was thinking too, because....., it's still negative feedback = noise. But, i will say that Soulution sure is sharp. Who knows, maybe it is a goody.
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I spent 30 years hating anything using negative feedback due to the terrible sounding, low distortion, high negative feedback stuff of the late 70's early 80's until I studied what these guys are doing at the super high frequencies. Now the way I think of it is "slow" negative feedback = noise; "ultra-fast" negative feedback causes no time delay and no noise. I never dreamed I would change my mind on this but the more I see some of these cutting edge contrarian approaches the more I realize its not the approach its the execution. Same could be said of the switch mode power supplies Soulution is now using.
 
I'm a Soulution as most of you know. But I do not know a whole lot about their design. All I know is when I became a dealer Arturo told me they are doing things completely different than any other amp manufacturer. All I know is they make great sounding gear. I think too many people get caught up in the specs of an amplifier or preamp instead of just listening to the gear with your ears. One of my favorite amplifiers doesn't look good on paper and specs say it should not control the bass well but it is just the opposite of what it says on paper. It controls the bass as good as anything I have heard. The signal to noise ratio is also horrible but it's one of the quietest amplifiers I have heard. I read a bunch of soulution bashing on another forum and all they were doing was
bashing the equipment based off the specs and the power supply and other internal parts that they were using. 90% of those people have not even listen to it. I know all of these things are part of the fun of the hobby but my point is just listen with your ears instead of trying to match equipment based off of specifications or design philosophy. I have said many times how fast certain amplifiers are such as soulution and Hegel But I have never looked at the slew rate to make that determination. I can hear it with my ears. The solution especially has a tremendous ability to stop and start back up. This is the reason I feel they have such great control and separation with the instruments. I don't know if a 520 soulution should work with a Hegel H30 on paper, but I do know it is an amazing combination. I am fairly new in the two channel side of this audio business so I'm not as educated on some of these things as most of you guys are so I have to just listen and learn as I go
 
FlexibleAudio said:
I spent 30 years hating anything using negative feedback due to the terrible sounding, low distortion, high negative feedback stuff of the late 70's early 80's until I studied what these guys are doing at the super high frequencies. Now the way I think of it is "slow" negative feedback = noise; "ultra-fast" negative feedback causes no time delay and no noise. I never dreamed I would change my mind on this but the more I see some of these cutting edge contrarian approaches the more I realize its not the approach its the execution. Same could be said of the switch mode power supplies Soulution is now using.
Click to expand...

Design Audio Video said:
I'm a Soulution as most of you know. But I do not know a whole lot about their design. All I know is when I became a dealer Arturo told me they are doing things completely different than any other amp manufacturer. All I know is they make great sounding gear. I think too many people get caught up in the specs of an amplifier or preamp instead of just listening to the gear with your ears. One of my favorite amplifiers doesn't look good on paper and specs say it should not control the bass well but it is just the opposite of what it says on paper. It controls the bass as good as anything I have heard. The signal to noise ratio is also horrible but it's one of the quietest amplifiers I have heard. I read a bunch of soulution bashing on another forum and all they were doing was
bashing the equipment based off the specs and the power supply and other internal parts that they were using. 90% of those people have not even listen to it. I know all of these things are part of the fun of the hobby but my point is just listen with your ears instead of trying to match equipment based off of specifications or design philosophy. I have said many times how fast certain amplifiers are such as soulution and Hegel But I have never looked at the slew rate to make that determination. I can hear it with my ears. The solution especially has a tremendous ability to stop and start back up. This is the reason I feel they have such great control and separation with the instruments. I don't know if a 520 soulution should work with a Hegel H30 on paper, but I do know it is an amazing combination. I am fairly new in the two channel side of this audio business so I'm not as educated on some of these things as most of you guys are so I have to just listen and learn as I go
Click to expand...
I am in total agreement with the both of you. It wasn't until I'd ordered my 520 that I found out about the smps in it, my Meitner MA-1 has smps too. The proof is in the listening & whenever I go to listen to someone else's system I ask if they'd like me to bring the pre-amp, always get a yes & never a bad comment, quite the opposite actually
 
so with all that enormous control in the bass....does the bass sound thin or full enough?

what your thoughts about a combination of 711 and levinson no.32..........or 711 and direct from nagra hd dac...?
 
ahh i forgot the most important question.......

711 vs pass xa 160.8

any experiances...thoughts ?
i know its something like 70k vs 30k...........here in europe its something like 45 vs 30.
so without thinking about the price, like if someone offers you one for free.....which one would you take?
 
This year two soulution products got honored with the Golden Ear Award by The Absolute Sound!

Soulution 701 Power Amplifier (by Robert Harely)
A pair of power amplifiers that cost more than a Mercedes S-Class? Yes, but if you have the dough, I doubt that you’ll find a more musically compelling amplifier on the planet. The massive 701s break new ground in sheer dynamic verve and vivid immediacy. Although not forward –sounding, the 701s convey a sensational lifelike presence in both timbre and dynamics that put them in a class by themselves. Instrumental entrances fairly jump from the loudspeakers with hair-raising realism. And then there’s the phenomenal bass that must be heard to be believed. These amplifiers have a bottom-of-the-earth solidity and dynamic impact unlike any amplifier I’ve heard. The soulution 701 are mega-priced, but they also deliver mega-performance. (Review forthcoming)

Soulution 711 Amplifier (by Jonathan Valin)
This stereo version of the monoblocks Robert is also gracing with a Golden Ear Award is quite possibly the most exiting solid-state stereo amplifier I’ve heard in my home. Don’t let the 140Wpc power rating fool you – this thing is capable of virtually unlimited current and amperage regardless of the load. Dark and rich in tone color, blessed with tube-like dimensionality and bloom, sweet and subtle in the treble, immensely powerful and wonderfully well-defined in the bass, ultra-fast on transients, superb on resolving inner detail, with a sound-stage the size of the Ritz, I really don’t think the 711 has a weakness – or if it does I’m not hearing it with the Raidho D-5s. Other solid-state amplifiers may give you different sonic emphases – the less expensive Constellation Centaur, for example, isn’t as dark in tonal balance and it is at least as quick an detailed – and tubes and tube-hybrids (such as Sihltech’s marvellous SAGA System) obviously have their own unique charms, but overall I’ve not heard a solid-state amp that is more thrilling powerful or ravishingly beautiful or consistently lifelike than this beastie boy from Zurich. (Review forthcoming)
 
wizard said:
This year two soulution products got honored with the Golden Ear Award by The Absolute Sound!

Soulution 701 Power Amplifier (by Robert Harely)
A pair of power amplifiers that cost more than a Mercedes S-Class? Yes, but if you have the dough, I doubt that you’ll find a more musically compelling amplifier on the planet. The massive 701s break new ground in sheer dynamic verve and vivid immediacy. Although not forward –sounding, the 701s convey a sensational lifelike presence in both timbre and dynamics that put them in a class by themselves. Instrumental entrances fairly jump from the loudspeakers with hair-raising realism. And then there’s the phenomenal bass that must be heard to be believed. These amplifiers have a bottom-of-the-earth solidity and dynamic impact unlike any amplifier I’ve heard. The soulution 701 are mega-priced, but they also deliver mega-performance. (Review forthcoming)

Soulution 711 Amplifier (by Jonathan Valin)
This stereo version of the monoblocks Robert is also gracing with a Golden Ear Award is quite possibly the most exiting solid-state stereo amplifier I’ve heard in my home. Don’t let the 140Wpc power rating fool you – this thing is capable of virtually unlimited current and amperage regardless of the load. Dark and rich in tone color, blessed with tube-like dimensionality and bloom, sweet and subtle in the treble, immensely powerful and wonderfully well-defined in the bass, ultra-fast on transients, superb on resolving inner detail, with a sound-stage the size of the Ritz, I really don’t think the 711 has a weakness – or if it does I’m not hearing it with the Raidho D-5s. Other solid-state amplifiers may give you different sonic emphases – the less expensive Constellation Centaur, for example, isn’t as dark in tonal balance and it is at least as quick an detailed – and tubes and tube-hybrids (such as Sihltech’s marvellous SAGA System) obviously have their own unique charms, but overall I’ve not heard a solid-state amp that is more thrilling powerful or ravishingly beautiful or consistently lifelike than this beastie boy from Zurich. (Review forthcoming)
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting.
 
I have used the ML No52 with the 711 and it sounded very good but I have noticed that to get the best performance and synergy out of solution amplifiers you need to use a solution preamp.
 
The Soulution preamp 520, in my room with the Hegel H30 is a great combination. I do not think the XA160.8 would be a match for the 711. I think the XS series would be a much more appropriate comparison.
 
Design Audio Video said:
I have used the ML No52 with the 711 and it sounded very good but I have noticed that to get the best performance and synergy out of solution amplifiers you need to use a solution preamp.
Click to expand...

David,

To get the best out of any amp you need to use a Soulution preamp......but of course I am not biased. :lol: or maybe this one :snicker:
 
thx a LOT for all the information.

yes, i am convinced too that a 725 would be the right preamp.....the 711 alone would already stretch my budget.......so the 725 maybe a couple yers later as a second hand.

david, so for you the 711 is about in the same leage as the pass xs soundwise....or is it meant pricewise?
 
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