Sophia Electric Baby Amp

[RGA]

I'm guessing that was a typo... Did you mean "defy"?

If a brand is going to manufacture SET amps clearly it isn't interested in best practices. I really can't wait to compare AN's eccentric approach to textbook brands like Revel. Should be loads of fun to see which sound I prefer.

It should be define IMO - other makers have been selling the notion that "cheap" is "better" for years. It's easier and "cheaper" to "market" some white papers than use more expensive time consuming and higher failure to produce parts. Profits over quality any day.

[RGA]

This is all true enough, however MDF is a "deader" material than plywood and therefore favored for current "best practice" speaker construction over plywood or just about any other, non-exotic material.

I am sure that most of the industry believes it to be "best practice" and you know what I am feeling like extending the olive branch today. I am quite happy to say that Yup at is best practice.



err but, maybe AN is just


"Better than the Best - Practice"




After all - Perfect sound forever was 14 bit CD reproduction - and if perfect can be improved so can "best practices"

[YBArcam]

There is a reason I always use this forum review of the guy who owned SS and owned top of the line Bryston and PMC and decided to bring home a much less expensive AN system. Why do I bring it up? Simple because Bryston is about as Solid State sounding as solid state gets. It's all about accuracy (ahem) and PMC is a professional grade monitoring company(hey that's what PMC stands for after all) that makes studio speakers and active monitors. This guy had the best of both.

Interesting thread. Just thought I'd point out something, that PMC does not make true active speakers. They make powered speakers, using a Bryston amp that feeds the signal into a crossover (passive) and then to the drivers. Many would not consider this to be an active speaker because it does not feature an active crossover.

I would certainly like to hear a SET amp running high efficiency speakers, and will likely purchase speakers from either Zu, Tekton, or Brines someday to do so. Open baffle (in the right room) is another thing I'd probably like to own one day.

I have grown frustrated lately with my system. Yes, it's the same old ss amp running into passive box speakers of average efficiency...similar to what 8 out of 10 audiophiles own. Though I think the amp is one of the better examples of ss design. Right now I've got a pair of PMC TB2i running, rather than the Castles showing in my sig (which I still own). I think I prefer the Castles though. They have won out over many other speakers I've tried. As they aren't worth a lot selling them makes little sense.

Both speakers are enjoyable. When I listen to either everything seems right...driver integration, frequency balance, clarity, dynamics, pace, rhythm, and timing, tone, openness (the latter two are done better with the TB2i). I can't really point to something and say, "that sounds wrong". Yet, something is missing as I'm not as engaged in the music as I know I could be. I could continue on the merry-go-round, trying other amps and speakers. At some point one realizes that buying the same kind of gear likely isn't going to change things drastically.

I have decided to go the active route by picking up a pair of Quad 12L actives. Unlike PMC they feature an active crossover. There are better active speakers (Focal makes a couple), but for the price on the used market the 12L is a great way to try actives. And it will be easier for me to try an active speaker as I can simply plop it right into my system using the Exposure's pre-outs, as opposed to buying a HE speaker and a SET amp (which would cost more money).

I think active speakers overcome some of what you guys overcome by running SET amps into HE speakers. It does away with the passive crossover (there are many articles online about the pitfalls of a passive crossover splitting a high level signal, and how using an active crossover on a low level signal all but eliminates these issues, not to mention biamping which is also a plus). In a nutshell, greater efficiency and reduced phase and timing issues, with better micro and macro dynamics.

I wish I knew what kind of amps Quad uses in the 12L. There is one thread on AA where someone had opened up the 12L and he said the amps are single ended. I have not been able to verify this elsewhere though. I'd love it if they were a single ended design with minimal feedback used. In any case, hopefully this is a positive change for me. Who knows, if it is then I might even try tubes by plunking a tube pre in front of the Quads.

[Poultrygeist]

"Open baffles ( in the right room )" - OB speakers are far less room dependent than box speakers

[YBArcam]

Good point, I think I read that somewhere (maybe from one of your earlier posts!). But they can be quite large themselves, right? I'm sure I'd require more space just to place them, though I guess that would ultimately depend on which OB speaker I chose.

[Poultrygeist]

My rustic DIY OB Tang Band/H-Frame Alphas take up less space than the Zu Omens and in my 4 windowed acoustically challenged room sounded better. I sold the Omens.

Sounds like you may be taking a detour from SET/HE FR but you'll eventually get there.

[YBArcam]

Really, they are that small? They look relatively large in the pics you posted, but I can see how that might just be an illusion..

Yes, I will probably get to HE and SET eventually, but for now I'm eager to listen to the active Quads. Many out there swear by active speakers so it's possible I might just turn into one of them.

[Poultrygeist]

The only active speakers I've heard are my son-in-law's Meridians. The only way I'd swap for those would be to sell'em and build more FR OB's.

[YBArcam]

Meridian is supposed to be one of the best, AFAIK. FR OB's are clearly your thing Poultry. I am hoping that actives are mine. Even if they aren't what I own long term, if they are a step in the right direction then I'll be happy. I owned the 12L actives for a short time a few years ago but sold them when I just *had* to try something else. I only got maybe five hours out of them. It was silly to buy and sell them like that. I quite liked what I heard though, as they were breaking in, and always intended to give actives a more fair shot eventually. I guess that time is now.