2. amps-preamps
  3. 1115858133

Subtlety ? do any American amps do it?

Not heard that many but it strikes me that everything from the colonies sounds a bit stark and bleached. Spent a year trying to come to terms with a Pass Labs which is vastly overated ( and I mean vastly), listened a lot
to Mark Levinson and thought Thank God I did not spend a fortune on that - clean, clear, hifi and so bereft of soul that it was like a visit to the Dentist !
I'm not that biased, it's taken Naim years to make something resembling music - PRAT ? until recently bunch of narrow minded PRATS.I know lots of Naim fans and their mindset belongs to the third reich !
UK companies like Meridian and Musical Fidelity have managed to do the bizz for at least 30 years that I've known/used and they still manage to make a noise that at least resembles real music. MF get tarred with a do it cheap brush but anyone who has heard their gear and says it's crap is probably a dealer who wants to sell you something at 3/4x the price.
The Brazilians do it a treat - Heard Audiopax 88s at the last Edinburgh show and if anyone there had ears, they should have packed up and went home - different league does not describe it.
Realise this is antagonistic but want some input.
Even the UK press seems blinkered to the crap - Pass, Krell
- whoah, nice hifi, shame there's nothing remotely musical involved, apart from the laughter as they take our hard earned money !

I have a Quicksilver phonostage - lovely and a great customer focused company, had a Lancelot Camelot, super and amazingly friendly & helpful people but go to the Big boys and it's just a money grabbing frenzy ?
I dreamed of a Pass Labs for years and ? my next amp will be coming from somewhere in Europe !

Si
simon74
simon74 OP
216 posts
 
Hmmn?
I got a lot of decent input from people who, I imagine read some of my other posts before deciding I was an idiot/troll.
Checking some of the personal comments, generally their posts (and systems) show - a slight ?????
My next post will be more mundane - customer service practices of shipping companies, cheers
Si
biomimetic
252 posts
 
Wasn't meaning to imply anything.
simon74 OP
216 posts
 
Hi there,
Bio, didn't think you were. You made an interesting observation which I was unaware of.
I was refering to some prior posts.
I think this thread has run it's course - have a new Supratek to play with so back to the music.
Si
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
Hi Si

I can only guess that your experience with American amps is very limited. Many of the tube variety American amps are the best I've heard at producing subtlety, prat and natural dynamic shadings. They include Atma-sphere, Joule Electra, Transcendent OTL amps and the Berning ZH-270 tube amp with the radical impedance converter. All these amps are at the front of the class in terms of the criteria you suggested were missing from American amps. Of course they would be limited in many applications due to their design excepting perhaps the Berning which is unlike any amp tube or ss.

As far as SS amps are concerned I am not sure which Pass amp you are referring to but I found the Aelph series excellent in all the applications I've heard. Maybe missing a bit of impact in the bass but making up in nuance, and a wonderful balance without being strident as most ss amps become sounding to me over the long haul. Most European and many Canadian products are overpriced here in the states and I don't feel they compare favorably value wise to their American peers. I also have a Supratek Syrah, nice pre for the money. You must listen to the Berning, it will awe you, especially at its price point. ;^)

Cheers
simon74 OP
216 posts
 
Hi Tubegroover,
I'm sure there are lots of brilliant american amps but chances of hearing them over here are pretty much nil.
Only one dealer in Scotland stocks high end US gear and you
can imagine the prices - straight dollar to pound equivalent.
Hoping soon to get over to visit friends I've made on Gon and have a good old listen.
The Syrah introduces a lot of what has been missing with the Pass so I may have been a bit harsh on it.
Message there, don't blame the messenger !
Looking at the price of some of the tubes for the Syrah,
I think I'll make do with the ones it came with !
Rgds Si
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