OTL amplifiers

Oh boy, where to begin? Firstly, I should say that I have been an Atmasphere S30 owner for the past 4 years. It is simply the best amp I have owned. They have a speed and transparency that, IMHO, no transformer-based amp can match.

The original futterman design and the NYAL clones of Harvey Rosenberg where notoriously unreliable and unfortunatly this reputation plagues current OTL manufacturers to this day. I only have experience with atmasphere(AS) which has run flawlessly. AS/tenor/joule amps are NOT futterman designs/clones and it's unfair to lump them together under the banner of "OTL".

Regarding the heat issue, any class A amp, like AS, will run hot. This includes tube or solid state. Yes, the big AS amps (225 and 140 watts/ch mono) can mimic "space heaters" but in actuality, it is my understanding, that they run only 10% hotter than their class A solid state equivilents.

The big AS amps will drive 4 ohm loads easily. With the S30 and M60, speakers have to be chosen more carefully.

Finally, about price. My S30, as optioned, went for $3150. It smoked a pair of well known SET mono's that went for $6000. I don't want to call AS amps "bargins" because they are expensive, but for what you get I do think they are one of audio's best values.

One of the reasons I purchased Atma-Sphere M-60 amps was low tube cost. A speaker that is a good impedance match is a good idea, but can be overcome with the use of ZERO autoformers ZERO Autoformer Website. I couldn't be happier with the performance of my amp/speaker duo without the autoformers however. The Atma-Sphere's do everything I could ask for. I think they're incredible and I love them. In fact, they gave me the same warm fuzzy feeling I had when I met my wife.

I will have to agree with your Mar. I would also include resto of the Hi Fi products into the same category: OVERPRICED!

I currently have a pair of Tenors. My last amps
were Bat 150se's. Both amps are very good, but
there is a thing that the OTL does that makes
you smile every time you listen to them. I'm using
Verity Parsifal Encore speakers(4 ohm) and the
Tenors do just fine in a medium sized room. They
do run out of steam at loud volume, but at that
level I'm sure there is some ear damage happening
anyway. You just have to hear OTL's matched to the right speakers.

Fuzzy feeling....I loved that. You are a lucky man, Wellfed. Hope you have it again and again and off the same sources!
Clueless, yes, those were wild and reckless days, there was hype of course, as always, but it was less brash, less cynical and Fulton was the only one with cables and a little later Mark Levinson, the man, before ML became Madrigal, his by the way were made in Switzerland. Futterman died much too early. Harvey did the repairing but mine never made it, because he was again in one of his bankruptcies. ( Did not have enough grannies, obviously )
Cheers,