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First Watt: current vs voltage

Hi All,

I'm interested in giving First Watt a try. I have Audio Note AN-E speakers, which are efficient, I like SET sound, and I'm intrigued by the approach of First Watt.

However, in man places I read that First Watt are current amps (in opposed to voltage amps) and thus they can only be used with single drivers speakers.

Is this the case for all of them?

Is there a model that will work well with my AN-E?

Thanks,
Walfredo
walfredo
rwwear
2,692 posts
 
What Carver did was supposed to make the amp sound like a current source but it didn't actually make it one if I remember correctly. I don't believe adding resistance will do anything except possibly change your crossover and burn up more power driving the resistors.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I guess I was misled by the 405 output pattern, which was, according to a test in HIFI Choice no. 14: 115/90/32 on right channel and 115/81/28 on the left at one Kz at one percent distortion for 8/4/2 ohms. The Sansui 919 in the same issue did 145/217/288 and 164/210/264. The 8 ohm power is fairly close but the pattern is quite different. They commented " Steady state drive into low impedences was very well maintained, and on toneburst approched the theoretical 'voltage source' ideal. Since the 405 was so different I assumed it was not a voltage source amp.
chakster's avatar
chakster
2,482 posts
 
@roscoeiii 

  The First Watt amps are great. I have tried most of the F models, with the current source models (especially the F2J) and the F3 being my faves. But of course this is with my speakers and my listening preferences...

Hello, may i ask which preamp you've been using with F2J ?
Are you familiar with Pass Aleph series?
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