10-28-06: Tbg
Much to my disbelief I have no tubes in my system. I kind of evolve into this, first with the solid state H-Cat P12 line stage, but then I moved to the Esoteric X-01 Limited sacd player, and finally the LSA/Exemplar Statement amp. Tbg, doesn't the LSA/Exemplar Statement amplifier have a 6DJ8/6922 tubed preamp section? 09-20-06: Lrsky
These are stock units, that being the Reference, all QC'd by our Seattle facility, John's facility, then an upgrade to the preamp section only, the Signature Edition, with the final upgrade being to STATEMENT Version, which is a full exchange of parts in all areas, replacing inexpensive op amps, utilizing Active Tube Loads, stabilizing the tubes into the 4/6 MHZ region, generally unheard of. |
Tvad, yes the amp is still integrated but it also allows bypassing the line stage. Briefly I used the line stage. While it is okay, it is not state-of-the-art. I must say that I was surprised by this. It may suggest how superior the H-Cat is.
At the RMAF I heard the Statement amp driven by the Exemplar cd player and the Exemplar external power supply linestage. The speakers were the LSA Model 10s. All I can say is wow, but the speakers are beyond my means. |
Thanks for the info, Tbg. You're the first to comment on the Exemplar/LSA system at RMAF. Which Exemplar CD player was being used. You may or may not recall I am using an Exemplar Denon 3910 with the balanced output option.
It's interesing to me that you bypassed the linestage of the LSA Statement amp (and that LSA Group did the same at RMAF). Not insofar as I doubt your preference because I don't, but rather because I thought this was the primary area of improvment/redesign by John Tucker to the LSA integrated. |
I highly recommend a used Audio Research 100.2
Do a search on these forums for some incredible testimonials!
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1149377337&read&3&4&
Good Luck! |
Certainly the original efforts by John to improve the reference amp were to strengthen the line stage. The Statement, however, is directed toward the amp, which John found well conceived. It would make a good deal of sense to merely do another amp without the line stage, but that would be expensive and some may want to use it as an integrated amp.
The Usher cd player which will apparently not be imported into the US serves as the basis of the LSA unit I heard.
Unfortunately, LSA made a late decision to attend RMAF and thus their electronics were in their room and the exceptional Model 10 speakers were in Lloyd Walker's room, not driven by LSA electronics. I heard a late night demonstration where the LSA equipment was brought in. |
