Atma-Sphere MA-1 amps

Hello Detlof,

Thanks for the kind and respectful response. It's nice to be able to discuss the audible differences we discern in components, agree or disagree, still have fun and learn from each others experience. BTW ... Hilary Hahn smokes!!!

I haven't heard it myself yet, but from what I know the Sound Lab/Atma-Sphere combo is becoming classic. I'm sure your system must sound fantastic.

Detlof, a live recording of a piano with a close up perspective may give you the best chance of experiencing what I heard. Something like a small jazz ensemble, recorded in a intimate night club played back at a "live" playback level. In particular, listen to the attack of piano notes about 2 and a half octaves above middle C and up. What I heard (at least) was a unnatural sharpness, glare, zippity-zing if you will on the attack of those notes. The sustained note also sounded too thin and glassy to me. I started to hear this treble abbreviation on a variety of instruments and recordings I'm familiar with.

Another thing I try to listen for is the density of timbre/texture as a sustained note gets louder. Take for instance, a tenor sax player who plays one sustained note, he starts the note out at a medium volume and increases it to a loud volume. The note doesn't just get louder, the density of the texture also becomes more vibrant and more harmonically complex, it fills with ebullient energy. To me, some other amps convey this sensation with more conviction.

Tim, I want to thank you also for sharing your experience. Who knows? Maybe it was still a break-in issue with the V-cap after all. Much of what you described about the V-cap break-in mirrors my experience. I think too many variables are at play here to know for certain.

Enjoy,
Tom

Hello Tom,

HH sure does. I am glad you agree. Thank you for your additional information. I'll go an researching. I suspect, my Wavac phono pre kindly glosses over the shortcomings you mentioned, without being euphonic though, as was the case with the old Jadis gear I once owned, because today I had the occasion to try out a Boulder 2008 phono pre amp and heard exactly what you did, fiddling wildly with the VTA of my cart with no avail. But then it may be the cable between cart and Boulder not yet broken in. We'll see, but you may very well have a point, because the Sound Labs should be no less revealing than the Avalons from what I have heard. We'll see, respective hear, after all this is a work in progress.
Cheers,
Detlof

A question for NOS tube users - Howoftendoyou change 6SN7s? I have a set coming this week. I'm just wondering if I'm starting a very expensive and unsustainable habit.

Which 6SN7's do you guys use?

I mix RCA GTA Grey glass with Sylvania GTBs. Some argue that mixing is a good approach.