mattjtaylor2809

Hi Ya, This is the SE version?

Hi Guys, Here is the reply from Dyn in regards to the impedance plot across frequencies... Anders Borbye (Dynaudio) Mar 30, 15:50 CEST Dear Matthew Taylor, Thank you for your inquiry. I think you misread the measurements the reviewers have done. the minimum impedance is measured at 3,5 ohm which is in accordance with the 4 ohm specification of the speaker. Over 200 Hz the impedance is in the area of 4,5 - 7,5 ohm which is a very easy load for a quality amplifier. The bass reflex tuning of the speaker means that there will be two peaks in the impedance curve below 100 Hz; at the woofer resonance and at the port resonance. This is what causes the phase angles in the bass where there is also a lot of energy. The reviewer translates this to a EDPR , a term I have never heard about, of 1,6 ohm. I can not confirm or deny this figure so I have no comments on it. Generally our speakers like power so no matter what amplifier you consider auditioning there should be power enough on tap. You seem to have set your mind on a valve amplifier, and with speakers like ours I think the differences in sound will be clear. Valve amps are very different, some have a sound that you typically associate with valves, and some just sounds very good without revealing that they are valve amps. So as always you should be listening carefully, preferably in your own room, before deciding. We can not recommend any particular brand or model of amplifier. There are numerous great amp out there and we have no chance of testing them all. We are not in any way affiliated with any amp manufacturer so we prefer to use different amps ourselves when testing. Please also read here about choosing an amplifier: https://dynaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204629422-Which-amplifier-would-you-recommend-for-my-Dynaudio-speaker- I hope this helps. Med venlig hilsen / Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüssen Anders Borbye Customer Care Manager If I'm reading this correctly, my speakers don't drop below 3.5 ohm but I have x2 peaks in the impedance curve below 100 Hz? Does this mean I will have x2 frequencies in which dB will be reduced, i.e. 40 & 75 Hz? Maybe this can explain the diff in bass response using SS vs Tube or voltage drive Vs current drive? I'm sure it's not that simple?

Hi Guys, Reply from Dynaudio about the charactoristics of my Focus 380's Anders Borbye (Dynaudio) Mar 30, 15:50 CEST Dear Matthew Taylor, Thank you for your inquiry. I think you misread the measurements the reviewers have done. the minimum impedance is measured at 3,5 ohm which is in accordance with the 4 ohm specification of the speaker. Over 200 Hz the impedance is in the area of 4,5 - 7,5 ohm which is a very easy load for a quality amplifier. The bass reflex tuning of the speaker means that there will be two peaks in the impedance curve below 100 Hz; at the woofer resonance and at the port resonance. This is what causes the phase angles in the bass where there is also a lot of energy. The reviewer translates this to a EDPR , a term I have never heard about, of 1,6 ohm. I can not confirm or deny this figure so I have no comments on it. Generally our speakers like power so no matter what amplifier you consider auditioning there should be power enough on tap. You seem to have set your mind on a valve amplifier, and with speakers like ours I think the differences in sound will be clear. Valve amps are very different, some have a sound that you typically associate with valves, and some just sounds very good without revealing that they are valve amps. So as always you should be listening carefully, preferably in your own room, before deciding. We can not recommend any particular brand or model of amplifier. There are numerous great amp out there and we have no chance of testing them all. We are not in any way affiliated with any amp manufacturer so we prefer to use different amps ourselves when testing. Please also read here about choosing an amplifier: https://dynaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204629422-Which-amplifier-would-you-recommend-for-my-Dynaudio-speaker- I hope this helps. Med venlig hilsen / Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüssen Anders Borbye Customer Care Manager This sounds encouraging in that it doesn't sound like my speakers dip below 3.5 ohm or have I read this wrong?

Just we're all clear, it's not me saying these things, it's this article which I only understand about 10% of it 😁 What seems to be a theme however is that if you have higher sensitive speakers, you have more options & from I heard using the two tube amps makes sense when reading about current drive (tube) & it's effects on the sound at both the lower & higher frequencies compared to voltage driven amplification (SS)...BUT I'm very new to this so maybe I've missed something here? Interesting discussion Cheers Matt

My current speakers are Dynaudio Focus 380's which possibly dip down to 1.6 ohm at 75 Hz so I appreciate my speakers are more than likely not designed for valve amplification but they did sound the best I've heard them with the LM-805iA (48 watt Class A SET) & very close 2nd with a PrimaLuna EVO 400 (70 watt UL/38 Watt Triode) so this is what's confusing me. I have written to Dyn audio & have asked them to better explain resistance Vs frequency response of my speakers & what tube implication they suggest, if any?

Interesting summary..... This fundamental difference of physics between Valve and Solid-state amps is rarely understood or referred to by the majority of self proclaimed audio experts, audiophile reviewers, text books, web sites or forums. Almost all explanations about differences between Valve and Solid-state amps is based on romantic subjective twaddle.

Wow, that’s expensive 😳. I’ve now replaced the output resisters & thankfully all is working well & I do notice a bump in output without any discernible reduction in SQ, if anything it sounds clearer, more detailed but that could be the PL EVO breaking in? Unfortuneatly I did get the chance to hook up the LM-805iA before @Grizzly, practicing the best social distancing retrieved said amp for a demo in Melbourne, how rude 😬. anyways, enjoying the sounds with my Pre definitely a few notches lower in volume compared to the factor resisters. Cheers all Matt

Ok, what does this thing do, just it just give the signal to the active speakers a tube sound?

My initial research was into changing over speaker to a higher sensitivity to give me more options...then for giggles I listened to the LM805-iA & this changed my mind but happy to look at both aspects. The main issue with speakers is my limited selection in SA & the it's difficult to home demo whereas home demo'ing power amps is easier but I'll do whatever is best to achieve the best sound, even if that means a tube pre (PS Audio BHK??) with powered speakers like ATC? Cheers Matt

Another option maybe the Icon Audio MB150? Specifications and Features • Comprehensive manual supplied • Full instructions for valve change included • All hand wired point to point • No printed circuit board to ‘colour’ sound • Class A, all Triode front end • Output circuit Ultralinear or Triode switchable* • 8x KT90/KT120′s precisely matched for best performance • 4x 6SN7 phase inverter valves • Standby switch to prevent cathode stripping on startup • Standby switch to save valve life and power. • Optional automatic HT delay to prevent cathode stripping • 150w RMS continuous per channel • 100 Watts RMS in Triode mode • Signal to noise level -100db • Freq response better than 20hz-20kHz +0 – 0.5db • Total harmonic distortion typically less than 0.1% 1khz • 4 & 8 ohm loudspeaker taps • Japanese steel EI transformers with low oxygen copper • Attractive valve cover included in the price • High quality 2W metal film, & wire-wound resistors • Blue LED mains indicator • Polypropylene audio capacitors • Silver PTFE audio cable • Custom hand wound output transformers • Big custom wound PSU Choke • Ceramic valve holders for minimum leakage • Centre tapped heater circuit for minimum hum • ‘Soft start’ device incorporated • Gold plated Input & speaker terminals • 400mv (high) & 1200mv (low) input sensitivity. • 230/240volts approx (115v available) • Consumption: 60w standby, 130w quiescent, 300w Max • CE, ROHS, WEEE compliant where applicable • Size in mm W200, D523 (560 overall), H195 (218 inc cover), 22kg ea. (For shipping cm: 36x32x66 (2) 25x31x42 52kg) Anyone had any experience with either of these mono blocks from Icon? Cheers Matt PS - I'll have a read of that article comparing SS with Valves.

This has always been my understanding, i.e. big SS amp do better with Dyn's so I never really bothered to investigate tube amplification.....but then I demo'd the LM-805iA I was just surprised how good everything sounded (bass weight, definition, holographic sound, huge soundscape, warm cuddles) with the 48 watt Class A SET it got me excited about tube amplification. What I don't want to do is spend $$$$ on a high powered tube amp that ends up sounding like a SS amp, so if I'm going to go down this road, I do need both the power to control my Dyn speakers with the tube sound (whatever that is...!). I think the Icon Audio monblocks maybe the ticket as they say they're Class A front end so this should give me the juice on tap for big dynamic swings?? Specifications and Features - Comprehensive manual supplied - All hand wired point to point - Class A, all Triode front end - Output Ultralinear (110W) or Triode (60W) switchable* - 4x KT120 matched valves (per pair) - 2x 6SL7 2x 6SN7 driving valves (per pair) - Signal to noise level -90db - Frequency response 20hz-20kHz +0 – 0.5db - THD typically less than 0.1% 1khz - 4 & 8 ohm loudspeaker taps - Beautiful valve cover included in the price - SCR hi fi audio capacitors - Silver plated pure copper PTFE audio cable - Tertiary winding output transformers - Big custom wound PSU with Choke - Gold plated Input & speaker terminals - 450mv (high) & 950mv (low) input sensitivity. - 230/240volts 200watts approx - Consumption: 38w standby, 88w quiescent, 200w Max - C E, ROHS

With the PrimaLuna I did think on occasion it struggled to keep up in either UL or Triode mode but I'm pretty sure it's new, out of the box & after a few days it seems to have settle down. With @Grizzly Line Magnetic LM805iA we didn't notice any collapse of sound stage or the bass loosing definition, even at 95 db+ playing all types of music, from Tool, Metallica & some classical so at the very least, the 48 watts of class A SET supplied by the LM seems enough juice......BUT, this was using the LM as an intergrated, it didn't seem to sound agood when installed as a power amp but I'll hook it up again & try once I've installed the new resisters to increase the output gain from my Ayre pre. Thanks for the heads up none the less.....I do plan to listen to as many amps as possible.

From my very limited listening to tubes I prefer the Class A SET sound & the LM @ 48 watts could just be enough to control my big Dyn's but when we hooked it up to my Ayre Pre as a power amp, something went missing in the sound? It could be the output gain in the standard Ayre KX-5 pre & 6 months ago I was going to install a different resister which should give me a 3-6 dB bump in gain. From Ayre... "We use non-ferrous PRP brand resistors and either 1/8 watt or ¼ watt. But you could use ½ watt too. It’s been my experience that the higher wattage resistors sound ever so slightly warmer than the smaller wattage… But they all sound fine." I bought x4 of the 1/2 watt from this crowd in the UK but I've not installed them as yet, but as I have a bit of time on my hands, I'll do this tomorrow. https://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/tantalums.html Replace the resister where the red arrow in pointing which is the output resister. From the Ayre Manual... Hugh - Thanks for the complements on the KX-5 Pre....I do agree it's a special piece of equipment. In terms of a suitable power amp, I think it's more to do with having the ability to grip & control my speakers which from listening to the LM-805iA suggests Class A & SET....or if not SET, one of the better designed SET in parallel designs, or maybe it's a 805 sound? Keen to listen to Audio Research & VTL, also Icon Audio MB150's or MB90 Mk2...but not sure how much of this I'll get done over the coming months as I think we've all got more important things on our hands (so wash them!!). Stay Safe everyone Matt BTW - The PrimaLuna EVO 400 is pretty nice, just not special but I have it for the rest of the week so I'll give it a bit more of a run.

GNFB - something to do with the ground/earth? I looked it up on google & all it came back with was Good Night FaceBook?

Just an update..... I demo'd a PL EVO 400 over the weekend & it was pretty nice, not as enveloping (nor did it have the grip/control on the bass) as the LM-805iA but it was certainly enough power at 85 dB (without any noticeable distortion). Initially I didn't like it but discovered it was in high bias mode which didn't match the low bias EL34's & once I changed this setting it improved dramatically. In terms of UL Vs Triode, apart from a drop in volume, I found it hard to determine any significant change in sound characteristics & found myself moving back to UL mode which just gave the music a bit more snap, bit, dynamics? If/When @Grizzly obtains the LM 150 watt integrated I'll give that a run but I'm not sure in this climate that will happen anytime soon! I will also entertain a home demo with an Icon Audio MB90 Mk2 mono blocks which have 110 watts UL & 60 Watts Triode Or their older MB150's? Cheers all & stay safe.