New SAKSA amp

[nzlowie]

Has anyone heard Hugh Dean's new SAKSA amp?

If so I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[andyr]

Yes, I have been able to listen to it a couple of times. 

 

Very quiet, great sound - all the way through the frequency spectrum.  Probably better than my NAKSA 80s ... but as I only recently upgraded to these at the end of last year, I won't be replacing them with SAKSAs any time soon. 

 

 

Andy

 

 

 

[~Spyne~]

@andyr , you say NAKSA 80s, plural. Are you running 2, each one bridged to act as a mono amp or some other configuration?

[andyr]

2 hours ago, ~Spyne~ said:

... or some other configuration?

 

I run my Maggies 3-way active ... so I have 2x amp boxes - one behind each Maggie bass panel.

 

Each amp box contains:

• a (mono) Soraya module driving the bass panel - and its PS
• a (stereo) N80 driving the mid panel and ribbon.

 

So I have, in effect, 3x stereo AKSA amps.

 

BTW, you can't bridge AKSA amps - now not a problem as the NAKSA and Maya ranges extend to over 200wpc, I believe.

 

 

Andy

Edited September 8, 2016 by andyr

[buddyev]

I'll be investigating one of these shortly for my B&Ws.

I wish he'd put some info on the website.

[Gordon Macfarlane]

What is the output power and current rating for these amps ?

[andyr]

48 minutes ago, buddyev said:

I'll be investigating one of these shortly for my B&Ws.

I wish he'd put some info on the website.

 

Unfortunately, Russ, Hugh gets his kicks from sitting at the computer designing ever more wonderful-sounding amps ... not updating his web-site ... so he can actually sell any of them. 

 

So you need to contact him and go over to his place to borrow an amp, to run with your B&Ws.  He's in Rosanna - so not too far.

 

45 minutes ago, Ozcall said:

 

What is the output power and current rating for these amps ?

 

 

AIUI, 'Maya' ranges from 100 - 200w (into 8 ohms).  Performance into 4 ohms doesn't quite double.

'NAKSA' has a similar power range.

'SAKSA' is, I think, 85w into 8 ohms.

 

You will have to ask Hugh about the current rating of the various amps - as obviously, this is dependent on:

• the PS
• the output devices used. 

I seem to remember he has told me that the MOSFETs used in the higher-power amps can pass 40a of current.

 

 

Regards,

 

Andy

 

[buddyev]

Yes, @Andyr, I'm planning to go see him when I get back from my trip. It was good to meet him at your place - he's very impressive and he seems to be a very decent guy. 

[~Spyne~]

I'm trying to organise if we're both free next weekend so I can listen to some of his amps. I might be going with a SAKSA 85 to pair with Clay's new Klein DAC-Pre

[myskylab]

I`m looking foward to recieving my Saksa 85, hopefully by the end of the week............. can`t wait

Edited September 10, 2016 by myskylab

[buddyev]

5 hours ago, myskylab said:

I`m looking foward to recieving my Saksa 85, hopefully by the end of the week............. can`t wait

Great,Tim.  I'd be very interested in your opinion. Please give us a report on it. 

Are you getting a kit or a completed integrated amp?

Edited September 10, 2016 by buddyev

[myskylab]

Built by the master

[mwhouston]

On 8 September 2016 at 0:05 PM, andyr said:

Yes, I have been able to listen to it a couple of times. 

 

Very quiet, great sound - all the way through the frequency spectrum.  Probably better than my NAKSA 80s ... but as I only recently upgraded to these at the end of last year, I won't be replacing them with SAKSAs any time soon. 

 

 

Andy

 

 

 

Did you have the ICE amps also or am I confusing you with another? And if it is you up have you done a comparison?

 

I've met up with Hugh a number of times. He was great guide when I was getting back into building valve amps after a few years off. His amps use to have bipolar power transistors but now all FET based. He claims he was having problems getting good transistors for this amps. 

 

He is always looking at diffent schematic. configurations and I think a drive to go for 80W amps was an effort to reduce stages. I sort of remember some conversation about how he could achieve a better sounding amp with fewer stages.  

 

 

I must admit I have not spent a lot of time listening to his latter creations and I should. 

[andyr]

Comments below, in blue, Mark.

 

Andy

 

 

2 hours ago, mwhouston said:

Did you have the ICE amps also or am I confusing you with another?  No I have never had any ICE amps - digital amps are not listenable to, for mids and tweeters IMO ... I prefer to pay more for a better-sounding Class A/B amp.     But I do now have 800w Hypex plate amps in my system, driving my new subs  These are obviously Class D and do a very good job - but, interestingly, they use a linear PS.

 

And if it is you, have you done a comparison?

 

I've met up with Hugh a number of times. He was great guide when I was getting back into building valve amps after a few years off. His amps use to have bipolar power transistors but now all FET based. He claims he was having problems getting good transistors for this amps.

 

He is always looking at different schematic configurations and I think a drive to go for 80W amps was an effort to reduce stages. I sort of remember some conversation about how he could achieve a better sounding amp with fewer stages.  I think it was more that his earlier (transistor-based) 100w amps used 2 output devices per channel - which meant problems with matching them.  Now he uses MOSFETs which can pass huge amounts of current and several hundred watts (if the DC rails are high enough) - so he only needs to use 1 output device per channel.  AIUI, his new Maya amp uses the same o/p MOSFETs for 100w or 300w ... he simply uses a bigger power transformer, higher DC rails and more PS capacitance in the higher-power version.

 

 

 

Quote

 

I must admit I have not spent a lot of time listening to his latter creations and I should.  You might find it interesting. 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2016 by andyr

[myskylab]

Saksa 85 posted today, will add more pctures and thoughts  next week.

[mwhouston]

Looks good.

[Hugh Dean]

Tim,

Would you like to offer a few comments on your new SAKSA?

I'm hoping it pleases you!

Hugh

[mwhouston]

46 minutes ago, AKSA said:

Tim,

Would you like to offer a few comments on your new SAKSA?

I'm hoping it pleases you!

Hugh

Hugh, can you tell us a little about the amp, design goals, concept, parts selection?

 

Did you have a demographic in mind when designing the amp?

 

Was there something you want to achieve with this amp which you hadn't succeeded with others? 

 

NFB?

[myskylab]

Hi Hugh,

 

Well the Saksa 85 has been in the house for a few days, its partner is a hot rodded GK-1 and the sound is just fantastic they make beautiful toe tapping music together. As I have only ever spoken to Hugh a true gentleman I must say and the amp was purchased sight un seen so to speak it was a gamble that has paid off. Straight out of the box it settled in nicely showing that it could handle anything that was played, it is precise, dark as in so quiet, good sound stage width and depth with more to come I would say. Will comment again in a couple of weeks after it really settles in cheers Tim

[Hugh Dean]

Thank you Tim!  I am pleased you are happy with his amp, that it's performing well partnered to my GK1!  You have the 'aspen' sound now!

Mark,

How long is a piece of string?  Describing the SAKSA could take 2000 words, but I will keep it short.  This is an evolution from the AKSA (2000), the Lifeforce (2005), the Soraya (2006), recently the NAKSA 70 (2010), the NAKSA 80 (2012) and the output stage of the Maya (2015).  These models were designed with key concepts I'd found that promoted musicality, imaging (stereo field), clarity and robustness.  Much of this comes from fast devices, scrupulous care to the harmonic profile produced by the amplification process.  All amps create THD;  the trick is to control the proportions of the harmonics.

To summarize:

1.  Four stage Class AB bipolar/mosfet amplifier with diff pair input, Lender SE voltage amp, SE impedance transformer (constant power, single bipolar), bipolar bootstrap drive, complementary 2x280W mosfet output stage.

2.  Front end is a LTP with modified stage source.  This offers outstanding offset control, zero thump turn-on and flexible input impedance.  This stage has predominating H2 and H4 harmonics.

3.  The voltage amplifier (VAS) is a fast, high beta device operating at 1.5mA.  It is driven both at base and emitter.  This delivers accuracy, low phase shift, and very low distortion.  This is the heart of the amp.

4.  An impedance transformer, an emitter follower, takes the VAS output at very small drive and turns it into a low impedance output stage to drive the outputs.  This device operates at constant current and voltage, so has 100% linearity.  Strong drive is needed for the hungry gates on the push pull output stage.

5.  In the first three stages the signal is single ended.  In the output stage we split it to achieve PP operation with Class AB efficiency.  I use high power output mosfets with great care to prevent self-oscillation, which destroys most mosfet in the field.  Careful use of gate stoppers and snubbers from gate to drain make this a very, very stable and powerful output stage that I use in many amps these days.  These devices have only become available in the last 15 years, and use up to 1040W monsters in my larger amps.  You cannot break them;  they are used in electric vehicles, for example, and ideal for audio as they have very, very high transconductance which depresses the usual compressive distortions of Class AB amps.

 

The layout of the SAKSA (and indeed the Maya) has also been through evolution.  As time has passed I've become more expert at layout and pcb design.  The SAKSA was designed with economy in mind so in this country I could build it quickly into a box, with the large, single pcb assembled in a factory to exploit smd componentry and high reliability soldering.  This is necessary to compete with the Far East products, which are setting the bar for all western manufacturers.  My aim was always to produce an economical product I could sell at a profit into a highly competitive market.  This was only possible if the actual sound of the product was superior to most other products;  I have dedicate my last 25 years to get to the bottom of finding what sounds good in amps, and develop it for sale at a moderate price whilst enjoying the journey.  I am not a leader, but not a follower either, and I had been convinced that the available products in the market were aiming at the wrong target (very low THD, good specs).  This has been a bonanza for me intellectually, my amps are technically unique, and because my products sound almost like tube amps, they give you the drive muscle using modern solid state.

The SAKSA pcb is 282mm x 70mm, attaches to a single piece Al case through the four output stages, incorporates two channels and a dual mono power supply.  It's very compact, here is a picture of the module mounted on a MF30 Conrad heatsink:

 

Mark, thanks for the questions!  This has been a terrific journey for me, enjoyed every single amp I've built, as you have with your marvellous amps!

 

Cheers,

Hugh

 

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by Aspen
typo

[gemini07]

A fantastic story Hugh. Thanks for all the information and background. 

Does this new amp feature on your website yet?

 

Cheers G

(ex RAAEC)

Edited September 27, 2016 by gemini07

[mwhouston]

Thanks Hugh for the nice comment. The modules do look very good and compact.

[Hugh Dean]

George,

No, not in the website at present.  I'm struggling with it since a software upgrade, I'm not as quick as I used to be, dammit!

Mark,

You asked the demographic.  This is a helluva question but it's very important to plan this with any product.  I will give you bullets points!!

• Music lovers and audiophiles with an awareness of the advances in sound technology.
• People who have come to the realisation that zero THD does not guarantee good sound.  There are some amps in this category which sound like an ice pick in the ear....
• People who like to deal with the designer and builder and enjoy the technical and trade relationship.
• People who do NOT love brands.  I despair of people who buy on brand;  I see them in Hardly Normal buying leather lounges every summer and I scratch my chin every time.....
• Australians who love to buy Australian products.  Only today Ford built its last in line six cylinder at Geelong and I shed a tear.  Beautiful motor, so good it was updated many times since 1962 until now - the turbo, which according to Nizpro is a better engine to hot up than a Ferrari.
• Unconventionalists who realise that progress only comes from the non-conformists who do not follow the technical line.  Good engineering does not always follow rules, and detective hunches often true!
• People who follow their own ears - many do not for some reason.

Cheers,

 

Hugh

 

PS:  Regard the unconventional in the automotive world!  French, as it happens......

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by Aspen

[buddyev]

@myskylab

Hi, any further thoughts on the Saska? 

 

[custom_made]

I'd also like to hear about other's experiences with this amp.
Very intriguing amp, and reasonably priced.