6moons review of SGR Elite amp

[ENIGMA]

Hi Del,

I think the VU meters are important for studio use, another market segment which SGR is servicing as I understand it. In any event the VU meters can be switched off in which case you just have a cool looking logo of machined translucent Corian (or similar material) embedded within the faceplate.

YS

Fair enough, but their function is not really pratical or informative, it should be a proper meter with at least some sort of calibration on it. If the aim is to have just an indicator of some sort, that's fine, there are other ways of doing it.

Perhaps have a studio version facia and a more elegant domestic one.

I know my criticism on their styling is a bit strong, if anything the heat sinks are not the real problem, it is the front facia. There is much better looking natural stone that can be used and a more elegant way to style the SGR logo - i was thinking on the same line as you about having a translucent logo, but out of a material nicer than corian.

I really reckon they have a wonderfull amp there, its just that they are letting themselves down by not presenting it on the outside at a level that compliments what is on the inside.

Cheers,

[Keith_W]

I have noticed that my EL30S is driven very easily into clipping - at which the amp glares at me with red eyes and goes into protection mode for a few seconds. Given that it is not possible to fry my tweeter's voice coil, is it possible to remove this feature?

[Guest Drizzt]

Keith were you running your mains full range when the clipping happened or were you actively crossing over to your subs ? Surprised it's clipping so easily. I think amps clip far more regularly than people realise. Perhaps the protection circuity is far too sensitive and could be relaxed some what or even introduce a bypass of that feature. Who knows maybe that feature already exists ?

[Jake]

I have noticed that my EL30S is driven very easily into clipping - at which the amp glares at me with red eyes and goes into protection mode for a few seconds. Given that it is not possible to fry my tweeter's voice coil, is it possible to remove this feature?

Stop listening to Stravinsky.

[zipstartcanoe]

Perhaps have a studio version facia and a more elegant domestic one.

I agree. I am not a big fan of the looks, so I ordered my SGR EL30 monoblocks with a simple black fascia without the VU "meter" or the "stone" finish. For me, that is one of the big advantages in dealing with a small local company which is highly customer focused.

Edited August 31, 2010 by zipstartcanoe

[Keith_W]

Pretty close, I was listening to Shostakovich

Drizt I was running the mains full range.

ZSC when I was at SGR's yesterday, Stuart showed me some freshly machined blank plates that were destined for powdercoating. They were beautiful looking things - there are few things more gorgeous than machined metal. I told him that they would look awesome if he polished them up and left them uncoated. It did not occur to me that it was possible to order my amp without the Corian finish. Oh well!

[SGR Audio]

I have noticed that my EL30S is driven very easily into clipping - at which the amp glares at me with red eyes and goes into protection mode for a few seconds. Given that it is not possible to fry my tweeter's voice coil, is it possible to remove this feature?

Keith, just turn off the switch at the back labeled "protect"

Am surprised also that it is clipping 'very easily'. If it's clipping with 160W-200W+ per side now then it must have been clipping quite often with just the 100W Carys. I don't remember the EL30S clipping at all a few weeks ago when we tried it out? Got the volume up a fair bit more perhaps?

[Keith_W]

D'oh, when in doubt ... RTFM

A couple of weeks ago I did not bring out the heavy barelled music. Some of my stuff can be pretty demanding on amplifiers - requiring a control over the bottom end whilst still delivering clarity at the top. I know that the Cary was clipping with some of this music, but it has no protection mode - so when I hear the music start to get compressed, I back off on the volume a little.

[SGR Audio]

Fair enough, but their function is not really pratical or informative, it should be a proper meter with at least some sort of calibration on it. If the aim is to have just an indicator of some sort, that's fine, there are other ways of doing it.

Perhaps have a studio version facia and a more elegant domestic one.

I know my criticism on their styling is a bit strong, if anything the heat sinks are not the real problem, it is the front facia. There is much better looking natural stone that can be used and a more elegant way to style the SGR logo - i was thinking on the same line as you about having a translucent logo, but out of a material nicer than corian.

I really reckon they have a wonderfull amp there, its just that they are letting themselves down by not presenting it on the outside at a level that compliments what is on the inside.

Cheers,

Hi Del,

Thanks for the comments.

As ZSC has indicated we can custom machine the front panels to suit personal taste. One of the benefits of now having all the CNC machines in house. Just so happens that a lot of people like the current corian granite look, but of course I can understand it's not for everyone. Does look much better though in reality than in photos.

We've done a few other finishes recently also. One is a white stone front panel with matching white (off-white, kinda cream) heatsinks. This is a bit different and I think looks quite elegant.

Then there is the all black look, with or without the SGR logo VU indicators.

We're also doing some hardwood timber front panels currently for a client. These should come up really nice once polished up. Bluegum I think the timber is.

On another note, a big thanks to everyone for their kind words and support. Very much appreciated guys...

Cheers,

Stuart

[SGR Audio]

hehe, I was about to post that actually, but now that you've said it, yeah, RTFM

D'oh, when in doubt ... RTFM :o

[Guest Drizzt]

Ah, it does exist. Good work

Perhaps the protection circuity is far too sensitive and could be relaxed some what or even introduce a bypass of that feature. Who knows maybe that feature already exists ?

[rippingdragon]

I have noticed that my EL30S is driven very easily into clipping - at which the amp glares at me with red eyes and goes into protection mode for a few seconds. Given that it is not possible to fry my tweeter's voice coil, is it possible to remove this feature?

I'm impressed you were able to drive it into clipping. When I had the lower powered EL15 on hand Stuart asked me to test the features and I had to drive it painfully loud with bass heavy music to get it to clip and my speakers were less sensitive than yours (87db vs. 91db).

Did you have an SPL meter handy? How loud were you listening? Were you applying any EQ boost in any area?

[rippingdragon]

We're also doing some hardwood timber front panels currently for a client. These should come up really nice once polished up. Bluegum I think the timber is.

Can you please have Harry take some pics of these before they head out the door? I'd love to see how they turn out.

[ENIGMA]

Hi Del,

One is a white stone front panel with matching white (off-white, kinda cream) heatsinks. This is a bit different and I think looks quite elegant.

Stuart

Thanks Stuart, i was thinking of a cream marble with onyx SGR logo cut into it. It would be interesting to see your white version.

[SGR Audio]

Thanks Stuart, i was thinking of a cream marble with onyx SGR logo cut into it. It would be interesting to see your white version.

Hi Del,

Will see if I can post some photo's of it some time soon.

The SGR logo / VU indicator isn't actually machined out of corian. It needs to be a material that IR light can go through because the IR receiver for the remote control is hidden behind it.

RD, will definitely get some photo's of the timber front panels, should look real nice :-)

-SGR

[Grimmie]

When it comes to amps, in fact most hifi gear, I am in the Henry Ford Colouring Scheme club.

Grimmie

[rippingdragon]

When it comes to amps, in fact most hifi gear, I am in the Henry Ford Colouring Scheme club.

Grimmie

Black, black, or black?

[joz]

when I was at SGR's yesterday,

So did you see anything tall and shiny?

[Keith_W]

Went to the factory, not the showroom unfortunately How long have you been waiting on those things for?!?

[joz]

Umm not long,really!

Only a couple of christmas'

[norpus]

Umm not long,really!

Only a couple of christmas'

You had to wait for my amps, then Johns amps then and then

After us you are a priority customer Joz, honest

All jokes aside, mate you are gunna be one happy chappy I think. They are monsters and you are a lucky chap

[norpus]

I have noticed that my EL30S is driven very easily into clipping - at which the amp glares at me with red eyes and goes into protection mode for a few seconds. Given that it is not possible to fry my tweeter's voice coil, is it possible to remove this feature?

Well, I would not have expected that Keith - 'easily into clipping'?

I have only driven my EL30s' into clipping twice, and once only because I was trying to. It takes a lot on my Octagons to get that far - bloody too loud to listen to for a minute - so I reckon your bass boxes must have some weirdarse impedances, esp given the capability of these amps at even 2ohms is pretty big

[rippingdragon]

one couldn't slice cleanly through a peeled banana with the heatsinks....

Meant to comment on this earlier. Is that a common expression that I haven't heard before? Or is that something you just came up with?

I'm still chuckling at what your thought process must have been if you just came up with that expression. The mental image of you trying to cut through a banana with the amp is even more amusing

[joz]

You had to wait for my amps, then Johns amps then and then

After us you are a priority customer Joz, honest

All jokes aside, mate you are gunna be one happy chappy I think. They are monsters and you are a lucky chap

Hehe!

Actually I'm really kind of even more content knowing what I know now about SGR.

That is I've seen the guys putting in so much with so many of their other speakers and electronics that I know the finished product will be amazing.

So I've seen my boxes now populated with drivers (DAMM SEXXY!!)

I know that each box/driver combo is going through measurements atm.

Then the electronic x-over needs to be completed.

But with everyone around here getting their new speakers I must admit I wish I was one of them.

But I also so understand that the current CX range is a bread and butter product within their speaker series as mine are somewhat of a custom build so to speak.

[Young Skywalker]

Meant to comment on this earlier. Is that a common expression that I haven't heard before? Or is that something you just came up with?

I'm still chuckling at what your thought process must have been if you just came up with that expression. The mental image of you trying to cut through a banana with the amp is even more amusing

Hi Rahn,

Believe it or not I actually came up with that little chestnut on my own. Not one of my better analogies I must admit. I was trying to think of something that is softer than human flesh.... not as easy as it sounds. The sad part is the heatsinks don't get even remotely warm enough to contemplate golden fried banana either.

Beauty will always be in the eye of the beholder but those who have handled the product can attest that the heatsinks are totally safe and the very generous (and defeatable) clipping protection circuit designed to prevent driver damage when there is no intervening passive crossover, stealth mode for lights out listening, and the ability to turn the VU into nothing more than a cool looking logo are all very nice features.

I will leave it up to others to determine if the product fits with their own sonic priorities but to my ears it seems very neutral in tonality, transparent and with extremely low in self-noise. Pretty close to straight wire with gain and this enables upstream changes to be easily heard and appreciated.

YS