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Transcendent SE-OTL, Opinions Please


philipbarrett

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Looking at one to team up with my La Scalas (Crites magic performed). I'm looking for the bass that my Sony receiver (used just as a power amp) delivers with the smoothness of my SE tube Darling amp. I was very impressed with Rozenblit's book & no nonsense approach to audio electronics.

Here's the amp - http://www.transcendentsound.com/singleended.htm

Thanks, PB

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The link you posted is for the 1.5 WPC at 1000 bucks kit version which can be switched into 4 wpc if you mono block the stereo versionby bridging them wich would bring a pair cost to 2000 bucks kit version.

Since the lascala's are not famous for low end bass, and are actually approx -10db at 40 - 45hz, I don't thing the bang for the buck is there on this combo.

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I think Fritzie hit it on the head.

I'd suggest that it also depends if you want to hear the bass or feel the bass.

I had a pair of them mated with khorns (4 wpc) and the sound of them was just about the nicest sound I could have ever wanted (for listening but not for feeling). Even my wife and her sister (who both think walnut Khorns are atrocious looking) made comment one night at dinner just how nice and real the background music sounded.

I would have kept them had it not been for their 4 wpc limitation... I like to turn it up a bit and feel the bass rather than just 'listen' to it. Now that I'm biamping, I've debated on getting another OTL amp, I think he calls it T-16, and use that on my HF horn while keeping my solid state on the LF section.

If I wanted them as background music only, I think they'd be hard to beat. Since I also use same system for movies, concerts and the evening news, I just couldn't deal with their lack of power.

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Thanks for your comments. Interesting on the bass as their website claims:

2) Great Bass: Because there is no output transformer, bass

response is not attenuated in any way. The amp is flat ( -0.25 dB) to 10 Hz!

Bass tones are full and lifelike. The amplifier is perfect for driving

large full range horns with no loss of bass energy. Output impedance is a

very low 1 ohm. This is much lower than most conventional single-ended

amplifiers and provides excellent woofer control giving very clean and sharp

bass transients. Percussive sounds are crisp and true.

What would be your choice?

PB

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Thanks for your comments. Interesting on the bass as their website claims:

2) Great Bass: Because there is no output transformer, bass response is not attenuated in any way. The amp is flat ( -0.25 dB) to 10 Hz! Bass tones are full and lifelike. The amplifier is perfect for driving large full range horns with no loss of bass energy. Output impedance is a very low 1 ohm. This is much lower than most conventional single-ended amplifiers and provides excellent woofer control giving very clean and sharp bass transients. Percussive sounds are crisp and true.

What would be your choice?

I really think it comes down to how do you like to listen?

If you like to listen to what I'll call background music, then they are WONDERFUL amps. Probably the best I've heard yet (in my limited experience I must add)

You can turn it up to some toe tapping volume. If on the other hand, you want the floor and walls to boogie every now and then, you aren't going to get that out of 1 1/2 watts imho. At least, I couldn't...heck, I couldn't get what I wanted out of 4 watts.

So, although the bass tones might have been full and lifelike in their tonality... there is for me, another component and that is flat out impact. How "large" and dynamic do you want your sound?

If you think 1 1/2 watts (or even 4) can sound super fantastic, then you are right... they are in my book, a no brainer!

If on the other hand you think 1 1/2 or 4 watts can thump your chest like some people want it to, then I'd suggest you are making a mistake with them.

I'd suggest that you try to be very honest with yourself.... can you be happy with 1 1/2 watts (or even 4) max? If you can then you listen to lower levels than I do usually and most of what I've said wouldn't apply to you. There ARE folks around here who listen to lower levels like that. I'm just not one of them so you have to take my perspective into account.

If they had say, 50/100 watts, I probably would NOT have sold mine.

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If..... I can ever win the lottery.... Bruce's OTL's would be the choice for the K'horns in the man cave. I like volume, but never get past about volume 2.5. My "volume test" is, "Can I talk to the guy sitting 2 feet away without yelling?" Even at "loud" volume, I can still do that with the current amps. Lot's to do with clarity and distortion. In effect I'm talking through the sound from the system. I had a chance to listen to a T-16 about a month ago. I was floored. Nothing like it I've ever heard. It's just that clear. Just my humble opinion... Besides.... it's pretty and got a ton of pretty glowing tubes!!!![:D]

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