Jump to content

SS with LaScala IIs


Shakeydeal

Recommended Posts

On 4/4/2022 at 4:21 PM, Shakeydeal said:

This is my first post in this forum. I am a dyed in the wool tube guy but I’m looking for a back up amp and I’m thinking about a Schiit Aegir. Does anyone have any experience with this combo?

There may not be many with the exact combination you’re wanting opinions hence the few comments. I’ve heard a lot of shite but not the Schitt you’re referring. I can say I thoroughly enjoy my LS along with several other Klipsch models with good solid state - First Watt F3, J2 and M2; Benchmark and even Hypex nCore’s. I think you’d be floored how good the LS will sound with high quality solid state.

In fact several First Watt offerings and/or the Benchmark might have no intention of remaining a “back up” amp. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, nickyboy6100 said:

I always wanted to try the Benchmark AHB2 with La Scala’s. I bet that’s a great combo. 

Distortion levels on the combined LS and Benchmark will be astonishing low - . The Benchmark is currently handling Jubilee duties and it ain’t too shabby with those either - 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a used Aegir and bought it, should have it tomorrow. It's funny that Benchmark was mentioned. A couple of weeks ago I bought a Benchmark LA-4 line stage and I like it very much. This is the preamp that will be paired with the Aegir. This pairing will be a landmark because it's the first time in almost 30 years that my system hasn't had a single tube in the chain. Hard to imagine.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've run LSiis in many SS configurations... NONE of them sound as good as with a tube pre/amp... but they do sound good.

 

I never got around to trying them with a first watt amp, which would have been next on my list had I not gotten the magnequest VRDs.

 

I await your review of the new SS amp....

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before using a tube amp full time my main system was SS with tube preamp. My first amp almost 40 years ago was a Hafler 500 I built from a kit....I still have it along with a 220. Very simple designs with clean, mosfet sound. I've owned a lot of different amps over the years but will never let go of these. I think the right SS amp in your system can offer a great experience with just a different flavor vs tubes. If not a good match with your gear, you'll know it right away and will be hard to get used to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Idontknow said:

Forget everything else and get a first watt. They’re literally indistinguishable from the sound of tubes and better in some cases and you get all the benefits of solid state. 

Mosfets of which most of the Firstwatt offerings use have curves that are like pentode tubes so they have a tube like character but for a SET sound you will want one of the SIT offerings from Firstwatt. That and the fact that all of Firstwatt amplifiers are run in class A. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Idontknow said:

Forget everything else and get a first watt. They’re literally indistinguishable from the sound of tubes and better in some cases and you get all the benefits of solid state. 

Says "Idontknow"  lol

 

(love the name)

 

:emotion-21:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Hafler DH - 200 that I've owned for many years and I second the earlier comment about that MOSFET design.   These amps are cheap and easily updated with new components as needed.   I currently use a DH - 200 with my Cornwalls from circa 1983 - with APT Holman preamp - these do well in a simple 2 channel system. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Aegir is a bit of a mystery, I am not positive if it is 100% Class A from the wording they use but it's only 20 watts which makes me think it's not Class AB, maybe a sliding bias configuration? The amp also uses current feedback instead of voltage feedback which is uncommon. The amp doesn't use Mosfets, it uses all BJT's including output transistors. It's supposed to have very good thermal tracking which makes sense how it's biased fairly warm. I am very interested in the design of this amplifier but there is little information about it on the tech side of things which means I'd have to get my hands on one to reverse engineer.

 

The only complaints I heard about this amp was it cannot deliver high current, which shows in 4 ohm load testing past 20 watts, distortion increases pretty substantially. I don't see this being a problem with La Scala's, 20 watts should be more than plenty for majority of peoples needs. The amp also gets a very bad rap for it's low power rating from people that claim Class A is a sham and look for high power with low distortion amps. I don't stress at lower order harmonic distortion as long as it's kept below a certain level, this level is much higher than what many would consider okay; ~1% isn't a huge deal at full power.

 

I personally think this would be a great amp pairing with the La Scala.

 

I am linking the review from Amir over at ASR, he did do the mono mode testing wrong, it should have been done on an 8 ohm load but the good thing about it is that it does show the amp doesn't like to deliver current into tough loads, even the stereo mode on 4 ohm load wasn't great. Another concern was that both channels do not match nicely, this could have been just an error with the specimen they had to test but it may also tell another story about the layout design of the amplifier. Amir also measured some power supply noise, curious how this turns out with the La Scala as that would be my only concern with the amp if I were to purchase one with the La Scala's sensitivity.

 

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-schiit-aegir-pwr-amplifier.9314/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Guest Vahorns said:

I have a Hafler DH - 200 that I've owned for many years and I second the earlier comment about that MOSFET design.   These amps are cheap and easily updated with new components as needed.   I currently use a DH - 200 with my Cornwalls from circa 1983 - with APT Holman preamp - these do well in a simple 2 channel system. 

They're really hard to beat for the money and punch way above their weight. I rotate my 220 in place of my ST-70 once in a while and I'm always impressed. It drives my Cornscalas with authority. With everything in spec they sound great even in stock form. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...