DMBodeen Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Has anyone used these amps (wave av-8) from Atique Sound Lab? I have a pair of Cornwalls but have never had them drink the juice from a tube amp.(They are currently driven by a Nakkamichi PA-7 amp.) These amps have gotten great reviews and are quite inexpensive. Any thoughts are welcomed. Also curious as to what tube amplifiers are others using? Any other "cheap" tube amps that sound good with Klipsch? Thanks, Drew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 My pair were dead quiet with no hum or hiss while connected to my La Scalas. With my ear against the upper grille, I could just hear something. They had more than enough power, even for movies. They did not sound as clean, clear or smooth (or maybe sweet) as my John Curl designed Parasound amp. I thought they were gritty or dirty sounding. At first, they seemed quite competent, but when listening for a long time, or critically, the "dirt" showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 GEZZZZ Dude what kind of sound are you looking for ?? That PA-7 is a monster ss unit and sounds quite nice with heritage speakers. My best friend runs a set of k-horns on the PA-7 and a set of belles on a PA-5. The k's and belles are both fused and that PA-7 can zap a fuse no problem. goobs of power but still clean on the bottom end, Are you looking for a more transparent sound or for HP to drive hard rock ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 For the amount you pay ($256) delivered to your door they are not bad. I have only had them connected to a pair of Lascala's and Heresey's. They will drive your speakers (8 Watts)with no problem. They sound ok, but not great. The music is there, but it doesn't grab you. The sound is almost flat. They are clean but not life like. They push the low's and lower mid range, but everything else is lacking something. I changed them out with a pair Wright SET mono blocks and the difference is night and day. the music just flows. To Me its like the waves are on and my system was being used for backround noise while I did other things in the house. The Wright's are on and I have to sit there and listen to the music. I can't get anything done. I have to sit and listen to the music. The song starts and my eyes close and I become part of the music. There is a mod that I am going to do that calls for the coupling caps to be changed out along with the resistors in the output path. This may make a difference. The low price starts to add up: Waves $259 Replace the stock tubes $60. This did make a difference AN Tant Resistors $35 Auricaps $32 or Jensen Caps $64 I have not done the upgrade yet. I am going to use these for my bedroom system. What preamp are you going to use? They are a nice way to get into tubes, but I would not judge the tube sound with these. I wish I could explain this like Dean or Mobile. Check with NOS44. He may have a Scott or Eico integrated for sale. Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 The Wave 8s sound absolutely fantastic when fed only high frequencies in a bi-amped system. My Waves are used above 500hz to drive a pair of Altec 288s on 1005 horns and they sound very sweet and clear, without a trace of grain or harshness and are really about all I could want. A pal uses a pair of Waves in a bi-amped JBL horn system, he uses them above 500hz driving JBL 2427 compression drivers. Again the sound is very fine. I've never heard these amps used in a fullrange situation but I suspect the flaws some report are as a result of using them fullrange, perhaps the compromises needed to bring these amps in at their pricepoint are more readily apparent when trying to reproduce bass as well as the highs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Thanks Tom. In you setup are you using a crossover? Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Danny---Yes, I use a DOD active crossover usually. Sometimes I use passive networks between pre-amp and amps instead of the active crossover. In any case I do "real" bi-amping: each amp is fed only the frequency range to be reproduced by the driver the amp is feeding and no passive networks are used at the speaker level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMBodeen Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 Dale: You are right about the PA-7 being a very clean amp with goobs of HP to blow dry your hair with. I think I got smitten by all the talk about how "warm" tube amp sounds are. I hooked up an old (vintage 1978) Pioneer 45 watt reciever, and it privided more than enough power, and sounded really pretty well. I have read really good reviews about these little wave av-8 amps and thought it might be an inexpensive way to get my feet wet. I am also interested in hearing what other people are using to power their Cornwalls with. thanks for your reply. Drew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 I am using a pair of Wright WPA 3.5 amps. I am going to upgrade a pair of Waves and use them with a pair of Heresy's. Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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