Colin Posted January 17, 2001 Share Posted January 17, 2001 http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_1/antique-sound-lab-15dt-tube-amp-1-2001.html Antique Sound Lab MG-SI15DT Integrated Tube Amplifier - Single Ended, Pure Class A Operation Rated Power: 5 Watts RMS Per Channel into 8 Ohms in Triode Mode, 15 Watts RMS Per Channel in Tetrode Mode THD: < 2.5% at 5 Watts S/N: 78 dB MFR: 17 Hz - 28 kHz ±1 dB at Full Output Size: 7 3/4" H x 19" W x 18 1/4" D Weight: 25 Pounds MSRP: $699 USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prana-Bindu Posted January 18, 2001 Share Posted January 18, 2001 If you like that, you may also enjoy the Zen: www.decware.com ------------------ May the bridges we burn light our way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted January 18, 2001 Share Posted January 18, 2001 Colin, http://www.jeffssoundvalues.com $599 - I also believe the list from what I have seen is $599. Peter Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyp Posted January 18, 2001 Share Posted January 18, 2001 ... in defense of SS Class A design, not all are bad. Please consider the following: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/monarchy_sm70.htm Read the whole review or use your browers' "FIND" command to locate "SET" in the above article. Then read the comments offered when this amp was compared to a SET amp in a system featuring Klipsch Cornwalls. No, I haven't auditioned it but would love to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted January 20, 2001 Share Posted January 20, 2001 I am looking for a replacement for my Jolida 801A (70wpc) tube amp. I had decided on a pair of VTL Tiny Triodes which are switchable from 25wpc triode mode to 40wpc pentode mode. I thought it would be cool to have the ability to switch modes to see the difference it made to the particular type of music I was listening to. Since reading the article on the Monarchy SM-70 and talking to the folks at Monarchy I am real tempted to buy it instead. They even have a return policy if you don't like the amp and it is much less expensive. Has anyone tried either of these amps with you Klipsch speakers? I listened to the VTL TT driving a pair of Heresys at a VTL dealer and they did sound excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 21, 2001 Author Share Posted January 21, 2001 I bought this 48 pound solid-state (SS) monster, the Class A Pioneer M-22 reference amp, for $250 about 12 years ago because I couldnt stand the scratchy sound of my rusty Dynaco st-70s with the EL-84 tubes. The closest modern day equivalent is the Pioneer Elite series M-10x, although it looks more like the current receivers than my amp. The top of the M-22 is exposed. It has two black transformers and two black 33000 uF capacitors the size of Fosters lager cans surrounded by a barricade of black cooling fins. The transformers are hefty, square and 4 high. It looks like the recent PASS amp displayed at the 2000 CES show: (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/ces2001/monday/) The SS Pioneer is 30 watts per side, dual mono amp with dual transistor differentials built onto one chassis. It has plentiful negative feedback in the 1st stage. I bought it cheap, new and in the box. Frequency response is from 2 Hz to 150 kHz within 1 dB. Like any solid state amplifier, the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is a U shaped curve. It is .005% at 1 watt into 8 ohms at one end, dips below .001% at 15 watts, curving back up to .01% at 30 watts at the other. In other words, ultra clean response. Technically the amp can put out more than 30 watts, but the THD climbs like a rocket once output is higher than 22 watts. Below one watt, THD is just as high as it is above 30 watts! Power consumption is 280 watts. Bottom line, I prefer the flea powered tube amps - delicous detials at low to moderate volumes and much easier to listen to over extended periods of time. The sock and slam I leave to unrated and unclassed SS amps in the sub-woofers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 21, 2001 Author Share Posted January 21, 2001 By the way, below 10 watts, the M-22 has better THD spec than the Krell FBP 350mc at $17,000 per pair! Certainly enough power for my big old Cornwalls. The god of huge power amps has an interesting article at his web site (http://www.passlabs.com/articles/seclassa.htm). Nelson Pass himself patiently explains the allure of not huge SS amps, as you might think, but the elegance of simple tubes: Regardless of the type of gain device, in systems where the utmost in natural reproduction is the goal, simple single-ended Class A circuits are the topologies of choice. For those who can not afford $8,000 Threshold or Pass amps, simple tubes are the low cost way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joemcten Posted January 27, 2001 Share Posted January 27, 2001 Colin, I am currently demoing the above mentioned Antique Sound Labs integrated and so far the results are spectacular. The sound is not to be believed for the price. I have had many pricey tube and solid state amps that in the end left me cold and indifferent to them.I am now a firm believer that the simple circuit is better sonically, at least to my ears. The solid state amp that is also being demoed in my system this weekend is the delicious sounding Audio Analouge Puccini. It is the most "tube sounding" solid state that I have had in my rig. It has a very life-like flowing presentation that is quite addicting. Both of these pieces are the least expensive amps that I have looked at in years. With the sound I am getting from both units, I am definitely questioning the piles of money I have spent over the past few years. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvan Posted January 28, 2001 Share Posted January 28, 2001 Help me with this... I currently have a Jolida 302b, am itching for an SET setup. Seems like any options that involve full-function preamp options (phono, monitor, 2 sets of pre outputs, etc) involve too much $. Is there any way I could use one of these integrated puppies and buy a box that will handle extra inputs and monitor/record functions...without really messing the sound? The only sources whose sound I really care about are cd & phono, but I want & need to hook up the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted January 28, 2001 Share Posted January 28, 2001 If you are looking at SETs, why didn't the Antique Sound Labs KI-22 come to mind? 22 Watts will go a lot farther. The MG seems a bit under powered for dynamics. If I was to go SET, this is probably where I would start. If anyone has one of these KI-22Fox's, I'd like to know how it compares to my Rogue Audio 88 in Triode mode. Peter Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 I want to thank Johnnyp for the link to the article on the Monarchy SM-70. I ended up taking a chance and bought one of these babys (not so much of a chance actually, since it can be returned if I don't like it). I am not an audiophile and I don't know all the terms folks use to describe component attributes, but this 25 wpc SS amp sounds wonderful with my Belle Klipschs'. Solid bass and excellent smooth mids and highs. I have used a few higher powered SS amps and 1 tube amp (Jolida 801A), and I was looking for another tube amp. After reading the review at: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/monarchy_sm70.htm (I hope the link works) and other reviews I decided to give this puppy a try. I am highly pleased. On another note, Mr. C.C.Poon (the owner of Monarchy Audio), is a delight to work with and most helpful. He is very dedicated to customer service and actually advised me not to purchase other items from him until I had a chance to see how I liked the amp. I am not sending it back ! Further review may be coming after the amp is broken in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightcrawler Posted July 16, 2001 Share Posted July 16, 2001 Hey edster00 I just received my Monarchy Audio SM 70 today and hooked it up using my Luxman receiver as a preamp. Unfortanatly I had only 20 min to play with it but the thing I noticed most was how vocals sound even clearer and I did not have to turn up the volume to very loud levels to have the vocals match the music. Before with the luxman's volume at 9 the vocals were lower than the music was unless I turned the volume up to ten and half. With the 70 the vocals are very clear and strong. I have a pair of KLF 20's and the KLF-C7 center channel and I want to get two more 70's so each speaker will have a 70 driving it. On Friday I'm buying a Denon 4800 and using it as a A/V preamp for the front speakers and use the Denon's amps for the rear speakers. My best friend has a pair of La Scalas and I'm thinking of taking the 70 down and hooking it up to them through his fantastic Luxman preamp to see how it drives them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted July 17, 2001 Share Posted July 17, 2001 nightcrawler, Wait until the Monarchy has been broken in. Give it 30-40 hours and it will get better! I am thinking about getting another one to bi-amp my Belles but I don't know how the sound can get much better. Even my wife agrees that the amp is awesome. I also put a pair of AL K's crossovers in my Belles and I am in audio heaven! Keep us posted on your system! ------------------ Ed W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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