edwinr Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Just in case you're wondering. What a well designed solid state amplifier sounds like with my Klipschorns. In a word, GREAT! My Jolida SJ-302A integrated tube amplifier has been sacked. I've replaced it with an Atoll Electronique IN50 integrated amplifier. This amplifier used to live upstairs, but has just been promoted to my main system. Designed and built in France. 50 watts per channel. Two pre-outs. Alps potentiometers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted December 28, 2004 Author Share Posted December 28, 2004 Here's a look inside. As you can see, nicely laid out. Good quality components. I know, I know. You're asking 'why did I do it?' Well, my Jolida developed a mechanical hum from the mains transformer. It kept getting worse. I contacted Jolida and isolated the transformer plus tightened all the nuts and bolts, and anything else I could think of. To no avail. So I sold it back to the store I purchased it from. I had bought it as a shop demo anyway. I'm now putting that money to a new Panasonic high definition widescreen projector. How does the Atoll sound? As I said before, great. I admit I was rather surprised. When I hooked it up with some Keb 'Mo, I initially placed my fingers in my ears expecting the worst. But what came out was really good sound. Tight bass, extended highs and excellent resolution. In fact superior to my old Jolida. There's a tiny bit of hiss from the Klipschorns, but nothing significant. The mid range is probably not as liquid as the old tube amplifier, but that could be because the rest of the frequency range is so much more extended. In fact the sound reminds me of my old Creek amplifier. So to those reluctant to try the Klipschorns with relatively inexpensive solid state, don't worry. Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Interesting! Who carries this in the US? Googling yielded a number of "consumer review" sites but various links to the the manufacturer are all dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Try this link.........hope it helps. http://www.taylormadesound.net/product.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Nice knobs Edwin! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Sounds to me like you found an SS amp that produces that "first good watt" that you really need for K-Horns. I think the biggest issue most people around here have with SS is the failure to reproduce clean power at low output. Congrats on finding one that overcomes that problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 edwinr, Thanks for posting the info, and glad the amp is working well in the Klipsch application. SS amps that work well with efficient speakers are not easy to find. I guess we can add this one to the list. Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 ---------------- On 12/28/2004 6:53:49 AM Bill H. wrote: Try this link.........hope it helps. http://www.taylormadesound.net/product.html ---------------- Yes, thanks. I notice the Atolls are rated for Impulse power..I thought that's what you use when you run out of warp drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 My Jolida 502B hummed and the manufacturer refused to acknowldge it either. Waz-up with that anyway?? (I replaced it at some loss on the transaction) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Edwin, This is a sleek looking amp. Glad to know it sounds good, too. A great way to start the New Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Never tried SS with my khorns. I have a few in the house I may try just for kicks. It'll be interesting if nothing else. Glad you found one that works well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 what else is on the list? vintage HK, but what else? Nothing I have heard yet... nice looking unit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuNat Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 i love the sound of my hafler dh-220 with my heresies... can be found cheap, built to withstand nuclear war, and highly upgradeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn58 Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 In one word try THRESHOLD . Killer deals on ebay on the old built like tanks Status series. Very nice tight low end with a smooth mid range to die for. makes my 58 khorns smile. The music box the no none klipsch dealer in new england back in the day. Loved threshold and picked it over mac and levinson which they both sold.Mr Bell told me he like the sound of threshold over any of his old mac and Marantz amp back in the mid 90,s. Boy even Nakamichi back when they were king used Threshold status design fot there high end amps. Rember Vintage Threshold is all Pass designed. I just picked up two threshold amps on ebay cheap for around 600 each in mint condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuNat Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 khorn58, you remember the music box??? that shop was a few blocks from my house in wellesley... great store, sadly missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 "I just picked up two threshold amps on ebay cheap for around 600 each in mint condition." You dog! What models? I would swear there was something magic in the Threshold S-150 I heard on Klipschorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted December 29, 2004 Author Share Posted December 29, 2004 Thanks for the nice comments. This amp really surprised me. I've tried several solid state amps with the Klipschorns just for fun, and they've varied from ordinary to horrible. That hiss I mentioned before, I've worked out what it is. With the Jolida, there was a higher noise floor which covered any slight hiss. Now with a much lower noise floor, I can just hear the hiss at around a yard from the speaker. To all intents and purposes, the amplifier is completely noise free. For those that favour the tactile senses (and have a knob fetish - come on, we know who you are!) the controls feel smooth and silky. The rounded knobs feel almost sensual... Who needs a remote when the knobs feel this good. For those who are interested, you pay extra for the alloy faceplate. It normally comes in black. Remote is an optional extra. So too is the phono stage. I didn't fit the remote or phono options as I originally intended this amp to be for my second system anyway. Lets see if I keep this amp longer than Dean kept his Quad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Neat Edwin: I'm glad you posted this! A combination of tube and solid state can also be good. In looking at and herein talking about (MY OWN) audio attitudes and behavior over the years, I am glad I have finally accepted the fact that solid state output devices are not inherently poor. There was a time about 10-12 years ago that every component and every AC/DC rectifier in my system simply had to be tube. I think that if our ultimate goal is to have the ability to listen to high-quality reproduction of recorded music at home, we would really be short-changing ourselves by automatically throwing the pad-lock on a component simply because it had a solid state rectifier and transistor in place of tubes. There are quite a few primarily tube-based designs that also use solid state technology -- such as in high voltage or filament rectifiers, transistor-based active loads, etc. The ONLY thing that matters is that you like what you are hearing! Enjoy, Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
consistent Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Hi Guys, Edwin is right! Only last weekend did I put my Muse One Hundred Sixty SS up against another tube amp, this time a 2A3 giant killer (8w home made over spec tube amp weighing 22kgs). This 2A3 is fantastic but my mate (the builder) was astounded at how well the Muse stood up against the 2A3 with the KHORNS. The Muse does give you the 'warmth' of tube gear but has the 'punch' of an SS, it is highly A class biased. I have had a number of tube amps set-up in my room but I have still stuck with the Muse. By the way, I do use a high spec tube (6SN7) pre and that helps. I also use a Morrison ELAD SS pre but with the KHORNS, loses some of the mid warmth, but the Morrison pre lets in a BIG bottom end. One thing is for sure the cleaner the gear is up the line, the better the KHORNS sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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