Generg: Indeed, it *is* frustrating to observe how clear reasons for the perfect match vs. a very minor or perhaps more major miss remain so elusive. Measurement-centric publications could throw in phase/impedance plots for each speaker. That would likely add useful data. Still, I doubt that it'd be as plain and clean cut as that. That's why I said on the currently final page that the usual review procedure (change just one thing, then change back and be done) is rather limited. But obviously, we can't conduct this type of endless review on a regular basis.
For this one, a bit more is still coming. Now that I've identified a "perfect" speaker match that does it all on the F7, I'll throw in a €15'000 100/200wpc into 8/4-ohm amp competitor which one would expect/hope to be superior for the price - but which could well end up being a far narrower lead (or only a partial win). Plus, we'll finally find out how the F7 and F5 compare.
It's been an interesting experiment thus far. Like you, I find it most vexing that whilst it's easy to hear and describe what works well together, it's more of a mystery why (and why other things that, on paper, would promise to be ideal are not, completely).
From this state of things, one could well conclude that all reviews are perfectly useless outside of some basic entertainment value. And perhaps they are. But we'll keep buggering on regardless.
For this one, a bit more is still coming. Now that I've identified a "perfect" speaker match that does it all on the F7, I'll throw in a €15'000 100/200wpc into 8/4-ohm amp competitor which one would expect/hope to be superior for the price - but which could well end up being a far narrower lead (or only a partial win). Plus, we'll finally find out how the F7 and F5 compare.
It's been an interesting experiment thus far. Like you, I find it most vexing that whilst it's easy to hear and describe what works well together, it's more of a mystery why (and why other things that, on paper, would promise to be ideal are not, completely).
From this state of things, one could well conclude that all reviews are perfectly useless outside of some basic entertainment value. And perhaps they are. But we'll keep buggering on regardless.
Finals just hit. I won't reshuffle the access page until tomorrow or so since I've a few more reviews to turn on... but you can already read the conclusion by forwarding to page 12 (6moons audioreviews: FirstWatt F7)...
LBHajdu: I hadn't. David Kan has been our resident DIYer but he's come out of self-imposed retirement to get busy again in his former profession as ad agency artist for Far Eastern clients, hence his freedom of writing for us has come to a close - unless he were to tire of making real money and return to the hifi reviewing trenches...
Sorry I Deleted this post, was going to go with private message, but I see it's already been replied to so I'll put it back.
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Srajan,
Excellent job with the F7 review!
This is a little off topic, but I wonder if you have considered reviewing the Amp Camp Amp? It can be purchased from the DIY audio store (no association) for $299 for a stereo pair (I believe this is with Nelson's consent), however like Ikea some assembly is required:
Amp Camp Amp Kit – diyAudio Store (BETA)
The topology is different then other FirstWatt amps, but it's still a Nelson Pass design. It would get it some publicity outside the rarefied world of DIYAudio. I have an uncased pair myself. It would identify where it fits in the evolutionary time line of these amps. I'm not sure what your readers would make of it, but then again you had a 6L6 se amp on 6moons from Japan some years ago that required assembly as well. Perhaps someone has a cased up loner in your area?
Leve
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Srajan,
Excellent job with the F7 review!
This is a little off topic, but I wonder if you have considered reviewing the Amp Camp Amp? It can be purchased from the DIY audio store (no association) for $299 for a stereo pair (I believe this is with Nelson's consent), however like Ikea some assembly is required:
Amp Camp Amp Kit – diyAudio Store (BETA)
The topology is different then other FirstWatt amps, but it's still a Nelson Pass design. It would get it some publicity outside the rarefied world of DIYAudio. I have an uncased pair myself. It would identify where it fits in the evolutionary time line of these amps. I'm not sure what your readers would make of it, but then again you had a 6L6 se amp on 6moons from Japan some years ago that required assembly as well. Perhaps someone has a cased up loner in your area?
Leve
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With respect, that's a silly question. What speakers do we use? If anything, the F7 review should have impressed upon you just how important the choice of speaker is when it comes to 'best' amplifier. Did we go through 10 different speakers and three different listeners only to *not* have made that point? In which case, I'm flat out of speakers
Quite aside from an ideal source/load match (which here only means, no obvious audible issues of any sort), there's the question of dark/light, heavy/quick, bassy/airy in all its aspects to determine whether an amp will be additive or subtractive. Heavy speaker plus heavy amp could well get a bit muddy and thick whereas a quick lit-up amp on similar speakers could get too frisky and nervous.
But then, what is *too*? One listener's bright is another's invigorating, one listener's heavy another's substantial. Tell you the truth, I always shy away from this type of "what's best" question even if it is disguised as "what do you like best". It depends on too many thing to allow for a one-size-fits-all reply. At least that's my perspective and I'm stuck on it
Quite aside from an ideal source/load match (which here only means, no obvious audible issues of any sort), there's the question of dark/light, heavy/quick, bassy/airy in all its aspects to determine whether an amp will be additive or subtractive. Heavy speaker plus heavy amp could well get a bit muddy and thick whereas a quick lit-up amp on similar speakers could get too frisky and nervous.
But then, what is *too*? One listener's bright is another's invigorating, one listener's heavy another's substantial. Tell you the truth, I always shy away from this type of "what's best" question even if it is disguised as "what do you like best". It depends on too many thing to allow for a one-size-fits-all reply. At least that's my perspective and I'm stuck on it
Sarjan, great review, love your Wortlust and the "I'm there" versus "they are here" distinction is plain brilliant! Not least kudos for keeping diyaudio-readers in the loop!
One more question with regards to speaker matching: any chance that Dawid might give his LS50 a spin with the F7?!
As mentioned before I'd love to learn a bit about this combination & it would fit perfectly well in the big amp-small speaker trope you've been tapping into.
One more question with regards to speaker matching: any chance that Dawid might give his LS50 a spin with the F7?!
As mentioned before I'd love to learn a bit about this combination & it would fit perfectly well in the big amp-small speaker trope you've been tapping into.
mcgillroy, the review per se is now a wrap but... you might email Dawid at Dawid.Grzyb @ pclab.pl and perhaps he can give you some casual comments on that combination. I assume he's at least given it a try out of personal curiosity already so it may take him no extra listening at all, just some quick off-the-cuff comments to a fellow LS50 user...