My amps are running
Hi Hugh,
My amps are up and running today. I constructed them without any problem. They are playing now a few hours and they sound great right from the constructing table. I heared the amp opening up already in the first hour of playing. Probably it will become better in the next days. I can hear that the Naksa 70 is a sister (or brother if you want) of the Naksa 80. They have some common characteristics but I think the Naksa 80 surpasses the 70 in a few area's. When I think the amps have reached their top I will write a review. For now I have posted some pictures.
Hi Hugh,
My amps are up and running today. I constructed them without any problem. They are playing now a few hours and they sound great right from the constructing table. I heared the amp opening up already in the first hour of playing. Probably it will become better in the next days. I can hear that the Naksa 70 is a sister (or brother if you want) of the Naksa 80. They have some common characteristics but I think the Naksa 80 surpasses the 70 in a few area's. When I think the amps have reached their top I will write a review. For now I have posted some pictures.
Attachments
Hi Meanman,
Thank you for your tip but I have thought about that. I have made holes in the bottom of the case, right under the heatsink, so the case can "breathe" (see picture). I checked the temperature of the heatsinks after some hours of rather loud playing and the heatsink became lukewarm. I can keep my hand easily on the sides of the heatsink. By the way, you can see on the picture that I have fasten the amp with 3 firm tie-rips to the bottom of the case. The amp is located on a slab of lead bitumen, even as the transformator, to reduce vibrations. It was just an idea to do it this way so the amp is much more attainable. I discussed it with Hugh and he thought it was possible. I think it won't lead to heat problems, but again, thank you for your advice.
Attachments
Eric,
A wonderful implementation, very well assembled. Patrick's comment concerning the heatsink is valid, particularly in a hot climate and high outputs, but I am do not believe it will be a problem as you have it. In summer with high volume you will notice it runs hot, but while turning the heatsink through 90 degrees would cool things more I don't think it's essential in Holland. In Australia where temperatures are up to 45C yes, but not in northern Europe.
I'm so thrilled you think the sound surpasses the NAKSA 70. I chased after this pretty hard! The resolution is quite stunning, particularly at low levels - it sounds like a Class A in this sense.
Thanks for the piccies!
Ciao,
Hugh
A wonderful implementation, very well assembled. Patrick's comment concerning the heatsink is valid, particularly in a hot climate and high outputs, but I am do not believe it will be a problem as you have it. In summer with high volume you will notice it runs hot, but while turning the heatsink through 90 degrees would cool things more I don't think it's essential in Holland. In Australia where temperatures are up to 45C yes, but not in northern Europe.
I'm so thrilled you think the sound surpasses the NAKSA 70. I chased after this pretty hard! The resolution is quite stunning, particularly at low levels - it sounds like a Class A in this sense.
Thanks for the piccies!
Ciao,
Hugh
Hi all,
I have just powered up my I Naksa 70 which has been rebuilt due to the owners (me) total lack of sense and probably electronic knowledge. The amplifier sounds abosolutely wonderful and i've am blown away by the incredible sonics.
I know that Hugh has a stake in this rebuild and maybe this is not the place but - thank you Hugh - you are very kind and from an audiophile perspective brilliant. Your amplifiers should sell by the 10.000...
If you love music and have 5 thumbs on each of your electronic hands - buy Hugh's amplifiers - they are so very easy to assemble and the value for money is unheard of.
BTW. The amps - I have two - are going to be used for tweeter and mid in an 4-way active Open Baffle setup with SB Acoustics Satori Tweeter, JA 8008 Mid by Troels Gravesen and 2x10" Vifa 26WR-09 (If that works - or else Eminence Deltalite) - Bass will be powered by 2xThule PA250B until I have the funds to purchase Naksa 100.
Prototype will launch this weekend.
Most sincere
Heine
I have just powered up my I Naksa 70 which has been rebuilt due to the owners (me) total lack of sense and probably electronic knowledge. The amplifier sounds abosolutely wonderful and i've am blown away by the incredible sonics.
I know that Hugh has a stake in this rebuild and maybe this is not the place but - thank you Hugh - you are very kind and from an audiophile perspective brilliant. Your amplifiers should sell by the 10.000...
If you love music and have 5 thumbs on each of your electronic hands - buy Hugh's amplifiers - they are so very easy to assemble and the value for money is unheard of.
BTW. The amps - I have two - are going to be used for tweeter and mid in an 4-way active Open Baffle setup with SB Acoustics Satori Tweeter, JA 8008 Mid by Troels Gravesen and 2x10" Vifa 26WR-09 (If that works - or else Eminence Deltalite) - Bass will be powered by 2xThule PA250B until I have the funds to purchase Naksa 100.
Prototype will launch this weekend.
Most sincere
Heine
Thanks Heine,
Wonderful to hear your N70 is going so well. When Jens and I figured the issues (words and pictures!) I took a guess and when Jens replaced them all went well. Happy ending!
Now, if you like the N70 prepare for hearing Jens N80. It produces even better sound!
Enjoy your music, Heine. Welcome to the Aspen club!
Ciao,
Hugh
Wonderful to hear your N70 is going so well. When Jens and I figured the issues (words and pictures!) I took a guess and when Jens replaced them all went well. Happy ending!
Now, if you like the N70 prepare for hearing Jens N80. It produces even better sound!
Enjoy your music, Heine. Welcome to the Aspen club!
Ciao,
Hugh
I can add that Heine actually heard the N80s in my system, before he bought the N70s
A few days before Heine came to my place he had had a listen to some very expensive equipment from a well-know Scottish manufacturer and was not impressed. However, I believe that the vist at my place was somewhat jaw-dropping ... (Heine, correct me if I'm wrong
)I presume this visit was what prompted him to get the N70s
The N70s are not half bad, and although there are differences compared to the N80s, they do have the "Aspen sound" that many of us seek!
And by that I mean that any Aspen amp I have ever heard plays music!
Do I need to say that I am thoroughly happy about my N80s? I can add that with any other upgrade I make to my system, they shine even more
Cheers,
Jens
Do I need to say that I am thoroughly happy about my N80s? I can add that with any other upgrade I make to my system, they shine even more
Cheers,
Jens
Jens, you were going to come back to us on your comparisons of running your bass drivers from the 'Sub' out vs. the normal (tube) out - unless I missed that post?
Regards,
Andy
Hi Andy,
I haven't forgotten about this, and I'm getting there - albeit slowly.
Please see my recent post in the GK-2 thread
Cheers,
Jens
Hi Andy,
I haven't forgotten about this, and I'm getting there - albeit slowly.
Please see my recent post in the GK-2 thread
Cheers,
Jens
Thanks, Jens - yes, I had seen that.
Andy
Hi Hugh,
As Jens says - I have had the pleasure of listening to Jens' system - and the music delivery is very convincing. Best I ever heard. I have been through Arcam, Audiolab, Vincent, Primare, Thule, LC Audio and nothing comes anywhere near N70 in the ablility to reproduce music. I would argue that your amps from a value point are a comlete and utter bargain. Today I will finish my prototype of my DIY Open Baffle speakers and then I think that the potential of N70 will be revealed. At least in my own setup. If I should point out what makes N70 stand out it is the dynamics and detail that is completely different from the makes mentioned above. My speakers now is Rauna Njord - very old school - and very cheap (100$). But they do have a decent midrange and tonal balance.
From now on all my savings are earmarked for 4 more channels of the Naksa Experience
Very best regards
Heine
As Jens says - I have had the pleasure of listening to Jens' system - and the music delivery is very convincing. Best I ever heard. I have been through Arcam, Audiolab, Vincent, Primare, Thule, LC Audio and nothing comes anywhere near N70 in the ablility to reproduce music. I would argue that your amps from a value point are a comlete and utter bargain. Today I will finish my prototype of my DIY Open Baffle speakers and then I think that the potential of N70 will be revealed. At least in my own setup. If I should point out what makes N70 stand out it is the dynamics and detail that is completely different from the makes mentioned above. My speakers now is Rauna Njord - very old school - and very cheap (100$
). But they do have a decent midrange and tonal balance.From now on all my savings are earmarked for 4 more channels of the Naksa Experience
Very best regards
Heine
Hi Heine,
That is a long list of very well marketed products! Your compliments are very dear to me.
In my experience, if you have a good amp, just about any speakers sound good. If you have a mediocre amp, the sound is disappointing regardless of any very special speakers. This is not conventional thinking, but I have heard this many times over forty years.
Welcome to the Aspen family!
Ciao,
Hugh
That is a long list of very well marketed products! Your compliments are very dear to me.
In my experience, if you have a good amp, just about any speakers sound good. If you have a mediocre amp, the sound is disappointing regardless of any very special speakers. This is not conventional thinking, but I have heard this many times over forty years.
Welcome to the Aspen family!
Ciao,
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
Thank you for the feedback and the warm welcome into "your" family. Last night i had a moment of utter astonishment when i got the placement right of my new Open Waffle Speakers as Jens calls them. The music sounds free - from everything except ... music - and the credit is on your amps.
Very audiophile regards
Heine
Thank you for the feedback and the warm welcome into "your" family. Last night i had a moment of utter astonishment when i got the placement right of my new Open Waffle Speakers as Jens calls them
. The music sounds free - from everything except ... music - and the credit is on your amps.Very audiophile regards
Heine
Naksa 80 review
About 8 weeks ago I received two Naksa 80 amps of Hugh Dean of Aspen Amps. My DIY two-way speakers are actively managed, that’s why I needed two. I played for over 2 years, with full satisfaction, with the Naksa 's 70. When I discovered that Hugh had designed a new Naksa I was immediately interested . The design looked fine and when I read how Hugh was excited about his rookie the decision was quickly made. I had two self-designed amplifier cabinets with enough space for the Naksa 80 module (see pic's in this thread). I decided to put the module upright in the case so I had better access to connections and controls for bias and offset. I first contacted Hugh about that so I was sure it was possible. According to Hugh the Dutch weather conditions should not cause a problem. On his advice, I made some cooling holes in the base plate and the top plate of the cabinet so that the cabinet could “breathe” sufficiently. Later it turned out that the module became barely warm and so this probably will form, even in the summer, no problem.
When the amplifiers were done I plugged everything in and put on one of my favorite CDs. Of course I knew that the amplifiers first had to play a few days before I could say anything serious about the sound but I was very curious and could not wait. After the first minutes I heard that there was a family resemblance with the Naksa 70 amps. I've never heard amplifiers that represent voices so nicely than the Naksa 's. It’s one of their strong points. Also the soundstage was very wide and deep, another strong point. The sound improved considerably within the first hour. After some hours of listening I became the feeling that the amplifiers missed some air and space that I had experienced with the Naksa 70's. Of course I did not worry about that, the amplifiers didn’t had the time to become completely loose. I left the amps on and pushed the repeat button of my Wadia and let them play for a few days . My listening room is on the top floor of my house so I did not suffer from the noise of the ever- recurring CD. Sometimes I went upstairs and listened for an hour or so because I was curious. After a few days I sat seriously down and put on a CD that I knew well . I found out that the sound had not changed much as compared to the first day. It still lacked some air and space. Although the amp sounded excellent I felt that it could be better. I've checked everything again and checked the settings of the bias and offset. They were fine. I became a little worried and after some time of thinking, I called my friend Wim, who lives close to me and owns an audio business (Audiomaat). ( Tip: Look at his website. He sells the 40cc, which is an incredible power cord. One such power cord can change the sound of your entire music system considerably). Wim has very good ears and I attach great value to his judgment. When he was with me, I first played the N70 's for a while and then I switched to the N80 's. After one song he said immediately that the N80 was the amp of his choice. "The N70 sounds sensational but the N80 sounds more real", was his verdict . I agreed with him. I explained to him what I was missing in my opinion. He then asked me if the amps were in phase. I had to admit I had not even looked at that. We then started measuring all equipment and guess what: both amplifiers and my Wadia were not in phase. When everything was put in phase we sat back and listened to the same number as before the measurement. After 10 seconds or so, we looked at each other and Wim hit me on the shoulders to indicate: there you have your air and the space that you missed. This was truly incredible. The music came to life with an incredible wide and deep image and with a lot of detail. The amplifiers finally came to life as I expected from them from the first moment. Around each instrument and vocal there was air that was almost tangible. Voices were really beautiful and gave a real live experience . A strong point, remember. Everything sounded very neutral. Low, medium and high tones were completely balanced. For me it was incredible that the reversal of the power plugs could make that difference. From that day I was a believer that just small things could make the difference between music and no music, or less music if you want.
Hugh Dean delivered with the N80 yet another piece of art in the DIY community. I think it is his best to date. I can recommend this amp highly and it’s not just for people that can handle a soldering iron. The proof is that I am a newbee too. It’s very easy to construct and you can ask Hugh every question you have. Hugh is a very friendly and great man. His service to his customers knows no bounds.
The N70 remains a fine amp but does not have the balance that the N80 has. The N70 emphasizes the midrange more than the N80 and places voices more upfront and is less precise and a bit colored compared to the N80. Hugh managed it to let the already good N70 follow up by the even better N80. I can’t imagine that I will sell the N80 soon unless Hugh comes with a new rabbit out of his magic hat. You never know.
On the moment I'm still tuning the N80’s. I discovered that the amplifiers are very sensitive for changes. Everything you do with them is immediately audible. Cones, cables, underground, it all changes the sound. These amplifiers allow it that you can get the last bit out of them. It just takes some time and patience. I love it to tune audio, especially when you achieve results. Currently, the amps rest on Goldmund cones and are connected with power cables and power socket of Audiomaat.
I promised Hugh to write a review on the N80’s, so I did. He has a good name in the DIY community and that’s no coincidence. Hugh knows how to make an amp. The N80 proves it. And at last, remember, Google Translate is my best friend.
Eric
About 8 weeks ago I received two Naksa 80 amps of Hugh Dean of Aspen Amps. My DIY two-way speakers are actively managed, that’s why I needed two. I played for over 2 years, with full satisfaction, with the Naksa 's 70. When I discovered that Hugh had designed a new Naksa I was immediately interested . The design looked fine and when I read how Hugh was excited about his rookie the decision was quickly made. I had two self-designed amplifier cabinets with enough space for the Naksa 80 module (see pic's in this thread). I decided to put the module upright in the case so I had better access to connections and controls for bias and offset. I first contacted Hugh about that so I was sure it was possible. According to Hugh the Dutch weather conditions should not cause a problem. On his advice, I made some cooling holes in the base plate and the top plate of the cabinet so that the cabinet could “breathe” sufficiently. Later it turned out that the module became barely warm and so this probably will form, even in the summer, no problem.
When the amplifiers were done I plugged everything in and put on one of my favorite CDs. Of course I knew that the amplifiers first had to play a few days before I could say anything serious about the sound but I was very curious and could not wait. After the first minutes I heard that there was a family resemblance with the Naksa 70 amps. I've never heard amplifiers that represent voices so nicely than the Naksa 's. It’s one of their strong points. Also the soundstage was very wide and deep, another strong point. The sound improved considerably within the first hour. After some hours of listening I became the feeling that the amplifiers missed some air and space that I had experienced with the Naksa 70's. Of course I did not worry about that, the amplifiers didn’t had the time to become completely loose. I left the amps on and pushed the repeat button of my Wadia and let them play for a few days . My listening room is on the top floor of my house so I did not suffer from the noise of the ever- recurring CD. Sometimes I went upstairs and listened for an hour or so because I was curious. After a few days I sat seriously down and put on a CD that I knew well . I found out that the sound had not changed much as compared to the first day. It still lacked some air and space. Although the amp sounded excellent I felt that it could be better. I've checked everything again and checked the settings of the bias and offset. They were fine. I became a little worried and after some time of thinking, I called my friend Wim, who lives close to me and owns an audio business (Audiomaat). ( Tip: Look at his website. He sells the 40cc, which is an incredible power cord. One such power cord can change the sound of your entire music system considerably). Wim has very good ears and I attach great value to his judgment. When he was with me, I first played the N70 's for a while and then I switched to the N80 's. After one song he said immediately that the N80 was the amp of his choice. "The N70 sounds sensational but the N80 sounds more real", was his verdict . I agreed with him. I explained to him what I was missing in my opinion. He then asked me if the amps were in phase. I had to admit I had not even looked at that. We then started measuring all equipment and guess what: both amplifiers and my Wadia were not in phase. When everything was put in phase we sat back and listened to the same number as before the measurement. After 10 seconds or so, we looked at each other and Wim hit me on the shoulders to indicate: there you have your air and the space that you missed. This was truly incredible. The music came to life with an incredible wide and deep image and with a lot of detail. The amplifiers finally came to life as I expected from them from the first moment. Around each instrument and vocal there was air that was almost tangible. Voices were really beautiful and gave a real live experience . A strong point, remember. Everything sounded very neutral. Low, medium and high tones were completely balanced. For me it was incredible that the reversal of the power plugs could make that difference. From that day I was a believer that just small things could make the difference between music and no music, or less music if you want.
Hugh Dean delivered with the N80 yet another piece of art in the DIY community. I think it is his best to date. I can recommend this amp highly and it’s not just for people that can handle a soldering iron. The proof is that I am a newbee too. It’s very easy to construct and you can ask Hugh every question you have. Hugh is a very friendly and great man. His service to his customers knows no bounds.
The N70 remains a fine amp but does not have the balance that the N80 has. The N70 emphasizes the midrange more than the N80 and places voices more upfront and is less precise and a bit colored compared to the N80. Hugh managed it to let the already good N70 follow up by the even better N80. I can’t imagine that I will sell the N80 soon unless Hugh comes with a new rabbit out of his magic hat. You never know.
On the moment I'm still tuning the N80’s. I discovered that the amplifiers are very sensitive for changes. Everything you do with them is immediately audible. Cones, cables, underground, it all changes the sound. These amplifiers allow it that you can get the last bit out of them. It just takes some time and patience. I love it to tune audio, especially when you achieve results. Currently, the amps rest on Goldmund cones and are connected with power cables and power socket of Audiomaat.
I promised Hugh to write a review on the N80’s, so I did. He has a good name in the DIY community and that’s no coincidence. Hugh knows how to make an amp. The N80 proves it. And at last, remember, Google Translate is my best friend.
Eric
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