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Brand New Super AKSA - the SAKSA 85!

Up and running for a few days now and very pleased with what I'm hearing. Definitely a few levels above the UCD180 it replaced. Sounds much more powerful when the watts are almost identical. Very rich mids and bass produce a very full dynamic sound even at lower volumes.
The resolution is similar but SAKSA takes it further, instruments are more delineated and busy passages easier to interpret. Its also easy to listen to with no fatigue. I took a gamble being new to Aspen and glad I did.

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Thanks Nick,

A nice implementation, and a thoughtful, insightful view of the sound quality. I suspect the resolution at low output is the result of a very high S/N ratio; VERY quiet indeed.

Thanks for taking the time to let forums members the latest Aspen amp, I'm very proud of this entry level Aspen, it's a corker......

Cheers,

Hugh
 
Nick, Welcome to the Aspen Family. The Saksa is a good introduction to what goes on here. Once here, you might never leave. Hugh is always coming up with new and better amps.

Boy you are correct, I am so impressed with this amplifier Ive fallen in love with my speakers and system all over again. Hugh said that a good amp is the foundation and I now believe that's true.

I honestly don't know how Hugh produces such big rich sound out of such a small board. You would think the amp would have capacitors the size of coke cans. The SAKSA really is a bargain!! If I ever upgrade I won't be looking anywhere else.

Thanks Hugh
 
Hi Romeo,

Thank you for your post - it's been a long time!
My health continues good, and my Doc tells me my ticker is now at the low normal capacity level now. I lived with very poor heart output for years, but it is much better now and I can live almost a normal life.
The NAKSA 70 did not have a wonderful bias generator, and if it became too hot it would run into runaway. This fault was corrected with the NAKSA 80, and subsequently I take care with the tempco situation on the output stage. I would think the feedback resistor fried as a result of this when the amp output moved to one of the rails, using the positive rail.
My big amp is now the Maya, which builds on all the lessons learned and a few topology changes, which brings huge improvement to sonics. I've learned ways to put the entire amp and power supply onto a single pcb, like the N70, and this has served me well.

Are you now living near Sarajevo, or Brndisi, or home now?

Ciao,

Hugh
 
Hi Hugh,

I am still in Italy, just came back a week ago. I felt that when we tuned the NAKSA its like we tuned it like a high performance engine when all the cams are set to max performance.:)

I still love the sound of NAKSA 100 and even my youngest son confirmed that they do sound better and more refined.

All my visitors who hear the 70 was amazed on how clear they sound, hooked to a TLP for the pre amp and driving the Dynaudio DM.

Ciao,
Romeo
 
In the intervening years I have learned how to tune the amp using LTSpice to give the best sound; it's to do with the harmonic profile, and a high H2 level is needed.
This all goes back to a belief about twenty years back that the usual high loop gain designs with low measured THD are not exactly the complete answer; there is a psychoacoustic aspect of sound reproduction that most engineers are not very familiar with. Coming to design from a musical background has helpful!
Thanks for your very careful thoughts, Romeo, I think a good ear is incredibly helpful, and of course with your technical skills building an amp has been a doddle for you!

Ciao,

Hugh
 
Dear Hugh,
with more than 2 decades of R&D experience you have created wonderful amplifier MAYA and SAKSA . when ever i hear the music in MAYA after a gap (may be 10 days) i am thrilled by the sound quality . particularly in the midband and in complex music passage it is crystal clear. in my past experience(other amplifier) this particular midband is not clear and becomes muddy at high volumes . but with MAYA even at high volumes it is very clear. many guests who heard my system appreciated the sound quality very well.

Regards
 
Hi Raj,
This is wonderful news, that after some time with your Maya you are as happy with it as after a few hours!
It reminds me of a funny proverb, 'The quality is remembered long after the cost is forgotten'.
Not that the Maya is hugely expensive; but it remains my best amp and I'm pleased with the fact it is admired for its sonics. It's been a long time of my R&D, and done with minimal investment in expensive instruments, it was the results of iteration and technical 'hunches'.
But I'm sure that there is some improvement in the future.........!

Thank you for your post, your observations are insightful and hugely appreciated.

Cheers,

Hugh
 
A SAKSA under construction

A new SAKSA I'm putting together today, nearly done. This is a very neat installation, using a 300VA transformer and my custom Al 3mm single piece enclosure. The input wires are not yet in place, but the power wiring, secondaries, LED indicator and IEC/switch are all in place.

Case is 300Wx250Dx65H - much smaller than a DVD player and smaller than most amplifiers. Case dissipates the heat very effectively but requires ventilation. Feet are rubber, around 12mm off the bench.

Hugh
 

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Nice compact design!
From what i see...you aren't a twisted cable believer.
You didn't use gnd Loop Breaker(or is on the main board already)?
I like the way you mount the Thiele circuit.
Someday i want to built this but the bigger problem is the pcb.
Regards.
 
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