Time for a preliminary review:
I moved this to my ever-changing main system (I'll detail it below) & turned it on & nothing ........... but music came out of the speakers (I bet this gives Hugh a shock
). Like all great amplifiers this seemed to get out of the way & not draw attention to itself. So this impressed me to start with.
I had to stop enjoying the music & start critically listening to to de-construct what I was hearing. First off I noticed how quiet this amplifier is - even with volume up full, no hiss, no sound from my speakers (I don't think I've experienced this before). I played some Nat King Cole tracks that I had recently used & I was familiar with (showing my age now!) & his voice was more silky than I had heard before & the massed strings were very convincing. I then tried Gorillaz, Plastic Beach for something at the other end of the spectrum (more electronic) & I noticed how fast & dynamic the sound was - the electronic sounds on this album are fast & discordant at times & a lesser amp can muddle things up a bit.
I then used my favourite album for testing audio equipment - Herbie Hancock's; "The Joni Letters". I find a number of tests on this can easily trip up an audio device - the wire brushing on the snare drum/cymbals can sound like hiss on some systems; the sax & piano is a good test of instrument rendition & the various singers test the midrange for any over emphasis. On all counts this amp was exemplary - the first of mine that got everything right - no over-emphasis in any area; an even-handedness that explains why it gets out of the way & just lets the music come through.
So to use a local phrase from this part of the world - it's wicked good! I'm chuffed & happy as a bunny - I just need to improve the rest of my system to the standard achieved by this amp - see below for existing system.
I'm hoping to soon be able to have a shoot out between it & some other well respected amps both DIY & commercial. I will post here if & when I achieve this.
Existing system:
Source: Dell inspiron 600 laptop running Foobar V1.0.3
USB transport - my modified Hiface via SPDIF into a PurePiper DAC (will be changing this to a Sabre based AckoDac soon)
Naksa amp (still using cheap pots from Samson donor amp - will be changed to LDR vol control)
Jordan JX92S DIY speakers
I'll post some pics later.
I moved this to my ever-changing main system (I'll detail it below) & turned it on & nothing ........... but music came out of the speakers (I bet this gives Hugh a shock
). Like all great amplifiers this seemed to get out of the way & not draw attention to itself. So this impressed me to start with.I had to stop enjoying the music & start critically listening to to de-construct what I was hearing. First off I noticed how quiet this amplifier is - even with volume up full, no hiss, no sound from my speakers (I don't think I've experienced this before). I played some Nat King Cole tracks that I had recently used & I was familiar with (showing my age now!) & his voice was more silky than I had heard before & the massed strings were very convincing. I then tried Gorillaz, Plastic Beach for something at the other end of the spectrum (more electronic) & I noticed how fast & dynamic the sound was - the electronic sounds on this album are fast & discordant at times & a lesser amp can muddle things up a bit.
I then used my favourite album for testing audio equipment - Herbie Hancock's; "The Joni Letters". I find a number of tests on this can easily trip up an audio device - the wire brushing on the snare drum/cymbals can sound like hiss on some systems; the sax & piano is a good test of instrument rendition & the various singers test the midrange for any over emphasis. On all counts this amp was exemplary - the first of mine that got everything right - no over-emphasis in any area; an even-handedness that explains why it gets out of the way & just lets the music come through.
So to use a local phrase from this part of the world - it's wicked good! I'm chuffed & happy as a bunny - I just need to improve the rest of my system to the standard achieved by this amp - see below for existing system.
I'm hoping to soon be able to have a shoot out between it & some other well respected amps both DIY & commercial. I will post here if & when I achieve this.
Existing system:
Source: Dell inspiron 600 laptop running Foobar V1.0.3
USB transport - my modified Hiface via SPDIF into a PurePiper DAC (will be changing this to a Sabre based AckoDac soon)
Naksa amp (still using cheap pots from Samson donor amp - will be changed to LDR vol control)
Jordan JX92S DIY speakers
I'll post some pics later.
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I find that it's always unreliable to try & do comparisons using audio memory but I can't fault the Naksa.
As I said, I'm hoping to soon do a A/B comparison with some top flight amplifiers - Pass F5, Pass De-lite, red light district, maybe an Air-Tight commercial tube amp, maybe a Susan Parker Zeus, who knows what else?
As I said, I'm hoping to soon do a A/B comparison with some top flight amplifiers - Pass F5, Pass De-lite, red light district, maybe an Air-Tight commercial tube amp, maybe a Susan Parker Zeus, who knows what else?
John,
My NAKSA turned up yesterday. Will start the build this weekend.
I do have an AKSA 55N+ to stack it up against
I also have another amp which started life as one of Hugh's Lifeforce 55 Amps and somewhere along the way got modified using Soraya 100W Boards BUT built as a 55 Watter instead of 100W.
Can also give it a run against the Baby Huey tube amps. I seem to recall you modified a Rogers Cadet III to the BH circuit so you will have some idea of comparative sounds.
Will report when I have the NAKSA up and running.
Cheers,
Ian
My NAKSA turned up yesterday. Will start the build this weekend.
I do have an AKSA 55N+ to stack it up against
I also have another amp which started life as one of Hugh's Lifeforce 55 Amps and somewhere along the way got modified using Soraya 100W Boards BUT built as a 55 Watter instead of 100W.
Can also give it a run against the Baby Huey tube amps. I seem to recall you modified a Rogers Cadet III to the BH circuit so you will have some idea of comparative sounds.
Will report when I have the NAKSA up and running.
Cheers,
Ian
Hi Ian,
Great! Yes, I did create a Baby Huey from a Rogers Cadet III but this is undergoing further surgery to incorporate a BDT preamp so is not functional, at the moment. The BH will be stiff competition for the Naksa - from memory mine was an excellent sounding amp & you have developed yours even further. All these will be great comparative tests.
But do we have to wait until the weekend
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Good God, I really wasn't fullsome enough in my praise of this amp - the more I play it & listen the more astounding it sounds. I don't know if this is a burning-in or if I'm playing for long periods & it's reaching a nice thermal equilibrium (no heat coming from the heatsink vanes) - but it's incredible.
I'm trying to put my finger on it's sonic secrets and all I can come up with is that it is so quiet & THD is so low that the instrument tails are clearly revealed giving a true foot-tapping & engaging sound to it. I'm in the process of finishing a Sabre DAC & can't wait to hear what an improvement in the front end will reveal. Problem is I just don't want to stop listening to music with this amp.
My amp shoot-out will have to go up a level I think & I'll be calling in the big guns to compare to this amp in the form of an Air Tight tube based amp - one of the best amps I ever heard but I have a feeling this Naksa will be it's match. It's a very tall order, Hugh & I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't match up, after all the Ait Tights are high-end sounding & price 6moons audio reviews: Air Tight ATM-300. This will be an even stiffer test than the Baby Huey, I reckon
Hugh, my hat off to you - I knew you were a good designer but this is truly exceptional.
I'm trying to put my finger on it's sonic secrets and all I can come up with is that it is so quiet & THD is so low that the instrument tails are clearly revealed giving a true foot-tapping & engaging sound to it. I'm in the process of finishing a Sabre DAC & can't wait to hear what an improvement in the front end will reveal. Problem is I just don't want to stop listening to music with this amp.
My amp shoot-out will have to go up a level I think & I'll be calling in the big guns to compare to this amp in the form of an Air Tight tube based amp - one of the best amps I ever heard but I have a feeling this Naksa will be it's match. It's a very tall order, Hugh & I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't match up, after all the Ait Tights are high-end sounding & price 6moons audio reviews: Air Tight ATM-300. This will be an even stiffer test than the Baby Huey, I reckon
Hugh, my hat off to you - I knew you were a good designer but this is truly exceptional.
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