If you go to Audio circle marketplace you will find a thread with the information you require..and the designer will respond nicely to your questions because only nice people are interested.
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=25308
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=25308
I asked Greg about power supply for the GB300D, here's the answer:
"The power supply for the GB300D is of the same type as for the GB150D, i.e. similar to the GB150ABS but requiring higher voltage C's (80V or 100V) and a higher current bridge (10A) and transformer 300VA. The C's should be about 50% more than for the smaller amplifier."
"The power supply for the GB300D is of the same type as for the GB150D, i.e. similar to the GB150ABS but requiring higher voltage C's (80V or 100V) and a higher current bridge (10A) and transformer 300VA. The C's should be about 50% more than for the smaller amplifier."
I perceive here that there are a very sensitive problem
If you have perceived, i try to avoid comparison between amplifiers, or in other words, i tried not to publish, doing it because i want to know the one is better for my personal taste.
So, i elected the ones i prefer, beeing AKSA, Symassym and Gem, but i avoid to say with one is better, always telling that each one of them with their good and bad points, as no amplifier is perfect, as perfection do not exist in our world.
I think that those things, the comparison, can be helpfull to our community or diyers, but will be extremelly bad to designers, constructors, customers of A or B amplifier and will always start a terrible battle that will never finish, as subjective things cannot be measured.
So.... no winner, just people not happy.
Let's imagine, hard to me imagine that, but let's imagine that this XKA sounded better than AKSA....what is the result?
Aksa is a factory, a business is going there, of course some sales may be reduced, and if not a business, of course the designer will not feel good beeing the second, third, fourth of fifth....and designer always think they have the best idea possible.
Let's imagine that..... XKA beeing better in this and that.....well, near future ZKA will win XKA.....so, another constructor, designer, builder, customer, industrie owner or business owner not happy....and them will appear WKA that will win XKA that already winned ZKA, that had winned AKSA.
What we will be doing....alike a trial, judging and cutting heads?... when we all know that after some minutes EVERY amplifier sounds nice, as our brain adjusts....will we "kill" brands because the seconds that we heard without the intervenction of our brains?
Have you heard music when your first girl friend was in touch with you?....no one was playing music man!...was your brain doing that, our brain can do that, construct, adjust, feel the gaps, correct..........the same way the eye can have focus, our ears can do it too!
Attention please:
Behing the XKA there is a man, and Enginneer, a designer, a business, a family, with wife and children that is feed by his work....at least, his pride will be feeded by the apreciation of his design.
Behind AKSA there is also a nice man.
Also behind the other brands.
So, you may think that this is a trial place to diy, in the direction to find the perfection, even not existing that perfection.....you may think this is informative and positive to our communitty...maybe this will result in bad feelings, cutted heads, people hurted, business damaged.
Can we be more humans?...just avoiding to cut heads.?..telling the good things that XKA has, the good things about Nelson Pass amplifiers, the good things about Symassym, or even GEM.....and compare them in your home, that's diy!...to select the one is better for you...that cannot be better for me, and can be incredible good for my neighboor, and awfull to my wife.
This exercise of comparing, giving results, will hurt someone always...i feel myself responsable for that, as i use to do A to B comparison testing, but i avoid to publish results not to hurt people.
This new aproach, will transform our forum in a battle field...i am asking you guys, to loose some time to make some reflections about that....those amplifiers are not just parts..... they have persons behing them.... they have families behind them, we must behavior with the best level of responsability we can.
I am very sad but i have to apologize publically, because i was one of the ones started with that thing...i feel myself very guilty, as this result in a very bad sittuation to Hugh Dean, Greg Ball and others.
We gonna put them to figth and we will be just watching.....
Will we ask for more "blood", or try to stop that sittuation.
regards,
Carlos
If you have perceived, i try to avoid comparison between amplifiers, or in other words, i tried not to publish, doing it because i want to know the one is better for my personal taste.
So, i elected the ones i prefer, beeing AKSA, Symassym and Gem, but i avoid to say with one is better, always telling that each one of them with their good and bad points, as no amplifier is perfect, as perfection do not exist in our world.
I think that those things, the comparison, can be helpfull to our community or diyers, but will be extremelly bad to designers, constructors, customers of A or B amplifier and will always start a terrible battle that will never finish, as subjective things cannot be measured.
So.... no winner, just people not happy.
Let's imagine, hard to me imagine that, but let's imagine that this XKA sounded better than AKSA....what is the result?
Aksa is a factory, a business is going there, of course some sales may be reduced, and if not a business, of course the designer will not feel good beeing the second, third, fourth of fifth....and designer always think they have the best idea possible.
Let's imagine that..... XKA beeing better in this and that.....well, near future ZKA will win XKA.....so, another constructor, designer, builder, customer, industrie owner or business owner not happy....and them will appear WKA that will win XKA that already winned ZKA, that had winned AKSA.
What we will be doing....alike a trial, judging and cutting heads?... when we all know that after some minutes EVERY amplifier sounds nice, as our brain adjusts....will we "kill" brands because the seconds that we heard without the intervenction of our brains?
Have you heard music when your first girl friend was in touch with you?....no one was playing music man!...was your brain doing that, our brain can do that, construct, adjust, feel the gaps, correct..........the same way the eye can have focus, our ears can do it too!
Attention please:
Behing the XKA there is a man, and Enginneer, a designer, a business, a family, with wife and children that is feed by his work....at least, his pride will be feeded by the apreciation of his design.
Behind AKSA there is also a nice man.
Also behind the other brands.
So, you may think that this is a trial place to diy, in the direction to find the perfection, even not existing that perfection.....you may think this is informative and positive to our communitty...maybe this will result in bad feelings, cutted heads, people hurted, business damaged.
Can we be more humans?...just avoiding to cut heads.?..telling the good things that XKA has, the good things about Nelson Pass amplifiers, the good things about Symassym, or even GEM.....and compare them in your home, that's diy!...to select the one is better for you...that cannot be better for me, and can be incredible good for my neighboor, and awfull to my wife.
This exercise of comparing, giving results, will hurt someone always...i feel myself responsable for that, as i use to do A to B comparison testing, but i avoid to publish results not to hurt people.
This new aproach, will transform our forum in a battle field...i am asking you guys, to loose some time to make some reflections about that....those amplifiers are not just parts..... they have persons behing them.... they have families behind them, we must behavior with the best level of responsability we can.
I am very sad but i have to apologize publically, because i was one of the ones started with that thing...i feel myself very guilty, as this result in a very bad sittuation to Hugh Dean, Greg Ball and others.
We gonna put them to figth and we will be just watching.....
Will we ask for more "blood", or try to stop that sittuation.
regards,
Carlos
Carlos,
Appreciate your sentiments but unfortunately we live in a world dominated by capitalism and that is the capitalist way - by making a better product to which consumers respond by purchasing the product, spurs other manufacturers to make an even better product and capture the market and so on.
I'm sure the AKSA being an excellent product displaced some previous kit which was a revenue for some person/family.
All this is called consumerism and we could argue about the pros/cons of this ism but thatt's the current world in which we live.
JOhn
Appreciate your sentiments but unfortunately we live in a world dominated by capitalism and that is the capitalist way - by making a better product to which consumers respond by purchasing the product, spurs other manufacturers to make an even better product and capture the market and so on.
I'm sure the AKSA being an excellent product displaced some previous kit which was a revenue for some person/family.
All this is called consumerism and we could argue about the pros/cons of this ism but thatt's the current world in which we live.
JOhn
amplifiers
Just like there is no one best motor car or loudspeaker, there is no one best amplifier.
Many think the amplifier's role is simple - just pass a signal in and bring it out SOUNDING unaltered in any way but bigger and stronger.
But so far there has been no perfect implementation of this goal and no way of definingly measuring how close any attempt is.
ALL amplifiers produce slightly different SOUNDING results. If you are lucky enough to own top class source material, source equipment and loudspeakers in a sympathetic room then you need a superior amplifier to compliment these. Which amplifier is totally dependent on all of the above and your personal tastes, music choices and expectations.
This is why there are so very many very good amplifiers to chose from. Otherwise we would all just buy #1.
My tired old ears may now be addicted to high levels of 2nd harmonic distortion making singers sexy and saxes and basses sound better than true?
Interesting how sound transmission in air creates 2HD and bass guitars produce more 2HD than fundamental.
It's also funny how many with ESL's and other highly touted dipolar speakers known for so called "transparency"claim all amps with enough current ability sound pretty much identical so forget about amps!! Methinks something can't be so transparent!!
Generally, highly experienced audiophile music lovers cant even agree on tubes versus SS, fully balanced versus SE.
Hell, perhaps we are all individuals who drink different wines!
Cheers,
Just like there is no one best motor car or loudspeaker, there is no one best amplifier.
Many think the amplifier's role is simple - just pass a signal in and bring it out SOUNDING unaltered in any way but bigger and stronger.
But so far there has been no perfect implementation of this goal and no way of definingly measuring how close any attempt is.
ALL amplifiers produce slightly different SOUNDING results. If you are lucky enough to own top class source material, source equipment and loudspeakers in a sympathetic room then you need a superior amplifier to compliment these. Which amplifier is totally dependent on all of the above and your personal tastes, music choices and expectations.
This is why there are so very many very good amplifiers to chose from. Otherwise we would all just buy #1.
My tired old ears may now be addicted to high levels of 2nd harmonic distortion making singers sexy and saxes and basses sound better than true?
Interesting how sound transmission in air creates 2HD and bass guitars produce more 2HD than fundamental.
It's also funny how many with ESL's and other highly touted dipolar speakers known for so called "transparency"claim all amps with enough current ability sound pretty much identical so forget about amps!! Methinks something can't be so transparent!!
Generally, highly experienced audiophile music lovers cant even agree on tubes versus SS, fully balanced versus SE.
Hell, perhaps we are all individuals who drink different wines!
Cheers,
ctviggen ...
Hi Bob,
In response to your request for information (are we off topic? If so, send me an email).
1.) Transformer: Parts Express (www.partsexpress.com) stocks Avel-Lindberg torroids. 35-0-35 330VA is under $50.
2.) Chassis: Any of the US electronics stores carries rack mount chassis..... A 3U series works well (I got mine from circuit specialists). Batavia Enclosures (www.bataviaenclosures.com) have some reasonable and affordable cases (I have one) and finally, a number of folk suggest Par-Metal but I have not gotten any response to several requests.
3.) Heat Sinks: This seems to be a tough one in the US. I scour the surplus market. If you find a good vendor please let me know. Conrad in Australia has nice stuff but you pay alot for shipping and it takes time.
4.) Misc Parts (connectors and stuff): Try Apex Jr (www.apexjr.com) or Parts Express for the pricier stuff.
5.) DigiKey is a great source for anything they sell. Outstanding delivery. I live in Minnesota so if I order by late afternoon today, I will have it tomorrow via UPS ground. Excellent service
Bill
Hi Bob,
In response to your request for information (are we off topic? If so, send me an email).
1.) Transformer: Parts Express (www.partsexpress.com) stocks Avel-Lindberg torroids. 35-0-35 330VA is under $50.
2.) Chassis: Any of the US electronics stores carries rack mount chassis..... A 3U series works well (I got mine from circuit specialists). Batavia Enclosures (www.bataviaenclosures.com) have some reasonable and affordable cases (I have one) and finally, a number of folk suggest Par-Metal but I have not gotten any response to several requests.
3.) Heat Sinks: This seems to be a tough one in the US. I scour the surplus market. If you find a good vendor please let me know. Conrad in Australia has nice stuff but you pay alot for shipping and it takes time.
4.) Misc Parts (connectors and stuff): Try Apex Jr (www.apexjr.com) or Parts Express for the pricier stuff.
5.) DigiKey is a great source for anything they sell. Outstanding delivery. I live in Minnesota so if I order by late afternoon today, I will have it tomorrow via UPS ground. Excellent service
Bill
I can't answer that question.
But I have arranged in principle for a third party to make an impartial comparions and write a review at some stage.
The SKA was a solution for hot weather...thats all.
I was surprised at the sound quality
As discussed with Hugh:
"As I said in an earlier post I do not propose to post any direct comparions of the SKA or ASKA. I think its is natural for prospective buyers to ask the question. The diplomatic answer is its a matter of taste which is in fact true. I don't think any one amp of comparable quality is better than the other. They are just different and some differences will appeal more to some than others.
There is a lot of junk out there and either way any diy person will get great pleasure out of either design."
But I have arranged in principle for a third party to make an impartial comparions and write a review at some stage.
The SKA was a solution for hot weather...thats all.
I was surprised at the sound quality
As discussed with Hugh:
"As I said in an earlier post I do not propose to post any direct comparions of the SKA or ASKA. I think its is natural for prospective buyers to ask the question. The diplomatic answer is its a matter of taste which is in fact true. I don't think any one amp of comparable quality is better than the other. They are just different and some differences will appeal more to some than others.
There is a lot of junk out there and either way any diy person will get great pleasure out of either design."
Chris,
Speaking only for myself (since I was correctly quoted by Macka), I guess it means that I want to hear the SKA in a/b with my 100W AKSA (similar power, much better than comparing to a 55W). Only in a direct comparison can I listen for points of difference, and ultimately, if I hear anything significant, continue development of my own amp to meet any perceived new standard. The AKSA is, after all, in continuous development. That's what competition is all about, and I'm delighted to meet the challenge head on. I suspect we agree on this.
There is a radical philosophical difference in the design of the two amps, so I would expect a totally different presentation. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that these divergent sonic presentations will very likely appeal to quite different market sectors. After all, I don't hear anyone here comparing the SKA to NP's many and diverse offerings, another logical comparison.
IOW, while I take Mr Kenny's comments on board, I would not expect them to directly compete, any more than tube and SS compete. There is probably room under the sun for everyone in this game, and there is no more diverse game than audio.
Cheers,
Hugh
Speaking only for myself (since I was correctly quoted by Macka), I guess it means that I want to hear the SKA in a/b with my 100W AKSA (similar power, much better than comparing to a 55W). Only in a direct comparison can I listen for points of difference, and ultimately, if I hear anything significant, continue development of my own amp to meet any perceived new standard. The AKSA is, after all, in continuous development. That's what competition is all about, and I'm delighted to meet the challenge head on. I suspect we agree on this.
There is a radical philosophical difference in the design of the two amps, so I would expect a totally different presentation. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that these divergent sonic presentations will very likely appeal to quite different market sectors. After all, I don't hear anyone here comparing the SKA to NP's many and diverse offerings, another logical comparison.
IOW, while I take Mr Kenny's comments on board, I would not expect them to directly compete, any more than tube and SS compete. There is probably room under the sun for everyone in this game, and there is no more diverse game than audio.
Cheers,
Hugh
Re: I perceive here that there are a very sensitive problem
Carlos
regards for you apologize publically
this is something not many guys will do ..... even if they have reasons to
You know there is a special thread about:
AKSA Amplifier - Listening impressions
I started that topic, to keep main talk about AKSA there
and keep main talk abot SKA here.
It was after first clash between 'two camps'.
It is a good rule, make it easier for moderators and keep more people happy,
if we try to focus our posts, so they fit topic the best.
Unfortunately, there are too many 'thread-hijackings'.
Some do not mind, but other members can feel very disturbed.
They will report such posts.
Both Simple Killer Amp and AKSA are amplifiers, that deserves some respect.
In this thread main focus is on SKA.
Lets keep it this way.
destroyer X said:
Carlos
regards for you apologize publically
this is something not many guys will do ..... even if they have reasons to
You know there is a special thread about:
AKSA Amplifier - Listening impressions
I started that topic, to keep main talk about AKSA there
and keep main talk abot SKA here.
It was after first clash between 'two camps'.
It is a good rule, make it easier for moderators and keep more people happy,
if we try to focus our posts, so they fit topic the best.
Unfortunately, there are too many 'thread-hijackings'.
Some do not mind, but other members can feel very disturbed.
They will report such posts.
Both Simple Killer Amp and AKSA are amplifiers, that deserves some respect.
In this thread main focus is on SKA.
Lets keep it this way.
Hi macka, Hugh,
That makes perfect sense to me. As you both know, I fully accept that amps can sound different and both be good within their strengths. I just don't like open statments that can be interpreted so many ways and wanted to see what the intent was. Now I understand.
I would be interested in the results. An indication of the strengths of each design would assist DIY'ers in making up their mind. It's not like you can listen to these in a store. I don't think a simple statement as to which is the "winner" would be helpful.
An aside, I routinely compare tube, hybrid and SS gear. You can compare them but can not simply state which is better. They each have their strengths and weaknesses.
I suspect that both Hugh and Greg may learn from the results.
-Chris
That makes perfect sense to me. As you both know, I fully accept that amps can sound different and both be good within their strengths. I just don't like open statments that can be interpreted so many ways and wanted to see what the intent was. Now I understand.
I would be interested in the results. An indication of the strengths of each design would assist DIY'ers in making up their mind. It's not like you can listen to these in a store. I don't think a simple statement as to which is the "winner" would be helpful.
An aside, I routinely compare tube, hybrid and SS gear. You can compare them but can not simply state which is better. They each have their strengths and weaknesses.
I suspect that both Hugh and Greg may learn from the results.
-Chris
Hugh,
I respect and admire your technical abilities and your common sense attitude to this apparent storm in a tea cup as evidenced by your desire to do controlled A/B listening tests.
As I said this is the way of the true entrepreneur and is the attractive underlying premis of true capitalism and can only lead to better products for all concerned.
IIRC Macka already stated that the Aleph X was his prefered sonic reference for the winter months and nobody created any fuss about this viewpoint.
John
I respect and admire your technical abilities and your common sense attitude to this apparent storm in a tea cup as evidenced by your desire to do controlled A/B listening tests.
As I said this is the way of the true entrepreneur and is the attractive underlying premis of true capitalism and can only lead to better products for all concerned.
IIRC Macka already stated that the Aleph X was his prefered sonic reference for the winter months and nobody created any fuss about this viewpoint.
John
It is also mentioned earlier that a direct comparison is meaningless, because there are too many factors to influense different outcome
This tread is not about which amp to be the best in the world, but its about finding out if SKA is any good and how good and give some people oppertunity to find out if this is the one to build
SKA is a good amp and its is beond any doubt now I think, so it is up to the individual to implement and build it in the best way
I think SKA and AKSA are two very different products, produced and sold in very different ways, and thereby should attract very different people
What attracts me with SKA is flexibility and of corse low cost
You dont need the best amp in the world to get good sound, if only its good enough.
This tread is not about which amp to be the best in the world, but its about finding out if SKA is any good and how good and give some people oppertunity to find out if this is the one to build
SKA is a good amp and its is beond any doubt now I think, so it is up to the individual to implement and build it in the best way
I think SKA and AKSA are two very different products, produced and sold in very different ways, and thereby should attract very different people
What attracts me with SKA is flexibility and of corse low cost
You dont need the best amp in the world to get good sound, if only its good enough.
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