ACA for audiophile friend as a gift?

[planet10]

I am leaning towards ignoring any surprise stuff and just telling him about my idea and letting him be a part of the research process

That is probably smart.

dave

 

[jtap]

What he said. The ACA’s prime purpose is simple. The VFET does not have those constraints. More will follow in these amps footsteps, but the limited edition will be very special sonically and as a limited thing, only 179 other people wil have one (if you are lucky enuff to win, worth buying a ticket). The ACA is a bargin at just over $300. The VFET could easily sell-out at a price many times the $500 price.

But, one has to keep in mind that an ACA is more like a typical SE tube amp in terms of speakers it is happy with… what speakers does your buddy have?

dave

I will probably put in for the lottery and see what happens. I would either keep it or offer it to him if I managed to get lucky.

He has SVS Ultra speakers.

 

[planet10]

Neither of the 2 amps mentioned wil be really happy with that big impednce bump at the XO. You will hear it as. abump in the FR right there. Small, but potentially a game-killer.

Sensitivity is OK as long as level sdo not need to be too loud.

dave

 

[jtap]

Neither of the 2 amps mentioned wil be really happy with that big impednce bump at the XO. You will hear it as. abump in the FR right there. Small, but potentially a game-killer.

Sensitivity is OK as long as level sdo not need to be too loud.

dave

Thanks for looking into that. I appreciate yours and anyone else's time that they spend doing research, reading and adding to this thread. I don't fully understand it but I get that you wouldn't want frequency ranges standing out (the bump you mention).

I think the focus of trying to find a tube headphone amp project I can build that can rival his Topping A90 and give him the chance to try a tube HP amp for the first time is what I would like to do for him.

I could still make the Sony VFET for myself or the ACA if I don't win the lotto, and either try it with my cheap speakers (pioneer sp-bs22) or look to upgrade to speakers that would work better for it. I like the idea of building the thing myself.

 

[jtap]

So...is the starving student II tube amp something that could realistically compete with my friend's setup and properly drive his 35 ohm headphones as well as give him a positive first glimpse into tube amplification?