Okay, I'm scratching the upgrade itch before it itches here!
I am so shocked by how good two ACA's sound in my system.
My setup is a Denafrips Ares 2 → Khozmo passive → two Pass ACAs → highly efficient Goodmans Axiom 201 in horn enclosures.
Right now I am just blown away by the detail and transparency, cleanliness. Perhaps I will include a minimalistic B1 Korg Nutube stage (have it almost ready) to see what some harmonics do with this system.
But I can't stop wondering... what would be an upgrade significant enough not to be a "sidegrade"?
Preferably staying in the Nelson Pass universe of designs or similar, transistor based - somehow can't see myself tube rolling.
Also, to be honest, the reason why I mention "upgrade vs. sidegrade" is that I'd rather make a significant change upwards than a cosmetic one.
Any suggestion would be appreciated!
Wouldn't even ask the question if I wouldn't feel that - with the ACAs I'm now knocking on the doors of something potentially bigger, I think for the first time I believe I can have more than a half-baked system in my house.
I am so shocked by how good two ACA's sound in my system.
My setup is a Denafrips Ares 2 → Khozmo passive → two Pass ACAs → highly efficient Goodmans Axiom 201 in horn enclosures.
Right now I am just blown away by the detail and transparency, cleanliness. Perhaps I will include a minimalistic B1 Korg Nutube stage (have it almost ready) to see what some harmonics do with this system.
But I can't stop wondering... what would be an upgrade significant enough not to be a "sidegrade"?
Preferably staying in the Nelson Pass universe of designs or similar, transistor based - somehow can't see myself tube rolling.
Also, to be honest, the reason why I mention "upgrade vs. sidegrade" is that I'd rather make a significant change upwards than a cosmetic one.
Any suggestion would be appreciated!
Wouldn't even ask the question if I wouldn't feel that - with the ACAs I'm now knocking on the doors of something potentially bigger, I think for the first time I believe I can have more than a half-baked system in my house.
Tough call. At my house, our listening habits 98-99 percent of the time are down in that all important first watt. And we find the ACA is a really hard act to follow in that region. We had a larger commercially made class A product for a period of time and while it could drive the speakers to an uncomfortable listening level and held its own down in the 0 to 1 watt range: we still prefer the ACA. Not trying to sway your opinion. Just sharing our experience with the same question several years ago. Will be interested to hear your story as it evolves!
The ACA is a remarkably capable amp, especially with efficient speakers.
As my speakers are not that efficient, I went down a different path and experimented with some modifications to the ACA that I enjoyed with my system.
There is a separate thread about the various modifications tried by myself and others.
As my speakers are not that efficient, I went down a different path and experimented with some modifications to the ACA that I enjoyed with my system.
There is a separate thread about the various modifications tried by myself and others.
I was asking if the thread was the "premium parts" thread. did you describe the power supply there too?
Honey to my ears, tjw & tungsten, thanks for your answers. We also listen mostly to the first few watts. The attenuator has 64 steps (00 to 63) and I listen with the Khozmo display reading between 18 and 40. That corresponds to 1/4 to 3/4 of the First Watt power.
I was thinking if I should look for a Pass XA25 on the used market (as a clear upgrade) but this tends to be way out of my financial reach.
Plus, I want to stay with my Axioms, I feel they are the element that still has potential to be unleashed.
On the tame side, perhaps a better PS is a worthy upgrade. I have a common one for both "monoblocs" now.
I was thinking if I should look for a Pass XA25 on the used market (as a clear upgrade) but this tends to be way out of my financial reach.
Plus, I want to stay with my Axioms, I feel they are the element that still has potential to be unleashed.
On the tame side, perhaps a better PS is a worthy upgrade. I have a common one for both "monoblocs" now.
New to forum. I have no electronics experience but wanted to build the Camp Amp at the suggestion of my brother who is an audiophile with unlimited budget, very dangerous. The Camp Amp build was great fun and I am amazed at how will it drives my Harbeth HL-P3 speakers. The success with the Camp Amp precipitated a build of the ACA MinMax which went well (other than requiring an electronics pro to balance the potentiometers). I want to build another MinMax and run them as monoblocks but MinMax kits are not currently available. Question: is there any intelligent way to connect the Camp Amp and MinMax synergistically to drive my speakers in stereo as you can with two Camp Amps?
^ Are you asking if you could use the ACA for one speaker, and the ACA MinMax for the other speaker in any of the monoblock configurations? Yes, you could, but that would be ill-advised in my opinion. It will make music, but you may not like it. They're 'completely' different amplifiers even if they share a bit of a name in common.
I don't know, but I think the HL-P3 can be bi-amped. It would be up to you to ensure that you do it properly. If so...
Are you asking if you could use the ACA and the ACA MinMax in a vertical biamp configuration? Yes, you could, but that would be ill-advised in my opinion. See above.
Are you asking if you could use the ACA and the ACAMinMax in a horizontal biamp configuration? Yes, you could, and that maybe could work. My gut tells me that the MinMax on the bass would be the more interesting of the two options. Check the phase.
Others that have more experience than I may want to offer thoughts.
I don't know, but I think the HL-P3 can be bi-amped. It would be up to you to ensure that you do it properly. If so...
Are you asking if you could use the ACA and the ACA MinMax in a vertical biamp configuration? Yes, you could, but that would be ill-advised in my opinion. See above.
Are you asking if you could use the ACA and the ACAMinMax in a horizontal biamp configuration? Yes, you could, and that maybe could work. My gut tells me that the MinMax on the bass would be the more interesting of the two options. Check the phase.
Others that have more experience than I may want to offer thoughts.
If your version of the Harbeth supports bi-wiring, then you could use ACA on tweeters, and MiniMax in woofers (MiniMax appears to have more power, so better to drive woofers).
If your preamp has a both balanced outputs and a balance control and you are also willing to g to accept some difference in tonal quality between left and right, then you can run one channel using ACA in either balanced or parallel mode; and MiniMax in balanced mode for other channel.
It would be unsafe, IMO, to try to interconnect the two amps in some fashion to get more power. Perhaps someone who is more knowledgeable can describe a safe method, or advise that it is not acceptable.
If your preamp has a both balanced outputs and a balance control and you are also willing to g to accept some difference in tonal quality between left and right, then you can run one channel using ACA in either balanced or parallel mode; and MiniMax in balanced mode for other channel.
It would be unsafe, IMO, to try to interconnect the two amps in some fashion to get more power. Perhaps someone who is more knowledgeable can describe a safe method, or advise that it is not acceptable.
Thank you for the responses! Yes, I would like to use the amps in a horizontal biamp configuration. Just did not know how to describe it. My speakers have two inputs. I assume that means bi-wiring for woofer/tweeters. I would like to try using the ACA on Tweeters and MinMax on woofers. How would I set that up?
I am using the Bluesound Node N132. My system is very bare bones and geared towards quality background music.
We upgraded from Sonos and wanted to stay under $5000 for our system. In addition, I really wanted to try out electronics as a hobby.
We upgraded from Sonos and wanted to stay under $5000 for our system. In addition, I really wanted to try out electronics as a hobby.
I tried to find output impedance for the unit but had no luck. You could try using a RCA Y-splitter cord for each channel with one side to output of streamer, and two Y ends to inputs if the ACA and MiniMax. Not sure if streamer has enough drive.
You could see if headphone output does not disable the RCA output on the back if the streamer. In that case, you could use an adapter to go from headphone to the amp, with a buffer and pot to provide level matching (I assume that headphone level of the streamer is NOT separately adjustable from the main output).
The most expensive way would be to build a dedicated buffer unit, with buffer and volume pots for each of the two outputs.
You could see if headphone output does not disable the RCA output on the back if the streamer. In that case, you could use an adapter to go from headphone to the amp, with a buffer and pot to provide level matching (I assume that headphone level of the streamer is NOT separately adjustable from the main output).
The most expensive way would be to build a dedicated buffer unit, with buffer and volume pots for each of the two outputs.
That sounds like a great (and cheap) (and low risk) way to use the Camp Amp to drive tweeters and the MinMax to drive woofers as an interim setup until the new MinMax kits are available. Then I will use two MinMaxes as Monoblocks. With this solution I would continue to run both amps in stereo as well, correct?
Which amps: the ACA and MiniMax combo, or the two MinMax combo? The ACA and MinMax coni would have each amp run in stereo. The two MinMax combo would have each amp run in balanced mode if you do NOT intend to biamp (but you need balanced input, which you can get with a conversion transformer like one from Jensen or Cinemax); or stereo if you are going to bison and use one MiniMax for tweeters and the other MinMax for woofers.
I would use the ACA and MinMax in stereo with the split RCA. ACA running the tweeters and MinMax running woofers. Who knows, it may work and sound great. When I complete the second Minmax I would run them in balanced mode