Got two very very experienced listeners who came to my home today.
fssa /usspa 2 was both reviewed with 2 different set-up.
My living room listening to vinyls.
Usspa it's just transparent very little color and comfortable. Like it's not there but it's there. Whatever u throw at it I just do it's job. Great no complains. It's a 10w system to have fun listening so just fine..
Comming to my naughty play room :
Fssa without preamp..straight from dac .nht 2.3 floorstandI just turn on first song
Yim hock man first track at almost full blast. The first drum beat.. The accuracy, salutation slam and decay... They never heard that in sub 100 k system.. The clarity of the cymbal....
2nd song variant jazz. The space and size the control and dynamism.. The texture of everything. How difficult is that low?no sweat.
Third song. Adele, unbearable flat in most system... Just so natural 3d. and palpable.. Liquid.. The fast trob of the last to song just melted in something more calm and relax
Does every song request with a cherry on top.. 2 hours of listening and off to dinner. No I didn't pay for dinner lolol only 3 bucks in my wallet.
Say one : in my 30 over years hearing low end mid end.. And diy system.. This is by far the most complete. Almost without flaw.who designed this incredible amplifier? I say Fab from Canada. .
Next say. Unfugging believable. Diy or non diy it's one of his favorite! Liquid yet dynamic. Natural yet not boring.. All frequency is saturated. Extremely coherent.. But there is a flaw when he move around the room... We come to that later.
One of the highlight we call a recording that never sound right..
LA bamba : by ozone purcussion... Oh this is how this should sound.. The clash of the cymbal usually sound like nothing.. Now it sound like a sliding cymbal strike..
Then live rock.. 3d. Every one standing where it should resolution is just wow...
It's have the good quality of goldmund/mark levinson/mbl. .and so so linear.. , the space just increases in size with volume... Remind one guy about a very expensive pro system . Bass is legendary.. No preamp what is this?diy? Only some quite old 2nd hand speaker? No acoustic treatment?minimalist system. Oh some quite expensive cable.. They chatted. I just grin like a stoopid kid from ear to ear. Giggle like a girl.
So ask anything wrong.. How to improve further. Anything bad? Nothing of concern.. It's more intimate. But some prefer laid back but... That's nothing.. Not important. Wall is almost gone. Speaker gone.. So it's great.
Oh the flaw. I have to reverse the phase of my speakers.. Lol.. Now it's even better.. Also.. Can be better with spikes my cheap speakers small flaw in low end but it's nuthing.. Mmm the spike more expensive than my speakers... Hmmm hmmm.....
Someone always know more always
Danks Fab... U da godzilla! That concludes... The final review
fssa /usspa 2 was both reviewed with 2 different set-up.
My living room listening to vinyls.
Usspa it's just transparent very little color and comfortable. Like it's not there but it's there. Whatever u throw at it I just do it's job. Great no complains. It's a 10w system to have fun listening so just fine..
Comming to my naughty play room :
Fssa without preamp..straight from dac .nht 2.3 floorstandI just turn on first song
Yim hock man first track at almost full blast. The first drum beat.. The accuracy, salutation slam and decay... They never heard that in sub 100 k system.. The clarity of the cymbal....
2nd song variant jazz. The space and size the control and dynamism.. The texture of everything. How difficult is that low?no sweat.
Third song. Adele, unbearable flat in most system... Just so natural 3d. and palpable.. Liquid.. The fast trob of the last to song just melted in something more calm and relax
Does every song request with a cherry on top.. 2 hours of listening and off to dinner. No I didn't pay for dinner lolol only 3 bucks in my wallet.
Say one : in my 30 over years hearing low end mid end.. And diy system.. This is by far the most complete. Almost without flaw.who designed this incredible amplifier? I say Fab from Canada. .
Next say. Unfugging believable. Diy or non diy it's one of his favorite! Liquid yet dynamic. Natural yet not boring.. All frequency is saturated. Extremely coherent.. But there is a flaw when he move around the room... We come to that later.
One of the highlight we call a recording that never sound right..
LA bamba : by ozone purcussion... Oh this is how this should sound.. The clash of the cymbal usually sound like nothing.. Now it sound like a sliding cymbal strike..
Then live rock.. 3d. Every one standing where it should resolution is just wow...
It's have the good quality of goldmund/mark levinson/mbl. .and so so linear.. , the space just increases in size with volume... Remind one guy about a very expensive pro system . Bass is legendary.. No preamp what is this?diy? Only some quite old 2nd hand speaker? No acoustic treatment?minimalist system. Oh some quite expensive cable.. They chatted. I just grin like a stoopid kid from ear to ear. Giggle like a girl.
So ask anything wrong.. How to improve further. Anything bad? Nothing of concern.. It's more intimate. But some prefer laid back but... That's nothing.. Not important. Wall is almost gone. Speaker gone.. So it's great.
Oh the flaw. I have to reverse the phase of my speakers.. Lol.. Now it's even better.. Also.. Can be better with spikes my cheap speakers small flaw in low end but it's nuthing.. Mmm the spike more expensive than my speakers... Hmmm hmmm.....
Someone always know more always
Danks Fab... U da godzilla! That concludes... The final review
Just happens my total output phase is inverted.these fellas have very good ears . So just inverse it on speaker output.
. Every darn thing in audio is a compromise.. We have Fab to optimise.
I am already happy with my main system. Fab preamp and amp
And no reason to do more. It's my show off and very serious room..no much room for error. I Will kill you if you mess with this type of room.
The other listening site is one is hey.. For all I care try whatever want. Vinyl listening with friends while having coffee and cigarettes. Solder and try things.. Unfortunately impossible with Fab project as he already did that job lol
. Every darn thing in audio is a compromise.. We have Fab to optimise.
I am already happy with my main system. Fab preamp and amp
And no reason to do more. It's my show off and very serious room..no much room for error. I Will kill you if you mess with this type of room.
The other listening site is one is hey.. For all I care try whatever want. Vinyl listening with friends while having coffee and cigarettes. Solder and try things.. Unfortunately impossible with Fab project as he already did that job lol
Hi AnthonyA
Wow ! this is quite a report
Thanks for your appreciation
You guys are serious listeners. Glad that you can do different family members group listening inside a house in your country because in mine it is still forbidden because of the measures against the virus
There are also a few tweaks of some components value that can change a bit the sonority of the amp without compromising its frequency stability. This way it can sound a little bit more or less laid back. I am referring to C14/15, R40/41, R25/26, R15/16 of the schematics shown in post 9.
Can you remind me if you have built FSSA1 or 2 version. Also what output bias current.
Keep us posted if you have other friends impressions because it feels like eating bananas to me ...
Fab
Wow ! this is quite a report
Thanks for your appreciation
You guys are serious listeners. Glad that you can do different family members group listening inside a house in your country because in mine it is still forbidden because of the measures against the virus
There are also a few tweaks of some components value that can change a bit the sonority of the amp without compromising its frequency stability. This way it can sound a little bit more or less laid back. I am referring to C14/15, R40/41, R25/26, R15/16 of the schematics shown in post 9.
Can you remind me if you have built FSSA1 or 2 version. Also what output bias current.
Keep us posted if you have other friends impressions because it feels like eating bananas to me ...
Fab
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Hi ClaudeGreat report, thanks Anthony!
My very own conclusion is: another FABulous amp,... please, when does FSSA go public?
Cheers
Claude
This is not a technical breakthrough amplifier and nothing fancy. It is rather a “standard “ CFA topology amplifier. Just use of good audio parts and operating points to get my target characteristics.
Well it is in some way already public.... Pinnocchio, Nounouchet and AnthonyA have already built it. HH, Project16, Tomtest have the pcbs. I have no more left. If there is more interest shown in this thread I could start a group buy to get new pcbs.
Fab
Nuuu.. Godzilla eet meeat
One or two pairs... Probably
Fssa 2.. 700ma bias... Not bother about the laid back thingie.. It's a non issue. In fact I think it could be also the nature of the darlingtons.. The punch become scary good with exicons. As per my experience with usspa 2 its also slightly more intimate but bold. Which is a good thing
The compromise is optimised. Simply because this build and topology is a monster with low impedance speakers. Words got out now.. About a diy godzilla amp
slayer of beast
One or two pairs... Probably
Fssa 2.. 700ma bias... Not bother about the laid back thingie.. It's a non issue. In fact I think it could be also the nature of the darlingtons.. The punch become scary good with exicons. As per my experience with usspa 2 its also slightly more intimate but bold. Which is a good thing
The compromise is optimised. Simply because this build and topology is a monster with low impedance speakers. Words got out now.. About a diy godzilla amp
slayer of beastI heard ml 27.3 it was compared to it
Nahhhh my godzilla build is much better in control and comfortable to hear at room shaking spl. There was a funny comment oh my balls got shaken but no discomfort of whatever... It's that good
Also as liquid as even full class A.. What can a greedy boy ask for more?
Nahhhh my godzilla build is much better in control and comfortable to hear at room shaking spl. There was a funny comment oh my balls got shaken but no discomfort of whatever... It's that good
Also as liquid as even full class A.. What can a greedy boy ask for more?
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1 pair for me please !
No hurry of course, whenever time permits it: confinement and then manic activity restart are on schedule for most of us... but I would defo not want to miss the boards if a GB is organised. So whenever that may take place, whatever the timing, my interest is firm!
Many thanks already for all this 'fairy dreams' Fab, and even more to you and helpers if the boards are "GB released one day" - again no hassle, important IMHO is just it happens indeed one day as it would be pity to miss that one...
Any more folks thinking as I am, that eventhough Fab claims it is nothing fancy... this amp could be the answer to many questions while still being a classical FABricate?
Enjoy music and thanks for sharing
Claude
No hurry of course, whenever time permits it: confinement and then manic activity restart are on schedule for most of us... but I would defo not want to miss the boards if a GB is organised. So whenever that may take place, whatever the timing, my interest is firm!
Many thanks already for all this 'fairy dreams' Fab, and even more to you and helpers if the boards are "GB released one day" - again no hassle, important IMHO is just it happens indeed one day as it would be pity to miss that one...
Any more folks thinking as I am, that eventhough Fab claims it is nothing fancy... this amp could be the answer to many questions while still being a classical FABricate?
Enjoy music and thanks for sharing
Claude
Looks easy
Higher voltage.. 400ma bias will be better optimised
42 to 45v looks good 30vac CT transformer
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Quite a nice review Anthonya!
It is impressive what you get for so little money! A set of superb quality PCBs, a full manual detailing every steps of the build, support from Fab on the forum and an AMAZING amplifier that is priceless!
Thanks for in depth review and thank you my friend Fab for making this possible for all of us!
Do
It is impressive what you get for so little money! A set of superb quality PCBs, a full manual detailing every steps of the build, support from Fab on the forum and an AMAZING amplifier that is priceless!
Thanks for in depth review and thank you my friend Fab for making this possible for all of us!
Do
Quite a nice review Anthonya!
It is impressive what you get for so little money! A set of superb quality PCBs, a full manual detailing every steps of the build, support from Fab on the forum and an AMAZING amplifier that is priceless!
Thanks for in depth review and thank you my friend Fab for making this possible for all of us!
Do
Hey Dominic
Thanks you too for pointing me in the right directions..
With a usspa preamp it improves about 10 percent in terms of staging .. But I'm fine as it is as well.
It goes to show.. Topology and designs is more important. I only use less than a dollar 10,000uf fake caps and the result makes me giggle
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