Keep ‘em coming if you spot any other omissions. Will hold off on Tanka and co until dedicated post(s) created. BF8 added to post #1
Disclaimer: pardon for my poor English and lack of reviewing ability...
Since few days ago I got from Zen a new pre which looks to me very interesting...as a concept but also to compare it with my Pass labs XP 20
What's on the picture are Tannoy Kensington GR, UGS UP amp (found project on Big Diy thanks to late Shone and build by very good friend who's also a member here) and Tanka preamp sitting on Babelfish M25 (sort of Firstwatt M2). I presented DAC recently, it's Lampucera with E182CC and Lundahl OPT. System is fully balanced (I can't confirm Tanka is differential but DAC and power amp are). UP amp beside is upgraded to higher power is also in zero global feedback mode. With mighty Fisher SK580 heatsinks it's hot and provide me with glorious 15W of pure class A (I'm not interested in remaining 200W 🤣). M25 can't be used with Tanka due lack of gain (my DAC OPT are wired in step-down ratio) but it's fabulous with XP 20.
I had issues driving 6m XLR's so now DAC is driving with long XLR's Tanka and between pre and UP is 75cm long XLR's. Works excellent this way!
As I said, I'm not reviewer and especially I can't express on English. But, I have no complaint on sound of Tanka comparing with XP 20. It has very linear (flat) response from low till highest high (quality of transformers used, the same I use in upgraded in M25). Sound is completely ''separated'' from the speaker, like with XP20. If I will had to point out something special, it will be soundstage and mid range. Guitars for example are magical (flamenco music, Forcione etc). Beside mid range, hi range is special too. It sounds like highs are not there but on the same time transparency is amazing! A big plus in my book. That is difficult to explain but it's something I'm preferring.
Probably will sound like clishe but I experienced sound of Tanka as ''organic''.
There was no any bad consequence of proto box (microphony for example) but the relay clicking sound was obvious. Of course, that's irrelevant in global picture...just had to mention that I will use thicker alu for the box and some fancy front, simply because I like it that way 😏
So, ZenMod, big congrats! Recommendation form my side!
Since few days ago I got from Zen a new pre which looks to me very interesting...as a concept but also to compare it with my Pass labs XP 20
What's on the picture are Tannoy Kensington GR, UGS UP amp (found project on Big Diy thanks to late Shone and build by very good friend who's also a member here) and Tanka preamp sitting on Babelfish M25 (sort of Firstwatt M2). I presented DAC recently, it's Lampucera with E182CC and Lundahl OPT. System is fully balanced (I can't confirm Tanka is differential but DAC and power amp are). UP amp beside is upgraded to higher power is also in zero global feedback mode. With mighty Fisher SK580 heatsinks it's hot and provide me with glorious 15W of pure class A (I'm not interested in remaining 200W 🤣). M25 can't be used with Tanka due lack of gain (my DAC OPT are wired in step-down ratio) but it's fabulous with XP 20.
I had issues driving 6m XLR's so now DAC is driving with long XLR's Tanka and between pre and UP is 75cm long XLR's. Works excellent this way!
As I said, I'm not reviewer and especially I can't express on English. But, I have no complaint on sound of Tanka comparing with XP 20. It has very linear (flat) response from low till highest high (quality of transformers used, the same I use in upgraded in M25). Sound is completely ''separated'' from the speaker, like with XP20. If I will had to point out something special, it will be soundstage and mid range. Guitars for example are magical (flamenco music, Forcione etc). Beside mid range, hi range is special too. It sounds like highs are not there but on the same time transparency is amazing! A big plus in my book. That is difficult to explain but it's something I'm preferring.
Probably will sound like clishe but I experienced sound of Tanka as ''organic''.
There was no any bad consequence of proto box (microphony for example) but the relay clicking sound was obvious. Of course, that's irrelevant in global picture...just had to mention that I will use thicker alu for the box and some fancy front, simply because I like it that way 😏
So, ZenMod, big congrats! Recommendation form my side!
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it is, fully, even inherently (in Iron, as connected) having special characteristic, later patented as Supersymmetry
oh snap! We got a Tanka in the wild!!! Very nice @Igor… great hearing you like ZM’s concoction.
Igor is my Mate few decades already ...... so, Tanka Industrial will go home soon
On a much less funny topic. I know that ZM is working on a fancy babelfish F6. Square law OS…. Etc, etc, etc…
Every once in a while I day dream about amp ideas, who am I kidding I think about amp ideas all day every day… so in the spirit of conversation, because lets be honest, I neither have the technical knowledge or the resources for silly experiments. If one wanted a push pull SIT amps, using nothing but same sex SIT’s, wouldn’t an arrangement like the F6 be a good topology for that? Ignoring the possible increased cost of being monoblocks by defacto, with two SIT, in the same chassis, like the SIT 5. Or the fact that you would need Quad, Tokin SIT’s….
I expect ZM will say anything is possible… even wooden stove.
I am bored, and want to engage in some lively conversation on this topic.
Best,
Jose
Every once in a while I day dream about amp ideas, who am I kidding I think about amp ideas all day every day… so in the spirit of conversation, because lets be honest, I neither have the technical knowledge or the resources for silly experiments. If one wanted a push pull SIT amps, using nothing but same sex SIT’s, wouldn’t an arrangement like the F6 be a good topology for that? Ignoring the possible increased cost of being monoblocks by defacto, with two SIT, in the same chassis, like the SIT 5. Or the fact that you would need Quad, Tokin SIT’s….
I expect ZM will say anything is possible… even wooden stove.
I am bored, and want to engage in some lively conversation on this topic.
Best,
Jose
exactly!!
even SIT on top and Germanium on bottom ................ heck, even opposite of that
now, speaking of your question/idea ..... inevitably needing additional aux. rail, to enable biasing og lower SIT
but, even if ignore that fact, recent shenanigans are all about use of unequal parts, and, whatever arrangement is, it's easy to force (say) IXYS puck to behave as adjacent SIT
and, careful tailoring of transfer characteristics of adjacent parts is giving us broad range of performances
knowing that - constructing quasi-complementary with, say, 2 Tokins is probably more interesting as commercial article, less interesting as intellectual challenge
so, I wouldn't be surprised to see similar FW amp in future ........
Copy on all points. So every monoblock would need two psu’s for top and bottom.
For the babelfish F6, will it be Schade option or straight MOS?
For the babelfish F6, will it be Schade option or straight MOS?
Cough cough… FW SIT 6….
as main thing in F6 is retaining max symmetry between halves, no logic in spoiling it
funny, that symmetry made F6 somewhat non-attractive for me
with his source, Tanka (bal) having only +6db option (Tanka SE configurable to both +6db and +12db), and +12db of M25, no juice enough for Tanns
rooting to beat pneumonia, Spring is after the corner
rooting to beat pneumonia, Spring is after the corner