NIce simple layout Hugh, I presume the heatsink is drilled and tapped for the power transistors, hope to visit soon as my daughter has just moved into her own home at Abbotsford.
Hi Hugh, I was wondering if the Titan mono blocks will have sensitivity adjustments? This would allow sensitivity to be dropped so it could be used with high efficiency speakers..... I'm thinking it may be a nice option in place of my Aleph Mini with the added benefit of never needing to actually turn the amps off. This would be a huge win with my wife as she prefers a simplified operation. There'd be nothing in my sound chain being turned on or off then 😉
I've already email regarding this though figured if I post here whichever you see first can be answered.
Cheers
Matt
I've already email regarding this though figured if I post here whichever you see first can be answered.
Cheers
Matt
Hi Matt,
I have never had this request before!!
The amp sensitivity is 28.5dB, which is the same as the THX standard.
The difficulty with changing gain is that the Bode plot of any feedback amp changes with gain, so would need slight changes to compensation to accommodate changes of gain, even small changes.
The gain can be changed however, not too difficult, by changing the shunt fb resistor. But some fiddling with compensation to 'tune'.
Nearly ready for sale now...... there's been a delay with production, covid/supply line issues as usual.
Hugh
I have never had this request before!!
The amp sensitivity is 28.5dB, which is the same as the THX standard.
The difficulty with changing gain is that the Bode plot of any feedback amp changes with gain, so would need slight changes to compensation to accommodate changes of gain, even small changes.
The gain can be changed however, not too difficult, by changing the shunt fb resistor. But some fiddling with compensation to 'tune'.
Nearly ready for sale now...... there's been a delay with production, covid/supply line issues as usual.
Hugh
Yes, just my non understanding of the technical aspects of these things Hugh. I've currently a Crown XLS1002 I used to drive the woofers in my existing soon to be replaced speaker setup and it has left and right channel "sensitivity" knobs so I figured that might have been as simple as a pair of volume knobs on the input though it seems not 🙁
I may give you a call and see. The darTZeel circuit amp worked out in my second system though I remain interested in the Titan based on your description of its sound. It's also a nice enough amp that it would deserve pride of place in my main system though that will soon have a pair of 98.5db efficiency back loaded horns so my concern is that they'd be too powerful for this? I guess it could be the other way around and they'd sound absolutely stunning too.
Cheers
Matt
I may give you a call and see. The darTZeel circuit amp worked out in my second system though I remain interested in the Titan based on your description of its sound. It's also a nice enough amp that it would deserve pride of place in my main system though that will soon have a pair of 98.5db efficiency back loaded horns so my concern is that they'd be too powerful for this? I guess it could be the other way around and they'd sound absolutely stunning too.
Cheers
Matt
Folks,
This is a good time to give my longer term thoughts on the new Titan 125W AB power amplifier I have just released. This was created to even out my entry level SAKSA 85W ($1060) and the Maya 200W ($2600). These costs are AUD for the built/tested modules, and you only need an enclosure and transformers to build a complete power amplifier.
The Titan will be sold at a middle cost, $AUD1900, and I'm very pleased with this amplifier after spending a lot of time and effort to ensure it meets muster. It is sold as two independent modules with heatsinks, one for each channel. I spent more time on the sound aspects of this amp than any other in the past, and I'm very pleased with the outcome. One channel:
This design conforms to my previous philosophy; single ended to the output stage; hybrid CCS/Bootstrap loading of the VAS; nested feedback ensuring almost constant loop gain (30dB) from 150Hz to 20KHz; monotonic decrease of harmonic profile at all outputs and frequencies; integrated, independent power supplies using ultra fast soft recovery rectifiers; and solid stage DC protection for the speakers. Impedance is 20k, Zout at low frequencies is around 50 milliohms (DF of 160, dropping at middle and higher frequencies), and THD of 0.005% at 100W into 8R with dominance second harmonic (-92dB). This is an amp to impress objective and subjective features.
The Titan adopts a highly refined topology with very high speed active devices and current feedback. Full power is more than 125W, but I rate it conservatively with 52V bipolar supplies. Each channel requires a 300VA toroid with two independent secondaries at 35Vac each. This is a very, very quiet amplifier; you hear nothing after switch on until you play the music. This gives you a vanishingly low noise floor, which ensures you have wonderful resolution from a good source.
All components are premium. All caps are Nichicon, WIMA, Rifa or CDE, and all are carefully selected for their jobs. I have been designing amps now for 28 years, and finally I seem to have found the hang of it! They talk about doing your 10,000 hours; I've probably put in much more than this now. The fact is that creativity comes at a cost; we learn slowly, and particularly after middle age. But if you can maintain the passion for audio, you will inevitably produce better products as you age. My last amp was the Alpha Nirvana 39W, and whilst it was an open source design available to anyone, I believe it was very good and this is probably better, particularly as it only dissipates 18W per channel compared to the AN of 90W! This efficiency means that you can leave this amp 24/7, so it will always deliver its best from use.
This amp is ideal for a brave world of hi-res music. I plan to audition this amp for the Melbourne Audio Club in August, and have been putting together a memory stick of 24 bit files to show it up. Like any media, if well recorded, hi-res can be absolutely stunning, and the sound field an clarity this amplifier can throw up on a mid-cost three way reflex speaker is a revelation. I have a 24/44 file of Opium from Dead Can Dance which is so close to the real thing that many people are astounded........
I also fully build this amp as a monoblock using a 300Wx250Dx70H CN folded case which offers very small footprint and can be placed immediately behind each speaker. The clarity, slam and impact of this amp is very impressive.
Cheers,
Hugh
This is a good time to give my longer term thoughts on the new Titan 125W AB power amplifier I have just released. This was created to even out my entry level SAKSA 85W ($1060) and the Maya 200W ($2600). These costs are AUD for the built/tested modules, and you only need an enclosure and transformers to build a complete power amplifier.
The Titan will be sold at a middle cost, $AUD1900, and I'm very pleased with this amplifier after spending a lot of time and effort to ensure it meets muster. It is sold as two independent modules with heatsinks, one for each channel. I spent more time on the sound aspects of this amp than any other in the past, and I'm very pleased with the outcome. One channel:
This design conforms to my previous philosophy; single ended to the output stage; hybrid CCS/Bootstrap loading of the VAS; nested feedback ensuring almost constant loop gain (30dB) from 150Hz to 20KHz; monotonic decrease of harmonic profile at all outputs and frequencies; integrated, independent power supplies using ultra fast soft recovery rectifiers; and solid stage DC protection for the speakers. Impedance is 20k, Zout at low frequencies is around 50 milliohms (DF of 160, dropping at middle and higher frequencies), and THD of 0.005% at 100W into 8R with dominance second harmonic (-92dB). This is an amp to impress objective and subjective features.
The Titan adopts a highly refined topology with very high speed active devices and current feedback. Full power is more than 125W, but I rate it conservatively with 52V bipolar supplies. Each channel requires a 300VA toroid with two independent secondaries at 35Vac each. This is a very, very quiet amplifier; you hear nothing after switch on until you play the music. This gives you a vanishingly low noise floor, which ensures you have wonderful resolution from a good source.
All components are premium. All caps are Nichicon, WIMA, Rifa or CDE, and all are carefully selected for their jobs. I have been designing amps now for 28 years, and finally I seem to have found the hang of it! They talk about doing your 10,000 hours; I've probably put in much more than this now. The fact is that creativity comes at a cost; we learn slowly, and particularly after middle age. But if you can maintain the passion for audio, you will inevitably produce better products as you age. My last amp was the Alpha Nirvana 39W, and whilst it was an open source design available to anyone, I believe it was very good and this is probably better, particularly as it only dissipates 18W per channel compared to the AN of 90W! This efficiency means that you can leave this amp 24/7, so it will always deliver its best from use.
This amp is ideal for a brave world of hi-res music. I plan to audition this amp for the Melbourne Audio Club in August, and have been putting together a memory stick of 24 bit files to show it up. Like any media, if well recorded, hi-res can be absolutely stunning, and the sound field an clarity this amplifier can throw up on a mid-cost three way reflex speaker is a revelation. I have a 24/44 file of Opium from Dead Can Dance which is so close to the real thing that many people are astounded........
I also fully build this amp as a monoblock using a 300Wx250Dx70H CN folded case which offers very small footprint and can be placed immediately behind each speaker. The clarity, slam and impact of this amp is very impressive.
Cheers,
Hugh
Warmest regards to Hugh and fellow satisfied Aspen owners/users. I am a rabid connoisseur of great audio amplifiers and thank goodness it looks like our dear Hugh is about to serve us another heaping helping of a great dish to add to his past many successes.
I'm already sold on the new Aspen Titan 125 bipolar amp and shall buy one immediately after I make room in my office, currently overflowing with I don't want to say how many amplifiers. (Sound familiar?) The layout of Hugh's latest amps is superb.
To users who purchase Tital prior to me, I am especially anxious to hear how Titan fares in direct AB with any other power amp, especially from Aspen. I have experience with many different makes/models and likely every type.
I loved the AKSA 100 my friend loaned me for several months and of course I now own and love Maya 200. I'm as familiar with the excellence of both prior Aspen models as I am their differences, which I suspect correlate to the classic differences between MOSFET and bipolar output devices.
Above Hugh mentions the SQ potential of Titan powering even a modest speaker. I have 2 speakers A and B. By good margin A outperforms B overall. A sensitivity is a true 90.5 dB which is well above average. Recently I borrowed the best amp I ever heard, one with an SRP 17x that of Maya. That more costly power amp made B outperform a moderately priced amp driving A. But again, if you compare one amp driving A vs. B, A outperforms B every time by big margin. So yes, I could not agree more with the point that there's a lot of speakers with untapped performance potential waiting to be uncorked by a better power amp.
If anyone wants to hear Maya 200 in N. Utah, powering an award-winning speaker system, please message me through this forum.
I'm already sold on the new Aspen Titan 125 bipolar amp and shall buy one immediately after I make room in my office, currently overflowing with I don't want to say how many amplifiers. (Sound familiar?) The layout of Hugh's latest amps is superb.
To users who purchase Tital prior to me, I am especially anxious to hear how Titan fares in direct AB with any other power amp, especially from Aspen. I have experience with many different makes/models and likely every type.
I loved the AKSA 100 my friend loaned me for several months and of course I now own and love Maya 200. I'm as familiar with the excellence of both prior Aspen models as I am their differences, which I suspect correlate to the classic differences between MOSFET and bipolar output devices.
Above Hugh mentions the SQ potential of Titan powering even a modest speaker. I have 2 speakers A and B. By good margin A outperforms B overall. A sensitivity is a true 90.5 dB which is well above average. Recently I borrowed the best amp I ever heard, one with an SRP 17x that of Maya. That more costly power amp made B outperform a moderately priced amp driving A. But again, if you compare one amp driving A vs. B, A outperforms B every time by big margin. So yes, I could not agree more with the point that there's a lot of speakers with untapped performance potential waiting to be uncorked by a better power amp.
If anyone wants to hear Maya 200 in N. Utah, powering an award-winning speaker system, please message me through this forum.
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Hugh,
Wash your mouth out with soap! 70 is the new 50! So says this almost 68 year old...
James,
Thank you for your positive posts!
You are right there is a difference with mosfet vs. bipolar outputs. The first are a little softer and a little diminished bass. The bipolar approach gives more slam and impact, very good orchestral and rock music, with powerful, visceral bass. I suspect bipolar offers slightly more resolution at the cost of musicality, although the most musical amps appear to use lateral fets, although they do not have good rail efficiency. People argue about all this, but the different technologies are what they are, and after all, opinion in audio is a part of entertainment.
I am very grateful I am actually alive at 71. Ten years ago my life was on the balance; heart issues. No one gets to this age without taking some enemy flak and I try to use each day with care and gratitude. Hell, I just bought a new motorcycle, my ridiculous optimism got the better of me.
Thank you for your kindness offering an audiophile audition for your Maya!
Hugh
Thank you for your positive posts!
You are right there is a difference with mosfet vs. bipolar outputs. The first are a little softer and a little diminished bass. The bipolar approach gives more slam and impact, very good orchestral and rock music, with powerful, visceral bass. I suspect bipolar offers slightly more resolution at the cost of musicality, although the most musical amps appear to use lateral fets, although they do not have good rail efficiency. People argue about all this, but the different technologies are what they are, and after all, opinion in audio is a part of entertainment.
I am very grateful I am actually alive at 71. Ten years ago my life was on the balance; heart issues. No one gets to this age without taking some enemy flak and I try to use each day with care and gratitude. Hell, I just bought a new motorcycle, my ridiculous optimism got the better of me.
Thank you for your kindness offering an audiophile audition for your Maya!
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
Just curious how the presentation at the Melbourne Audio Club went - anything to tell?
Cheers,
Jens
Just curious how the presentation at the Melbourne Audio Club went - anything to tell?
Cheers,
Jens
Hi Jens,
You are well informed!! WOW!! It is was last night, 17th at 8pm.
It went wonderfully. I was thrilled with the result. There were two ovations!! Couldn't believe it! The Club was packed; there would have been 100 members there, almost the entire club membership. It was a cold, raining night too, which was remarkable. One of the cluey members knew there was a disable switch on the music server JRiver software which gave more output to the DAC; once found, the sound quality and level was more than sufficient for a full coverage of a largish room, with about 8 chairs left to right and twelve rows, so a lot of people absorbing the music!
I played Rock, Sonny Rollins Jazz, Light Classics, Country, a Mozart Divertissimo, Patricia Barber, Dead Can Dance (alternative), Leonard Cohen (my favourite) and Henry Mancini (there was an old membership who remembered it all!). We elevated the 12/5/1 Adelaide Speakers around 20cms, which projected the sound better over the top of the crowd. We spent some time adjusting the speaker positions, and the reviewer told me that they had recently had a $80k Macintosh amp in a previous meeting and the Titan was far better. He was blown away. I talked a lot of the product, the R&D, the nature of sound reproduction, distortion, harmonics, all the detail. It was an outstanding night; I drove home happy, this was my fifth presentation in the Club since 1994 when I revealed the Glass Harmony.......
Thanks for the post,
Hugh
You are well informed!! WOW!! It is was last night, 17th at 8pm.
It went wonderfully. I was thrilled with the result. There were two ovations!! Couldn't believe it! The Club was packed; there would have been 100 members there, almost the entire club membership. It was a cold, raining night too, which was remarkable. One of the cluey members knew there was a disable switch on the music server JRiver software which gave more output to the DAC; once found, the sound quality and level was more than sufficient for a full coverage of a largish room, with about 8 chairs left to right and twelve rows, so a lot of people absorbing the music!
I played Rock, Sonny Rollins Jazz, Light Classics, Country, a Mozart Divertissimo, Patricia Barber, Dead Can Dance (alternative), Leonard Cohen (my favourite) and Henry Mancini (there was an old membership who remembered it all!). We elevated the 12/5/1 Adelaide Speakers around 20cms, which projected the sound better over the top of the crowd. We spent some time adjusting the speaker positions, and the reviewer told me that they had recently had a $80k Macintosh amp in a previous meeting and the Titan was far better. He was blown away. I talked a lot of the product, the R&D, the nature of sound reproduction, distortion, harmonics, all the detail. It was an outstanding night; I drove home happy, this was my fifth presentation in the Club since 1994 when I revealed the Glass Harmony.......
Thanks for the post,
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
Yeah, I had a look at the club calendar this morning and saw the date 😀
Ah, it sounds like a really great evening (although I wouldn't have expected less 😉). And so it should be; I am sure the Titan is a great amp, being developed along the same lines as the Maya!
Good on you, Hugh - keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Jens
Absolutely not, Sam..... Given of average intelligence (I never did finished engineering maths in my youth so moved to easier degrees, like Education, then later, BIT), but strong in passion and 25 years of experience, you've done your 10,000 hours a few times over and eventually - finally - you finish up with a good product.
Most of the sound quality is simple topologies and painstaking dimensioning, something which takes FOREVER. I spent over six months polishing the compensation issues, and another two months finding the precise base stoppers in the output stage; not too much, not too little, just perfect.........
At the finish I ABed the Titan against a $12k Pass X30-8, which is a VERY good amplifier. But the Titan in fact is Class AB, dissipates about 16W per channel, a lot less energy than the X30 and almost matched the sound quality.
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, makes me feel I'm doing something useful!
Hugh
Most of the sound quality is simple topologies and painstaking dimensioning, something which takes FOREVER. I spent over six months polishing the compensation issues, and another two months finding the precise base stoppers in the output stage; not too much, not too little, just perfect.........
At the finish I ABed the Titan against a $12k Pass X30-8, which is a VERY good amplifier. But the Titan in fact is Class AB, dissipates about 16W per channel, a lot less energy than the X30 and almost matched the sound quality.
Thanks for the encouragement, guys, makes me feel I'm doing something useful!
Hugh
Aspen Titan 125 mono blocks - initial impressions
https://www.stereonet.com/forums/topic/539716-aspen-titan-125-mono-blocks-initial-impressions/
https://www.stereonet.com/forums/topic/539716-aspen-titan-125-mono-blocks-initial-impressions/