You are absolutely right. I need to polish my language skills.
Few weeks ago I have got 1 pair Acoustat MK141-C speakers. I'm not expert I'm full layman in this hifi topic. I would like to buy one amplifier what would be good for these rare electrostatic speakers. Very important info, that I have enough hobby
that's why I don't want buy amplifier very high price. Is it possible I'm looking for something about 1000-1500 USD. I hope you are understand my situation and can offer me something. I'm looked for information on the internet but this topic is very difficult one layman and very hard to select the important parameters. Now for example I looked this pair Emotive PT-100 with A-300. But the Advanced Acousctic Smart BX2 is would be good for me. BUT - I don't know what parameters have to watch when I look for amplifier for the MK141. Added info for you that I have only one Google Chromecast Audio Media Streamer - RUX-J42 music source. I would like to thank you for your help I found one Krell KAV-300r here in my country. What is your opinion about it?
If I remember correctly, the MK-141C interface was like the MK-131B interface - they have the taps for Subwoofer out, so the interface / speaker only uses the HF to the drive the Acoustat panels. The subwoofer taps were to drive a single Acoustat subwoofer that had the crossover inside, and had a single 10" or 12" bass driver with dual voicecoils.
I have this exact subwoofer and interface (actually dont know if MK-141C or MK-131B).
I would say that the amp needed to drive your speakers with MK-141C interface would not need to be as robust as the amp that would be neeeded to drive the MK-121 Full range... the bass into the Acoustat panels require a majority of the power from amp...
As always, Acoustat Answer Man can confirm…
I have this exact subwoofer and interface (actually dont know if MK-141C or MK-131B).
I would say that the amp needed to drive your speakers with MK-141C interface would not need to be as robust as the amp that would be neeeded to drive the MK-121 Full range... the bass into the Acoustat panels require a majority of the power from amp...
As always, Acoustat Answer Man can confirm…
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I have been using Sunfire Signature Cinema Grand power amplifiers for many of my panels with very full sounding large soundstages very detailed and dead quiet or black in silence with my Acoustat Spectra 6600, 1+1 and model one. I have used the Sunfire signature cinema grands also with difficult loaded speakers such as my Soundlab A1UPX and Apogee Scintilla without breaking a sweat or sounding anything but clarity, musical and non fatiguing for hours of listening without raisning the temperature of the room running cool as a cucumber
The Yamaha MX830 has a rated power of 200 WPC into 8 ohms. I didn't see any spec for driving 4 ohms, which would be a better specification to judge its ability to adequately drive the Model One (MK-141 interface). It will probably be okay, but certainly not the ultimate choice.
BTW, the Model One is a limited-frequency range speaker, and is designed to be used with, and was originally supplied with, a companion woofer module. Do you have the woofer module? Note the woofer and its crossover on the schematic above. If you don't have the original companion woofer, you will need some sort of woofer, as the main speakers don't have much output below about 150 Hz. Also, the original woofer was the weakest part of the Model One, so replacing it with something better is not a bad idea. Small steps!
BTW, the Model One is a limited-frequency range speaker, and is designed to be used with, and was originally supplied with, a companion woofer module. Do you have the woofer module? Note the woofer and its crossover on the schematic above. If you don't have the original companion woofer, you will need some sort of woofer, as the main speakers don't have much output below about 150 Hz. Also, the original woofer was the weakest part of the Model One, so replacing it with something better is not a bad idea. Small steps!
Yager01,
MK-141C is the interface (black box) model, not the speaker model.
There's a lot of info in this thread, you just have to search for it. If you need Acoustat troubleshooting, see Posts #2,978 and 2979.
The specifications on the Yamaha mx830 look good, I found one line where Yamaha referred to power below 4 Ohms. Get it checked out by a technician before you buy it as something that old could be ready to fail.
Brandon
MK-141C is the interface (black box) model, not the speaker model.
There's a lot of info in this thread, you just have to search for it. If you need Acoustat troubleshooting, see Posts #2,978 and 2979.
The specifications on the Yamaha mx830 look good, I found one line where Yamaha referred to power below 4 Ohms. Get it checked out by a technician before you buy it as something that old could be ready to fail.
Brandon
I made some photo (3pieces) about My speakers and looked for one pic about the Yamaha Mx-830 back. If I think correctly I will connect to my acoustat to the Yamaha's "A" speakers input to left and right side. I need 2 pieces passive (or) active sub what I have to line in to the Acoustat output? Or should I have to connect the sub to the yamaha's other input? The yamaha is an "end-ampifier" thats why I need to buy and DAC what would be the input for the Yamaha's. Is it good info...?
Attachments
The Model 2 is a full-range speaker using the MK-121 series of interface. You may be thinking of the Model 2MH (a hybrid system with built-in woofer), which uses the MK-131 interface. The MK-131 is similar, but not identical to the MK-141.
The Model 1+1 is a full-range speaker using the MK-121 series of interface. You may be thinking of the Model 1+1S (a 3-piece system with woofer similar to the Model One's woofer). This speaker uses the MK-141B interface. The model 1+1S was discontinued before the introduction of Medallion Transformers or the C-Mod.
AcoustatAnswerMan -
I looked one service manual about Yamaha Mx-830. I'm attached it. I hope you can check it and will write opinion for me. This price is very good for it - about 400EUR. My second target is a DAC - exatly Topping E30. I think this amp and this DAC would be good pair together with my MK-141C. After these item I need to looking for one or two woofer. But the first step will be the amp + dac.I expect this recommendation may sound like sacrilege to many on this board. You do need sufficient power into low impedance, and not many amps are rated at the 2 Ohm load that the Acoustats have at higher frequencies. But the Crown Drivecore series is. I’ve been running a pair of Crown XLS 1502s for over 5 years – they are rock-solid amps designed for pro and commercial use, are rated at 300W/ch at 8 Ohm, 525 @ 4, and 775(!) at 2 Ohm. They sound great to me.
As a bonus, they come with an adjustable crossover and individual channel volume control for bi-amping. Their low price (currently $555 from Amazon, and I paid a lot less in 2018) allows you to purchase a pair for less than a single example of most comparable amps. As a result, I can run two subs crossed over at 150 Hz to a pair of panels from a 2MH and can easily get very high volume without overloading the Acoustats. Did I mention that they weigh only 11 lbs each?
As a bonus, they come with an adjustable crossover and individual channel volume control for bi-amping. Their low price (currently $555 from Amazon, and I paid a lot less in 2018) allows you to purchase a pair for less than a single example of most comparable amps. As a result, I can run two subs crossed over at 150 Hz to a pair of panels from a 2MH and can easily get very high volume without overloading the Acoustats. Did I mention that they weigh only 11 lbs each?
Less Expensive Amps for Acoustats
I have been collecting recommendations for a couple years, many I have read reviews on. Do your own research of reviews on specific models.
Old stuff should be checked out thoroughly.
Many of these can be found for $200-500 US.
I got a great deal on a PS Audio HCA-2 that needed repair -- AFTER I had a description of the problem from the seller and communicated with the manufacturer to find out that I could get schematics, but not circuit boards. It turned out the main power supply caps were failing, which was not a difficult repair. An excellent amp.
Acoustat TransNova (two models) considered great w Acoustat speakers.
Yamaha
MX-1
MX-1000
MX-2, MX-2000
Hafler Transnova amp like the P7000 or P9500
Emotiva
Crown (maybe)
Perraux
Kenwood
Compiled 04/22
Monoblocks (more expensive amps)
L-07M /II 150 W. 8 ohms 1977-1980
L-05M 100 W. 8 ohms 1978-1981
L-09M 300 W. 8 ohms 1977-1978
L-08M* 170 W. 8 ohms 1980 - 1981
L-06M ?100 W. 8 ohms 1980 - 1982
Jap. 100V
The L-0x series have damping 1000+.
Stereo 2 channels
L-01A 110W 1980 -82
L-02A. 170W 1982-3
M1 105 W 8 ohms 1983 - 1985
M2 220 W 8 ohms 1983 - 1985
M1A 110 W 8 ohms 1987 - 1990
M2A 220 W 8 ohms 1985 - 1990
Basic M1D 125W 8 ohms 1987 - 1990
As I mentioned before, they have to be happy with under 4 ohms, possibly under 3, to drive Acoustats.
Brandon
I have been collecting recommendations for a couple years, many I have read reviews on. Do your own research of reviews on specific models.
Old stuff should be checked out thoroughly.
Many of these can be found for $200-500 US.
I got a great deal on a PS Audio HCA-2 that needed repair -- AFTER I had a description of the problem from the seller and communicated with the manufacturer to find out that I could get schematics, but not circuit boards. It turned out the main power supply caps were failing, which was not a difficult repair. An excellent amp.
Acoustat TransNova (two models) considered great w Acoustat speakers.
Yamaha
MX-1
MX-1000
MX-2, MX-2000
Hafler Transnova amp like the P7000 or P9500
Emotiva
Crown (maybe)
Perraux
Kenwood
Compiled 04/22
Monoblocks (more expensive amps)
L-07M /II 150 W. 8 ohms 1977-1980
L-05M 100 W. 8 ohms 1978-1981
L-09M 300 W. 8 ohms 1977-1978
L-08M* 170 W. 8 ohms 1980 - 1981
L-06M ?100 W. 8 ohms 1980 - 1982
Jap. 100V
The L-0x series have damping 1000+.
Stereo 2 channels
L-01A 110W 1980 -82
L-02A. 170W 1982-3
M1 105 W 8 ohms 1983 - 1985
M2 220 W 8 ohms 1983 - 1985
M1A 110 W 8 ohms 1987 - 1990
M2A 220 W 8 ohms 1985 - 1990
Basic M1D 125W 8 ohms 1987 - 1990
As I mentioned before, they have to be happy with under 4 ohms, possibly under 3, to drive Acoustats.
Brandon
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500 Hafler is a solid good sounding amp running Acoustats especially the Model 1+1 and Model 2.all sorts of upgrades for this amp over the years it can be turned into a world class mosfet amplifier if you to go there. Also very quiet fans are now available for this amp as you may or may not have issues with the stock fan noise level. The Sumo 9 and the Sumo 9+ both designed by Jim Bongiorno who designed SAE Sumo and Ampzilla amplifiers are also solid excellent sounding amplifiers as well running Acoustats. Hope this may be of interest.
Hey, first post here. I have searched the thread, can not seem to find a solution to my problem. I have a pair of 2+2's that were working fine. I discharged the interfaces and opened them to check the capicitors/diodes. Upon reconnection, the top right panel only makes distortion noises every so often. Other than that, it is silent as far as I can tell.
I swapped interfaces, so I know it is the panel and not the interface. Swapped channels, it's not my amp. The only think I can think that's been done in regards to the panel/frame is hammering in the plastic pieces for the screws that connect the frame to the interface. It's the top right panel that is not producing sound. Panel was working fine before I removed the interface. One thing, I haven't let the panels charge. I plug them in and try it out. Scared I will cause damage.
Thanks for all the help and info everyone!
I swapped interfaces, so I know it is the panel and not the interface. Swapped channels, it's not my amp. The only think I can think that's been done in regards to the panel/frame is hammering in the plastic pieces for the screws that connect the frame to the interface. It's the top right panel that is not producing sound. Panel was working fine before I removed the interface. One thing, I haven't let the panels charge. I plug them in and try it out. Scared I will cause damage.
Thanks for all the help and info everyone!