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Re: OTL listenning impressions (TS and A-S and others...)

Posted by M. Vidal (A) on January 24, 2005 at 06:55:30

In Reply to: Re: Is there a good set of plans for a good tube OTL amp posted by Thorsten on January 22, 2005 at 11:33:19:

As a 5 year owner of a Transcendent Sound Stereo OTL, and having auditioned an early A-S M60 in my system, (and various tube and SS amplifiers) plus also having listened to a pair of M60's and MA-1 in a dealer's showroom, I have the following impressions, which might shed some light into Thorsten's comments:

Both amplifiers sound more similar than different. Both present a very big, layered and natural soundstage which is also very transparent and refined. Anyone used to the typical tube or SS amplifier might find this type of presentation as recessed because it is presented behind the speaker's plane, it is not an upfront presentation. Another characterstic is that they are lightning fast in their dynamics. Let's put it this way, they sound different to what you are used to listen from the typical amplifier.

I had an early A-S M60, version I, I believe, for a few days in my system, which compared to the TS presented a little bit more refined or maybe ethereal quality in some instances. However, both were very natural, smooth, sweet and both exhibited that aforementioned soundstage presentation and the same dynamic quality. The T8 had a little bit more bass control and slam though, I guess due to it's NF in the circuit. I believe the T8's output impedance is below 1 ohm.

This experience has also been experienced in my dealer's showroom, which most of the time has been using the same Wadia front end and speakers and different tube and SS amplifiers and the aforementioned A-S models. Again, The A-S amplifiers difference in presentation compared to other tube and SS amplifiers follows the same type of presentation ascribed to the OTL description given above.

I am not saying that one type of presentation or amplifier type is better; there has to be differences in the sound of each type of design. That is something that we have to live with in this industry and hobby and is part of the fun. Each design has it's own engineering and design constraints and also the designer's preferences built in.

BTW, my speakers are fairly efficient, 92 db and present an 8 ohm impedance (Reference 3A MM deCapo's) and I also use Thorsten's favorite preamp, a pair of Stevens and Billington transformer volume controls.

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