Amp/Preamp Asylum

Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

Use this form to submit comments directly to the Asylum moderators for this forum. We're particularly interested in truly outstanding posts that might be added to our FAQs.
You may also use this form to provide feedback or to call attention to messages that may be in violation of our content rules.

You must login to use this feature.

Inmate Login

By default, logging in will set a session cookie that disappears when you close your browser. Clicking on the 'Remember my Moniker & Password' below will cause a permanent 'Login Cookie' to be set.

Moniker/Username: The Name that you picked or by default, your email. Forgot Moniker?	Examples "Rapper", "Bob W", "joe@aol.com".
Password:	Forgot Password?
	Remember my Moniker & Password ( What's this?)

If you don't have an Asylum Account, you can create one by clicking Here.

Our privacy policy can be reviewed by clicking Here.

Inmate Comments

From:
Your Email:
Subject:

Message Comments

Original Message

RE: Solid State Power: MOSFET vs. Bipolar?

Posted by Karma16 on October 14, 2010 at 04:29:52:
HI picture,
There is a way to expose yourself to a variety of amps, in your system, and not cost a fortune. Buy excellent stuff used. The operative word is EXCELLENT. The initial entry price can be high but after that you can turn over equipment at no loss or possibly even make a profit.

This method won't get the most current equipment because to make it work you have to wait until depreciation is maxed out. I have found that great amps remain great for a long time. So, for example, a great ten year old amp will still be very close to the state-of-the-art represented by current models.

I think this is less true of solid state amps than tubes. Solid state amps are still evolving trying to overcome basic problems inherent with the use of bipolar transistors. But they continue to improve. The best of the ten year old solid state designs can be excellent even now.

You are right. I left out Nelson Pass. I wasn't trying to be comprehensive. I was trying to illustrate my point with brands I have owned. I am a big admirer of Nelson Pass. My leaving him out of the discussion should not be taken as a put down or ignoring one of the great modern amp designers. The "buy used" technique should not extend to Threshold (Pass designs). They can't be maintained with reasonable ease. Great amps though.

I note that you have Maggies. I have always liked them no matter the model or age. When I was in the market for a magnetic panel speakers, the choice came down to Maggies and Apogee. Eminent Technology was not on the market yet. Apogee won. But not for long. I ended up with Martin Logan CLS IIA electrostatics which I still love 20 years later. Now here is a speaker that will expose every wart in a system. With CLS IIA's synergy is extremely important; more than usual. They work beautifully with tubes but most tube amps can't handle the brutal load. My ARC D250 Mk II Servo amp puts those problems aside.

Sparky