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| Model: | Scott LK-48-B |
| Category: | Integrated Amplifier (Tube) |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $850 |
| Description: | Mapleshade modded Scott integrated |
| Manufacturer URL: | Mapleshade |
| Review by AnalogJ (A) on July 25, 2004 at 05:05:27 IP Address: 205.188.114.21 | Add Your Review for the Scott LK-48-B |
I have been listening to an Mapleshade-modified LK-48-B Scott tube integrated for the last couple of weeks. Given the hype from Mapleshade that it "smokes" $5000 solid-state amps, I have to have a critical eye.I broke it in using my CD player. Unfortunately, after the breaking-in period, my CD player, er, broke and I have been left listening to my LPs and my Sherwood tubed tuner (not a bad thing, of course). My speakers are large Castle Eden monitors which are 8 ohms and have an efficiency of 87dB.
My comparison is to my Unison Research Unico, which has upgraded tubes in the input stage. In comparison, the Scott does go deeper in the bass, but seems rolled off on top. Cymbals lack that air and shimmer. While the bass going deeper adds some significant musical weight to orchestral music, the lower end doesn't nearly have the thwack of the Unico. Drum solos come out tepid as does rhythmic music. The Unico swings much better. It's not that the Scott is lumpy. It isn't. It's just that it doesn't drive the music the way the Unico does. It's clear to me that the Scott doesn't push the air like the Unico does. And I have heard amps that can drive music with the Edens much better than the Unico (a recent Plinius 8200 audition comes to mind.).
The mid-range from the Scott, while beguilingly lovely, does not reveal inner detail of instruments and vocalists quite as much as the Unico. There is a more texture to a sax or a voice through the Unico (and I'm not talking about the top end harmonics.). It's almost like the mid-range texture has been smeared with a bit of creamy butter.
The Scott's greatest strength is its transparency. You can hear low-level details and in and around instruments beautifully. However, because of the lack of great transient response, this amp is best demonstrated with either orchestral or folk music.
Overall, this is a great value for $850! It is very musical, but it has trade-offs. I'm not sure that this is up with $5000 solid-state amps. For example, knowing what I know about the YBA Integre DT, I can only imagine how good the YBA Passion is (I haven't heard it yet, but would love to.) and it retails for about $4500. On the other hand, the Audio Refinement Complete goes for the same price and the Scott will beat IT hands down. The Audio Refinement also lacks great harmonic detail, but the Scott is SO much more lyrically communicative that it should make the AR at the price obsolete. I would no doubt snap up the Scott over the AR.
Compared to the Unico, however, the Scott isn't better in every area and in some areas is inferior (for my situation).
| Product Weakness: | Not quite as quick as other amps I have heard. Doesn't have the "oomph" required to give music great rhythmic impact with my speakers. Rolled off on top. Not quite as revealing of mid-range harmonic textures as I would like. |
| Product Strengths: | Transparency. Liquidity. Ability to communicate a lyrical line. Deep bass. |
| Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
| Amplifier: | Unison Research Unico (comparison) |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Acoustech PH1 |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | VPI Scout/JMW-9//Grado Statement Master/VPI Discovery phono cable |
| Speakers: | Castle Edens (87db) |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Audioquest Emerald/Type 4 speaker cable |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Classical, Jazz, Musical Theater, Rock |
| Room Size (LxWxH): | 13' x 14' x 10' |
| Room Comments/Treatments: | Corner Tunes used |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 2 weeks. 25 hours. |
| Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Monster Cable 2500 |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Home Audition |
Follow Ups:
Great review.It made me happy reading it.I have an Exposure 2010 integrated with a Lector 7T cd player as source.While I sometimes long for tube amp I think I stay with what I have.PRAT is important to me +the fact I live in Phoenix the heat from a all tube amp kind of scares me off.Plus there's the issue of rack clearance (again for the heat issue).BTW, getting a Mana rack and adding more soundstages to it has brought me musicality that I thought I could only get from tubes.Musicallity +bass extension,imaging,soundstage improvement,bass slam etc.
There's no doubt that listening to a ballad singer like Carmen McRae is riveting through the Scott. Ability to hear spatial and subtle cues is special. Indeed, rhythmic music gets short-changed, at least with my speakers.
Hey AnalogJ:Thanks for the very well written, and balanced review.
You're pretty much describing the 'classic tube' sound, which, while I loved for a long time, I ultimately got bored with, for EXACTLY the reasons you're describing. If it ain't got that swing, it don't mean a thang....
Fortunately, today you don't have to go to an all SS system, to get the PRAT back. Thanks again for a very good review.
nt
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