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Keith,

This kind of product is always interesting. I remember the impressive VTL "Ichiban" that boasted a kind of two story design- four stacked chassis for "two part monblocks". The many. many 6550s- I think 16 per side made 200W triode or 2000 in prentode- I don't know, but it was high power for it's class of operation. I could be misremebering- but it made an memorably impressive sound- as long as the preamp was not also VTL.

"Ichiban" is supposed to be the Japanese for "primo"- top level quality. So, I think the answer to your question of who will buy a $140,000 amplifier is answered by the Ichiban predeccesor- there are a few very wealthy people that search out the best in whatever they enjoy. And these are a narrow, targetted markewt. And the target market in this case is Asia- as I think can be gleaned from the marketing so far.

In reading the review on the maker's website- the language is very stilted and awkward- very unlike the smooth reviw style of US audio magazines. Also, there are no English colloquials, etc. With he reference to everything in how many yen it is 10,000,000! and Japanese house wiring limits, I think we can assume this is a translated Japanese review.

Those amplifers- if they ever exist***- will go in a large part to the environs of Tokyo.

***The blurry distant, dark photo and lack of meaningful or extended description and specification causes me to wonder if this isn't some kind of prototype that's announced and if there enough bites and noise about it they'll make 20. When you have a real product that is available there would gushing explanations of all the impressive features and innovative circuitry- that gets 63W from a 6550!

I.e.. the company will have to create a market by testing. I shouldn't wonder if the maker won't eventually read this thread, this very post.

As for the apparently devisive issue of what would happen to such amplifiers, I agree completelty with the knowledgable, experienced, and long-time poster here- kentaja- who has every right to believe there will be a problem when a 6550 is making 63W instead of 32- which is already high-ish. Notice the difference between the life of tubes in ARC as compared to vintage McInotsh- where they seem to last forever. Being used to ARC, a company that in many areas seem to push tubes near their limits, I can see what happens when a tube rating and noise ansd microphnics parameters are pushed constantly- the very rugged Siemens 6922 might last only a couple of hundred hours in the phono section of an SP10.

But, though I shall probably never see an 800W triode amplifer in person, perhaps if I keep looking towards Beverly Hills, someday I'll see the glow of the fire one caused.

Cheers,

Bambi B



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