Tweakers' Asylum: REVIEW: Printed Electronics AKSA 100 Amplifier (SS) by anthonydavid40@hotmail.com

Model:	AKSA 100
Category:	Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$Varies
Description:	DIY 100 watt stereo.
Manufacturer URL:	Printed Electronics
Manufacturer URL:	Printed Electronics

Review by anthonydavid40@hotmail.com ( A ) on May 20, 2002 at 17:04:05
IP Address: 204.244.175.6

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for the AKSA 100

I have been using the AKSA 100 for a few months now and I think the tweakfest is over and so this review. I bought the optional power supply from Printed which uses UFSR diodes and Nichicon caps.
For the basic kit you are looking at (all in U.S. $) $241 then add $62 for the diodes, caps. and PCB for the power supply. Transformers are available from Plitron, Avel-Lindberg and others for about $120 but I was fortunate enough to be given a pair of custom wound trannies which worked perfectly.
Of course then you will have to buy wire connectors etc., I built the amplifier in mono-block configuration into two wooden "tower" enclosures, the interior of which I cladded in 5mm aluminum.
Building the kit is pretty straight forward and the manual/instructions are excellent with good quality photos, I finished mine in four evenings.
I initially set my AKSA up with no mods. to get a feel for the basic sound. After 30 hours or so of play for burn in I invited a couple of audio/music lover buddies over and we had a listen.
The first thing I thought upon serious listening was "no way could this thing sound this good" and for about $525? Dynamic and powerfull with a huge soundstage. Some solid state artifacts but over all very smooth. Lots of detail and the music just sounded right.
The next evening I started swapping parts, I replaced the stock suck-out caps. with AudioCap Theta, put AudioCap PPMF on the input and put Kiwames on the emitter resistor positions. I replaced the silver wire I had used on the input RCA's with Doc. B.'s solid copper magnet wire and I installed Jon Risch filtres on the AC input then re-biased the amp.
Zowie, most of the solid state nasties were banished and the soundstage which I thought was good before was now truly defined, the sound had taken on a very tubelike feel.
A few weeks later I got an e-mail from Hugh Dean who is the designer of the AKSA and he mentioned that he had revised his Tube Line Preamp kit (about $200 all in)which is designed to be used with the AKSA power amp as a system. I ordered one, assembled it and dropped it into my system. I can only say that you have to hear this system to appreciate how musical it is, no frequency range is highlighted over another, just sweet music. One can listen for hours. No loss of detail or soundstage, slam etc. but for the first time I don't really care about those things. Somebody said "its about the music" and that person was correct with a capitol C.
I have achieved a level of system synergy that I have not experienced before, after spending muli kilobucks on shop gear I am now of the opinion that DIY rules and the AKSA amplifier and Linestage interact with the rest of my system in a way that makes the gear secondary.
At this price these pieces are a gift.

Tony D.

Product Weakness: musicality, cost/performance ratio, upgradability
Product Strengths: you have to source some parts and build the kit

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	AKSA 100
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	AKSA Tube Linestage
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Modified Ah Tjoeb 4000
Speakers:	Eton 11.2 homebuilt
Cables/Interconnects:	Alan Maher DIY AC cords, Homebrew Doc. B. interconnect
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rebbeca Pidgeon, Giant Sand, Keb Mo, Sibelius
Room Comments/Treatments:	Mirror points damped
Time Period/Length of Audition:	several months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Jon Risch AC filtres
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	musicality, cost/performance ratio, upgradability
Product Strengths:	you have to source some parts and build the kit