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REVIEW: Transcendent Sound Super Compact 150 Amplifier (Tube) Review by fred at Audio Asylum

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I recently finished building a pair of Super Compacts, an amp that far exceeded my expectations. If anyone thinks the OTL's are too expensive or too complicated to build, you should look at the Super Compacts. This is a killer amp and if Bruce's OTL sounds better than the Super Compacts, I can't imagine how. I think perhaps Bruce so likes his OTL design he may under estimate how good this amp is. This is a great design at a great price. For those interested it cost me about $550 (the transformers alone are $325+) in parts for each amp, and I did not have to buy a chassis, since I have all materials on hand to do that myself. So $1199 for a finished amp seems very reasonable. (pictures are at http://home.pacbell.net/fslaven/diyaudio.html- more to come of interior layout)

So, just how good are these amps? A little background on my previous system first. I use to own a pair of Martin-Logan SL-3's and the Sonic Frontiers Power One, a 100 watt amp. Both highy reviewed and highly rated products. I was in fact very happy with the system but I had to sell the stuff to raise cash. In an effort to put together another good system I decided to build the Super Compacts and eventually a set of speakers. I am curently using a pair of very inexpensive ($150 each)2 way Alesis studio monitors. Popular with the home studio recording crowd. It consist of a 6" ported woofer and 1" dome tweeter. Quite a step down from the Martin-Logan's.......or so I thought until I hooked them up to the Super Compacts. Only one word can describe my experience-unbelievable!!

These are either the best speakers on the market for the money (doubtful) or Bruces amp is just plain....magical. The Super Compact/Alesis system actually out performs the Martin-Logan/Power One system I use to have. All other components are the same. I have been using a very good SE amplifier since I sold the Sonic Frontiers. I love it's sound but it just did not have the punch needed for the electronic music I listen to sometimes. I built the Super Compacts for that purpose. What I did not expect was that the Super Compact equaled the midrange loveliness of the SE, had more detail and had tons more power. I must re-evaluate the SE vs the push-pull debate. After listening to theSuper Compacts I consider the mystical sound of the SE design to be just that-myth. The Super Compacts gave me all the midrange detail and naturalness of the SE. It's sound was the equal or better in every aspect. My male vocal recordings have a detailed richness that is hard to believe these speaker are able to reproduce. And bass is stunning. Has to be heard to be believed.

For example, my Blue Man Group recording uses a drum almost 8 feet in diameter. On my 150 watt solid state home theater amp, and of course on the SE, the "Big Drum" was barely audible, in fact I could only tell which track had the drum by reading the liner notes. This is in part because the tracks that use it also feature several other drum kits playing simmulteanously. At their Las Vegas show that uses this drum it felt like someone hit you in the chest it had such power. Well guess what. It came thru loud and clear on my speakers when played through the Super Compacts! You could actually feel the drum (not with the same impact as at the show of course but it is only a 6" woofer after all!!!) Something entirely unexpected on my small speakers. I have a Taj Mahal recording that has a good drum trak that when cranked up can actually reproduct the sound of a set in the room. I know because I have a drum set in my house. I could go on and on about these amps. Quite simply, I would never have believed an amplifier could make such a big difference. I used to think only speakers could improve the sound of a system this much.

Great design Bruce.


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Topic - REVIEW: Transcendent Sound Super Compact 150 Amplifier (Tube) Review by fred at Audio Asylum - fred 12:04:30 02/11/01 ( 0)