Atma-Sphere Class D… Amazing
Today I picked up my Atma-Sphere Class D Amps. These aren’t broken in yet. And they are simply amazing. I’ve listen to a lot of High End Class D. Some that cost many times what Atma-Sphere Class D costs. I wasn’t a fan of any of them. But these amps are amazing. I really expected to hate them. So my expectations were low. The Details are of what I’ve never heard from any other amps. They are extremely neutral. To say the realism is is extremely good is a gross understatement. They are so transparent it’s scary. These amps just grab you and suck you into the music. After I live with them some and get them broken in. And do some comparisons to some other high end Amps Solid State, Tubes and Class D’s, also in other systems I’ll do a more comprehensive review. But for now, these are simply amazing amps.. Congrats to Ralph and his team. You guys nailed on these.
Showing 26 responses by ghasley
@mbmi I have not heard the new Class D offering…but I do believe Ralph has earned the respect of most of the rational audiophile community whether they purchase Atmasphere or not. I’ll call you on your claim that you heard the Atmaspere class d amp and find the Peachtree superior, even dollar for dollar. I dont believe you. |
So what you are saying must be that you have listened to the new Class D amplifiers from Atmasphere, you have tried the modifications you suggested in these amps and you have identified each of your mods as improvements? You state that op-amps "upgrades" in the Atmasphere will improve things but Ralph clearly stated that his circuit is different so the differences in op-amps are moot, the speaker cable pigtail idea is potentially dangerous and not appropriate in a professionally built product offered to the public for sale and your glue the transformer hack seems kindof semi-permanent let alone goofy.
I’m not saying your tweaks don’t work in pedestrian gear (Topping? The amps you build?) but Ralph stated that your suggestions are not material improvements in his design. |
What little credibility you might have once had is now gone. You have basically just said Ralph doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to op amps in his own design. You've never heard it and yet you imply that he didn't hear what he heard after YEARS of development on the product.
I predict you will delete your posts in this thread OR you are so falsely arrogant about what you think you know that you will double down. #zerocredibility |
I’m not the one making claims about a product you’ve never seen or heard. I don’t doubt that in your experience with the gear you’ve had at hand that your experience is valid. With that said, I get mild indigestion when some hop on a thread to pontificate when they have absolutely no experience with the topic. Just because you’ve rolled op-amps on some class d amps doesn’t make you qualified to discuss and suggest modifications to an amplifier with which you have no qualifications or experience.
This thread was about Atmasphere class d amps...it was not a casting call. If you had posted to a thread entitled "Let’s discuss modifications you’ve made to pedestrian class d amplifiers that made improvements" I assure you I would have perused your comments and moved on. I dont own and never have owned any Atmasphere gear, I don’t know Ralph other than through the scores of truly helpful posts here on Audiogon.
I figured you would double down on your position...but let’s agree to disagree...you believe your opinion on Ralph’s new amplifiers and whether you could improve upon the design is relevant...I do not. |
Not a fair analogy. One poster here was making recommendations the equivalent of "you should rejet your carbs" when the car in question could have fuel injection. He doesn't know what might need improving since he has never seen or heard one. The poster was GUESSING that he could improve the Porsche because something worked on his Pinto.
In short, he doesn't know |
What kind of op-amps did Atmasphere specify and in what position? What are your recommendations for upgraded op-amps? in what position and why? What will the positive effect be?
Please, please tell us because Ralph’s livlihood depnds on it and the survival of Atmasphere as a company rests in the balance. |
Its tough to debate with the self-righteous for they are sure they are absolutely right…and I am sure there are no absolutes in addition to the FACT that what they believe they are RIGHT about is off topic to the OP’s thread. But maybe it’s wrong of me to point this out when he is so lovingly offering up complimentary salvation?
The problem with those who are certain they know the “secret” to something is the fact that they just can’t stand keeping it to themselves.
|
Indeed. Its your thread and for someone to question Ralph’s engineering and design chops from left field is questionable. Glad you started it and I’ve never seen anyone question Ralph’s design choices. Atmasphere may or may not be someone’s preference but it absolutely exceptionally well made and designed. Best. |
DIY? Don't be afraid to list your gear. Everyone benefits.
The next comment will likely get deleted but I once inquired about potentially purchasing Audiogon. All I would do differently is moderate the forum and make it virtually impossible for the spam posts and scam listings. You want to partner up? Post about counterfeit products? One warning and then banned. Join today and want to sell something? Escrow funds until both parties consent. Post about politics? One warning, then penalty box. |
Because it costs money to build a better mousetrap. If people like their off the shelf Hypex or Purifi based class d amps then they need not look for a superior sounding amplifier. They found their version of great. There's also a four plus decade track record of excellence which also means service after the sale, a good living for those who work there, etc. |
A couple of observations.
@kuribo has politely requested certain measurements be provided. He has the right to ask for those and @atmasphere also has the right to either provide those...or not. I’m not sure @kuribo would be a candidate to purchase in either case as @csmgolf has pointed out. Maybe Ralph would rather someone take the basic data he provides to make a broad decision to either go listen to them or not. Maybe Ralph could care less if the ASR crowd embraces what he has developed to even go hear them.
Here’s something that I’m sure Ralph would never do...but I suspect many others might. Why would I introduce a well made, well engineered excellent sounding amplifier at the $4-5k pricepoint rather than to exhaustively look for efficiencies and economies of scale in order to get the price down to $1k? Maybe I don’t want to build four times as many amplifiers? Maybe the money value of time to build an amplifier at the fit/finish I want to produce is X dollars and therefore I don’t want to compete in that space? My main reason to produce the more expensive product is that I simply don’t want to deal with the potential customer cross shopping Topping/Gustard/Hypex/Purifi while giving a reach-around to Amir and the other "if it costs more its a snakeoil ripoff" crowd. There are numerous examples that some potential customers simply aren’t worth the time it takes to turn them in to happy customers in order to head off the zero star Yelp review in their quiver.
I assume @kuribo is a sincere potential customer who has several measurement hurdles he wishes @atmasphere to clear before giving the amplifiers a listen. Give Ralph a little credit for reading between the lines that maybe, just maybe, the measurement police were unsuccessful in setting their trap. |
@aw-agd and for your first post you chose to post on a thread originated by an Atmasphere owner specifically about Atmasphere amplifiers? Were you somehow alerted to this thread by a close associate who has been following this thread? |
An informative post with alot going on here. First, I admire that you are tackling a pretty complex DIY active three way speaker system. I also admire that you've been a class d amplifier user for over two decades. Especially so given the evolution of class d amplification during that span.
Now that you have communicated you are in the market for six channels of amplification AND that you can afford to purchase anything you want....I'm still not sure that would change Ralph's mind on supplying you the data you require. It might keep him up at night that you might need troubleshooting assistance with your electronic crossover and getting things to sound right. |
@ricevs Yes, Ralph is correct and the others are wrong. Ralph solved the unsolvable with his original OTL design. He worked on his design for years until he solved the technical challenges. Who are you to question his credibility? Who are you to post a meaningless piece of excrement $300 dac as your proof of concept that op amps must be rolled? And to do it in a thread that the OP created to discuss Atmasphere class d?
You know, there was a time not long ago when people like you and the other obnoxious poster would just go elsewhere rather than to purposefully disreepect someone like Ralph. He has been here since the beginning of Audiogon, answering questions, never hawking his own gear, just providing honest and forthright answers to those trying to understand something. And then an amateur tweaker like you comes along and disparages Ralph? The other guy too? You are both pimping your own agendas but why did you pick this thread and Ralph?
You two should be ashamend of yourselves…you have no credibility and just because you’ve soldered a few times and liked the results does not make you qualified to disparage Ralph or his design. If you have a shred of integrity, you would have least listened to the class d Atmasphere amp before beginning your false sermon. |