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.
After about 6 months of owning both the Class D Monos and my Pass XA30.8, I've finally settled on an amp, and recently listed my Pass. I love the Pass but the two are so similar sounding to me, with a few minor weakness/strengths relative to each other that I consider it overall pretty even in my system at least. My primary goal from leaving Pass was to get similar sound but without the weight and most important the heat generation in my listening room with no AC, and these monos fit the bill!
I've never heard Dartzeel but the differences this listener mentioned over on the WhatsBestForum between the Class D monos and the Dartzeel are very similar to my thoughts between them and my Pass.
"Ok, I have had the Atmasphere running for a couple weeks. They have only been out of the system a couple times for a day or 2.
I have played them back to back with my 12 year old Dartzeel NHB108 model 1 with SCNP network. First thing is to say, they are very close in sound. Its not easy to tell them apart. What I do feel I notice is the Atmasphere is more clean and has a tad bit tighter bass. The Dartzeel seems to have just a touch more background noise and plays a little smoother. The Dartzeel may have a hair more richness, but that may also be the perceived background noise.
The space around instruments and sound stage is almost exactly the same. The bass to treble extension seems the same.
Neither have any perceived peaks, dips, hardness or fatigue.
Both are very balanced and musical."
Thanks for the compliment brother. At the rate Decware is pushing their gear out the door I figure I've got another 6 months. I'm sure they're well worth the wait. I just thought, why not listen to a few other contenders until that fateful day arrives. I got a fantastic price on the AtmaSpheres and figured if it doesn't work out I'm sure I can sell it without taking a loss. Same goes for the Decware. As of this minute there are 2,013 people waiting for their bespoke piece of gear to ship. I'm sure I could find a buyer in about 2.3 minutes. That's how many watts it has btw.
Wow, you have patience so far beyond my ability to comprehend. I have waited a couple months for speakers… but, a couple weeks I usually find frustrating. If I had to wait a year, I would be able to afford a unit a couple times better, and would have bought it.
Good for you, what discipline. On the other hand, I have something like 40 tubes in ,y system and warm up is about four minutes. No problems for thousands of hours.
I just don't like living with something that takes 30-60 minutes to warm up before it sounds it's best, how I have to manually bias them a couple times a month, how their sound is always slowly degrading over time and must be replaced every few years, how dangerous it is to accidentally leave them on, etc., etc.
These same attributes are true of humans past the age of 60. Though I hate bad grammar, "you pays your dollars and you picks your poisons". Some people go their entire life driving-in my estimation-boring Hondas and Subaru's because they're highly rated by Consumer Reports. They have so much understeer that they can't handle a hairpin at any speed. Others drive unreliable vintage Triumphs and Jaguars because they are more fun to drive. And there is everything in between. I'm a VW GTI guy myself. Farfegnugen-or as the hillbillies thought- F#@k-en-grooven).
After waiting 12 months for a Decware Zen 25th Anniversary amp, and at least another 6 months wait time left, and my Willsenton R8 red-plating on me after only 10 months of use (with upgraded Psvane EL34's) I decided to put my order in for a pair of AtmaSphere Class D's today. I LOVE tubes, I love how they sound, how they look, and the history and science behind them is fascinating to me. I just don't like living with something that takes 30-60 minutes to warm up before it sounds it's best, how I have to manually bias them a couple times a month, how their sound is always slowly degrading over time and must be replaced every few years, how dangerous it is to accidentally leave them on, etc., etc. I may eat my words and go back to tubes when the Decware finally arrives, but for now I'm ready for a change.
I leave my ss gear on 24 / 7. This caters to the musical aspects of the performers. Improved and consistent rhythm, prat, smoothness, liquid, ease & flow, speed, dynamics........likely a few more characteristics. I listen daily. When away for an extended amount of time, I will shut it all down.
It seems to me that designers who build Class D amps from scratch with their own discrete circuits are the players to watch and buy from. Ralph of Atma-Sphere, AGD, and others fall into this category. Those using off the shelf class D modules are limiting their designs to the shortcomings of those modules
@celanderwhat are the limitations in the modules?
And I am assuming you are referencing the Purifi modules?
It seems to me that designers who build Class D amps from scratch with their own discrete circuits are the players to watch and buy from. Ralph of Atma-Sphere, AGD, and others fall into this category. Those using off the shelf class D modules are limiting their designs to the shortcomings of those modules.
Mine arrived today. FedEx signed my name for them so I knew they would be on my porch. Hurried home and I was correct, They were on my porch.
Changed out Atma-Sphere M-60's for Atma-Sphere class D. Listened for 5 minutes and left. Seem extended on both ends. A little conjested on vocals. Best class d I have heard. We shall see if any warts appear.
Well, Ralph has outdone himself and shipped my new Atma Class D amps (with black face plates) sooner than thought. As I am in the middle of putting all my gardens to bed and hopefully overwintering the non hardy material, I have to put their installation on the back burner for a little while.
The amps are a bit more compact than comparable Class A, A/B amps, but are quite heavy, -Something I was not expecting, as many Class D amps seem to be quite smaller than these. But, I haven't had any experience with other Class D amps and have relied upon only visual depictions.
Once I get them 'run in', I hope to visit my dealer, John Rutan, and schedule a time to demo them, and compare them with other amplifiers.-Of course, if Johnny is willing. I really want to do this as I have heard so much about Class D, and know Ralph is a great designer who would only release a product if he felt it to be of deserved quality.
Who knows, maybe my MA-1's will be for sale, soon.
Maybe we should ask @atmasphere? And avoid descending into extension cords, which have nothing to do the power cords on these amps...
Power cords affect audio equipment due to voltage drops occurring at 60Hz but also at much higher frequencies.
The more feedback you have in an amplifier the greater its ability to reject anything that isn't the signal, such as noise,
As a result, the class D is relatively unaffected by power cords at low power levels. But as the power is increased the power cord would be more important. It will not affect the amp nearly so much as power cords affect our tube amps!
Thank you for your fantastic post. Surely this type of post with so much personal experience with a good number of the most relevant currently produced amps is literally the definition of advice that "money can't buy." No pro review I've ever read (that I can think of) has so much valuable info for direct comparison.
Amir @ Audio Science Review has good test gear and has tested the Purifi. Purifi tests at the very highest level as does an amp I referred to and owned. Oh, if we could only read test results and make purchases based solely on these tests! But we can't because I owned one of those amps and Ralph's class D is at least 1.5 to 2 clear steps up the food chain in audio performance. (Maybe Ralph's class D would test similarly but I won't be surprised if it does not.)
I recently had here a superb $40k DAC and pair of class A $60k/pr mono blocks. I know the designer, who told me personally that he could improve the DAC's static test specs but would not because it would degrade its audio and musical performance.
I...commented that the parts could not justify the price.
What exactly and specifically is the parts cost? Did the deleted post contain an exact and specific accounting of the parts cost? What date was that accounting performed? Is the poster familiar with parts cost inflation in the past year?
If the post lacks the # requested above, I submit to readers a potential the poster conveniently ignored for the deletion: there was no factual basis for the opinion expressed as a fact.
Even if the # was posted: what is the exact and specific threshold for ratio of parts cost to SRP beyond which a product is deemed "failure?" Readers need to know this ratio to confirm the poster is being consistent and not being derogatory for some hidden agenda.
Also, does every single audio item the poster own meet his own criteria?
The omission of all this data surely justifies the deletion, a personal attack on the product masquerading as an innocent opinion.
Lastly, to imply that any product’s SRP is justified solely by passing the value test described herein is simply wrong. To be polite I won’t say such test is naive, but I can imagine some thinking that.
in my system I found the Atma-Sphere Class D was slightly better than the Pass XA30.8.
Holy smoke people! Let that sink in. That Pass amp is a current, state-of-the art true class A power amp designed by one of a handful of the most revered and respected SS power amp designers who ever lived. SRP is similar but cost of ownership is not: while idling the XA space heater burns wall current at the rate of about 270W; think of 2.7 100W incandescent light bulbs. I presume Ralph's Cass D burns about 10W if that much.
holmz go back to ASR where you wear the badge of honor as a super donor
I am a not Donor, much less a super donor.
This thread about Atmasphere amps, and Ralph would likely be the best person to opine on the power cord with his amps.
If I was not seriously considering these atmasphere amps I would probably not be as interested in hearing Ralph’s comments.
You guys are like herpes just wont go away. And no I do not have personal experience.
^This^ is like me asking questions on how a power cord can work, and people say “Try it and see,” or “one has to experience it”… How can you comment on the Herpes with having it?
But what if Ralph said, these cords work, or measure better, on my amps?
That would be germane to the amps and interesting to hear.
Maybe we should ask @atmasphere? And avoid descending into extension cords, which have nothing to do the power cords on these amps...
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