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Atma Sphere S30 amp

I got my S30 amp yesterday and got in 12 hrs. of listening time with it.

Having started off on this audio journey with tubes I got lost somewhere down the road with SS amps. A friend of mine sent me a demo AA PX25 to try out with my Zu speakers and I was in shock on how organic sounding this little 6W amp sounded and I soon realized ( in 5 min.) I screwed up big time. My amps sounded plastic/fake and after reading a review about the AS S30 being a better all around amp than the PX25 and with more power I bought the amp new.

Even with stock 6sn7 tubes this amp is a keeper for me. I could have had listening to a OTL all this time and feel I wasted alot of $$$ and time on my SS amps. You never know until you buy and try.

This amp is not for everyone but for Zu owners I would encourage you to try this guy out.

Thanks to all you OTL owners who have posted here in the forms and for Pubul57 whose knowledge of these amps made my purchase an easy decision.

Hiphiphorray I am back with tubes and loving it.



glory

Showing 4 responses by glory

glory's avatar
glory OP
1,616 posts
 
09,

Good luck finding a used S30 on the 'Gon. Some M60 amps have come and gone but living in FL. with M60 amps would drive me out of the house in the summer.

Map,

Take Eva Cassidy's Blues Alley. I've listen to it hundreds of times but never heard it sound live like I did today. No grunge/gradu in the way of the music. I don't want to go to work during the day. I never put in 12 straight hrs. of listening time without a break.
glory's avatar
glory OP
1,616 posts
 
I replaced the 6sn7 tubes with Raytheons flat plates, Sylvania BB/Sylvania GTA. I tried the RCA Smoked glass GT but lost the soul and texture of the music. Maybe for you but not for me with the RCA GT.

Well these tube from Absolutetubes (Jim Sautter) have taken me for a great ride. Somehow I got lucky and picked the right combo of tubes to give me the sound I want.

This amp is much better now with these tubes in place than the AA PX25. The demo PX25 amp got me to think that the RWA amps were not the best amps for my system. Wow, am I a happy camper.

Thanks again to 57 for his time/wisdom in helping me buy this amp.

Here comes the Dude!!!!!!!
glory's avatar
glory OP
1,616 posts
 
Oh boy I sold my s30 and now in the market for the s30 or m60 to drive my PureAudioProject Voxativ speaker 94dB 8 ohm

I wonder if the s30 will work on my speaker??


I have the EAR 890 on hand and sounds wonderful but oh the OTL sound is to die for!!

Atma has a m60 demo for $4.2K so .....
glory's avatar
glory OP
1,616 posts
 
Ralph

the old s30 upgraded to 3.3 is the same SQ as the a brand new one.? There is a s30 up for sale here on the Gon and I know the seller.
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