Musical Fidelity K550 Supercharger

I read the review in Stereophile. It looked really encouraging. According to them, it gives you a way to have your cake and eat it too--the driving amp's tonal characteristics still prevail in the sound at the speaker, but with 550 watts on tap. This could be really cool if it really works with SET amps.

I was just thinking on this baby yesterday. I have a Bel Canto SET40 amp and a Bel Canto SET pre and the thought of that sound quality, at the ocassional mega SPL levels I love, pushing my 101db speakers (which can handle 300 watts per), gives me the chills. True $5k for a pair, plus the power cords is not an inexpensive solution, but just the idea of all that power and quality sound makes me itch.

why not just by a new pair of amps that you are more satisifeid with and that will give you the power you want

Buying another set of amps is not the question here.I happen to like my 45wpc tube amps and yes 3x or even 4x the price for different amps could be the way to go but for now I would like to know about the Supercharger's.

Johnny.I have read the same review and that is what got me thinking...same as Warren...

The end users are still the best way to get the down to earth facts...

Wwshull,
The SET sound is quite addicting, but when that extra wattage is needed for prodigious transients, SET does not have it. I don't know if any tube set has it, for that matter. I wouldn't sacrifice my SET sound for the extra power. For $5k, not unreasonable considering my rig, I can have my cake and eat it too. So it seems. I am waiting for a first hand listening experience of this baby to motivate me to have a go at the wife: again!!

seems if you like your sound so much why would you want to change it. adding these things i think would change the sound you like so much

wwshull,
How do you know the superchargers will change the sound if you haven't tried them.You're a guesser which is probally what you do the best...a 2 cents'er.
Quote:Adding these things (I THINK) would change the sound.
That alone tells me you have no clue what you are talking about.Bla,Bla,Bla.I'll keep your thinking in mind.
According to the Fremer review in Stereophile (They Don't) change the sound...Hence my question to users that might have tried them or are using them!! can they agree with the reviewers comments.So lets leave it up to the real thinkers/users who tried or use them.

Warren:When are you going to get to give them a demo???Is a dealer getting them in for you?My tube amps are push/pull.

At this time I'm really not thinking seriously of doing a demo. Living near the Big Apple, I don't think it would be hard to give these babies a whirl, but..and that's a big but, we're still talking $5k plus two power cords and jumper cables? We're talking close to $6.5k. Too much at this time. 500 watts of quality SET sound that I have now? Keeps me itching, but not nuts for the move. I'll see as time goes by. If I could get the wife to go for that kind of money, I would have a hard time not upgrading my Definition 1.5s to the new Definition 2s. go figure...

I am using the superchargers with my Lamm 2.1's and VR-9 speakers. It maintains the tonal qualities of the Lamm but with greater dynamics, better bass definition. The imaging and soundstaging is improved. My only criticism would be slight loss of finess in the extreme treble, but this is being very picky. Overall, it is Lamm on steroids. I love the sound of my Lamms and wondered what they would sound like with more power. The Lamm ML-3's will be $140,000. This was a cheaper alternative for me.They are a definant improvement.All that have heard it agree. Be sure to use the 16-0hm tap.

Bigdoc,
Thanx for your personal positive input with the Superchargers.Your help is appreicated..
My Manley Mahi's do not have a seperate 16ohm tap..just a single set of binding posts per mono amp.
They work and sound well with my New Dynaudio 5.4's.. They also did the same on my Vintage infinity RS1b Mid/Tweet towers.
Now its lets see if I can find a reasonably priced pair to test run...

You may be ok running the supercharger off your 8 ohm tap if that is what the manley has. In the stereophile review JA notes that some amps will develop an "ultrasonic peak" when feeding the supercharger and should use the highest- output transformer tap. My Lamms sound better with the 16-ohm tap than the 8-ohm tap. Hopefully you can audition them first.