Can you use an Ifi Zen Stream into the Gan1 instead of a bluesound node?
Will Zen Stream control volume?
Peachtree GaN 1 Beta
Before I start my post here is my current system for reference:
Auarlic Aries G1 --> Denafrips Terminator or SW1X DAC --> Audio GD HE1 XLR preamp or Sachs preamp --> various tube amps --> Cube Nenuphar Mini's w/ a pair of REL S510 subs. Cables and power conditioning commensurate with the rest of the system.
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As warmer months approach I have been looking for a cool running amp to replace my Line Magnetic LM-518 and other tube amps for a few months as they run pretty hot.
I've been interested in the GaN FET amps and just purchased a used LSA Voyager 350 Gan FET amp which I should receive in a few days. I've tried class D amps before and while they checked a lot of boxes I just didn't feel drawn in. However, I like to explore so I figured I'd try the GanFET and since the amp has zero feedback and my speakers seem to prefer amps with little or no feedback I figured it be worth checking out.
Today, Peachtree Audio sent out an email inviting users to a beta of their new Gan 1 amp. Here are some excerpts from their email:
What is the GaN 1? |
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In basic terms it is a 200 Watts-Per-Channel (WPC) Power Amplifier designed to be the sole interface between your digital audio device with a variable output, like a Bluesound NODE, and your speakers. The GaN 1 is a simple, pure and cost-effective audio solution: connect the GaN 1 to a streamer and a pair of speakers and you have an amazing Hi-Fi system. That's it...no DAC, no preamp and no input switching. The signal path from the music to your speakers is remarkably short and free of artifacts. Want to hear the intricate details in your music that have always been there, but you couldn't quite make them all out before? Then the GaN 1 is for you!
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583 responses Add your response
@singintheblues: for what it's worth, I use a Macbook Air as my main computer, and iPhone for mobile use. I guess I'm just used to the BlueOS apps and hardware and think they work pretty well for the most part. I do notice that the app for MacOS needs to be shut down and relaunched in order to update what's playing info, but this has no affect on the playback, or what's be listened to at the moment.
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Thanks @kitsap2 I'll have another look when I get back home. I’m working overseas at the moment & get home every other weekend, so it will be 2 weeks. I’m sure I didn’t see that option, but I’ll look again. It could be an Apple restriction. I know they purposely make life difficult for Spotify. |
@singingtheblues Hope this helps, but you don't actually "install" Spotify, you log into it from the BlueOS app. After selecting Spotify you do press/select "Install The Spotify App". On the next screen, you select the small, three horizontal lines in the very upper right of that window,next to "Open App", to which you'll then be able to log into Spotify with your Spotify credentials. |
When Ricevs competes the mods on the GAN1 I will have it up against some really severe competition.
The quality of USB stream between the X1 and the Sonore OpticalRendu is almost identical. When I first got the GAN1 I was using the Sonore OpticalRendu + Sonore UltraDigital ($500) to get SPDIF. I thought it was very good, however, feel the Lumin X1 SPDIF stream sounds better, it is simpler. I think this is a very good apples-to-apples comparison, The CODA #16 is a great amp.
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@singintheblues not sure why you could not go with and Streaming DAC with volume control for this setup. This entire setup seems very cheap and using the BuleSound Node only confirms this to me. May sound good but such an entry level digital front end… |
Hi @jetter A few things, but the main issues : - I use Spotify. I hit Music Services & I see Spotify in the list & click on it. - All my ripped CDs are on my NAS. When I go to Library, I have to type the network address of the NAS (which I don’t know). Apps that were round 10 years ago would search the network.
I admit I’m an IT dummy, but I find plenty of apps user friendly & intuitive, which I’m not finding this to be.
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Thanks again @evank . Available in spring. |
Soon BluOS™ Announces 4.0 Mobile Application Update – BluOS
By the way I still feel the desktop app is nicer designed |
Thanks @evank . I’ve not used a laptop for years. Just an iPad. I find the BluOS app very poor. Is there a better alternative for iPhone/iPad? |
Had to buy a router then the IFI Zenstream.....which I could not get working with my old Iphone 4S (it's a wonder it still works at all). So, bought an Iphone 11 and got it today and now the software works and I can start setting up the stereo. I should start listening by Monday and by the end of the week should have most mods done. Meanwhile I am working on my DIY speakers page on my website which should show itself maybe tomorrow night and then many updates all next week. I will be making my own linear power supply for the Zenstream, as well. |
@ricevs any updates on your mods or what you thought of the gan 1 since you've got it? |
@lewinskih01 I can't give you a fair answer due to a subwoofer I had used with the previous amp and the Tektons. When I switched out the previous amp (Nova150), I ditched my subwoofer and went with just the Tektons. I do augment the Tektons, at times, with boosts to bass at lower listening levels, like a "loudness" switch. When I do that, I'm using Airplay2 to send music from the computer to the Node→GaN1→Tektons.
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@kitsap2 thanks for the feedback. For my reference, which amp are you comparing the GaN1 bass with? |
Got my Gan1 and Node a week ago but only hooked it up yesterday. Even without adequate burn-in, initial impressions are very favorable. I've been listening to RP mellow mix, Stockholm Jazz Quartet and Melody Gardot - and all at low volume. A real pleasure. Clarity and precision without fatigue. The word that comes to my mind is "delicious". I find I want more. I'll listen to a greater range of music in the next few weeks at more volume and report back. I've also ordered a PD interface and Jay's Audio lps for the Bluesound Node. I expect SQ will get better. So far I'm a happy camper. |
@lewinskih01 - I find the bass excellent but with the caveat that I'm not an audiophile. I have normal hearing (always passed my annual flight physical aural tests with flying (no pun intended) colors). As with most recordings, the mastering is key. My speakers have eight inch transducers (not my naming of them, but the manufacturer) and some recordings have thundering bass, while other recordings have less but well detailed. I'm just returning home from overseas for 4 months, and am looking forward to listening to my GaN 1, Bluesound Node, and Tekton speakers as soon as I get over the time zone difference. |
I'm quite interested in GaN 1. FWIW, I read Ralph's (atmasphere) comments as constructive to learning. In fact over the years I learnt a lot from his posts. For example, his posts helped me understand things about single ended triodes and how to use them with excellent results, despite him not building/selling SETs. Back to GaN 1: I see comments talking highly about its midrange. How is the bass? Looking to read more from folks who share the experience with it! |
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@donnylovely no offense. You are a bit fragile. |
@jerryg123 good for you. You must be better and smarter than all of us. Thanks for sharing your thoughtful insights. |
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@ricevs I also bought a Lumin U1 Mini with Sbooster upgrade for the LEEDH digital volume control. It sounds good. Controlling the volume from my phone is both good and bad. It's convenient when I'm using the phone but it's inconvenient when I'm not because then I need to unlock the phone and then open the app. Lumin makes a physical remote but I will wait on it for now. |
I had to cancel my GaN 1 order because my VTV D300 Digital Amp came in for delivery a few days back. I imagine it would perform similarly to the GaN 1 since it also uses an EAS board. I’m liking a lot what I’m hearing. It’s left on 24/7 for breakin and it’s getting better. It doesn’t beat my traditional DAC and amp just yet but it’s close to doing so and I may prefer it in the near future. The reviewer in the youtube video said the GaN 1 was improved with a DDC. I can say the same is true for the D300. My Audio-GD DI-20HE DDC came in today and although not broken in, it has made the music very fun to listen to. I enjoy what it’s doing. My SPDIF cable is a Shunyata Omega Clock 75 cable with BNC connectors. I have to use an adapter for the D300 but I plan to exchange the RCA connector for a BNC connector to eliminate adapters. The D300 is plugged into a Shunyata Typhon T2 conditioner. The T2 was partially made for power amps. The music is flowing tonight. @ricevs Thanks again. You made me aware of the D300 and I appreciate your enthusiasm for audio and knowledge. |
@kitsap2 I agree with your review. I have the Tekton Perfect Set Speakers. If you get an IEC adapter for the Node and use a better cord you will improve the sound quite a bit. I also put a better cord on the amp another jump in sound quality. Watching the game last night the orchestra sounded wonderful! Happy listening, dolfan |
@thespeakerdude, "over my head" is the understatement of the year in my case! I am nothing more than an end user and music listener. I'll listen to music playing from my iPhone stuffed in my front jacket pocket while hiking up a hill, as well as in my living room from an integrated amp/receiver to my main speakers. I do like quality sound, but music is the priority over equipment. The Peachtree (and I am a Peachtree enthusiast going on four years) GaN 1 sounds fantastic with my Tekton speakers. Really like the auto-off after 15 minutes or so. The amp gets only slightly warm over extended playing, and that is another great feature! I also have a Marantz CD player, acting as a transport connected to the Bluesound Node, though rarely use it. All in all, the GaN 1 is exactly what I was looking for. Love it! |
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The digital input likely reduces concerns about the encoding scheme- I would expect it to be quite accurate. But otherwise no. The major distortion source otherwise will be caused by the deadtime required in the output section. Despite the ridiculously high speed of the output devices themselves, quite a bit more deadtime is required because the GaNFETs won't turn off when you tell them to; they need a little 'kick' which is supplied by the output filter choke. When the magnetic field in it collapses, the flyback voltage produced provides the kick. You need time to allow that to happen; hence the deadtime. If it were up the output devices otherwise it would likely be between 1/10th to 1/100th of what it is now, and distortion would be that much lower too.
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Why do you care what my other posts are about? It’s new and is what interests me. I want to see what others thought of it as well. If there was another item I was interested in, I would post there also, but I don’t at this time. I like that I no longer need a dac and I only need one interconnect. I like that it sounds better than my previous $4500 amp and dac at less than half the price. I would also like to see how people’s mods work out for them. But this thread has turned into a pissing contest about who knows what and people craping on the product that have no experience with it. |
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You can give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime… As long as I have been on here the only thing I have seen Ralph do 99% of the time , is educate the community here so they understand the why…I believe the man deserves a bit of respect… and a pat on the back, considering the amount of time he puts forth doing it… especially to the one’s that talk trash to him… sure he talks and sells his products occasionally, but I think he has paid for that privilege many times over… Steve |
@donnylovely you do know that Ralph has forgotten more about this stuff than you will ever know. He has been designing and manufacturing top tier audio equipment since 1976. Why would he try a single mod by a Shadetree EE. Go learn something Donny.
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@donnylovely Nice Buddy.
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@donnylovely There's no hate involved. If that were so my posts would be a lot different 😉 The trick on the internet is to not take things personal. That's when you get into trouble. I don't claim to know everything either- but I've learned that if I have doubts to just not say anything. We found that you have to have really expensive test equipment in order to see the waveforms that make noise in class D GaNFET amps! This is because they can switch at such incredibly high frequencies. Our equipment was right on the edge of that kind of resolution; we had to buy some really expensive probes and the like to be able to sort things out. Otherwise I don't think we'd have been able to meet EU Directives, which one must do in order to export to Europe. Most countries use similar rules (like the UK, China or Japan) so if you can use the CE mark then you're in good shape. So I've trying to be helpful. If Ric did the measurements for noise (I'm not talking distortion, just RFI and noise radiated on the AC line) then its a guarantee that his mods would be more effective too. They go hand in hand.
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Clearly there are indeed people here who care about real engineering, science, and facts. Sorry @donnylovely if the truth hurts. |
@atmasphere why don’t you test his mod if you don’t belive him, then tell us. Until then nobody cares, so go post your hate somewhere else. |
@jerryg123 Cool story bro, go post it somewhere where people care. |
Opamps: the more important aspects are the open loop gain and Gain Bandwidth Product. These days most opamps have enough of either that as long as you don't ask more than about 20dB of gain then they will be neutral. Ask more and their 'sound' comes out. Older opamps from the 60s and 70s in particular weren't so good- so if repairing older guitar effects pedals you can mess up their 'sound' using newer opamps. How GBP works is if you don't have enough, feedback falls off on a 6dB slope. When the feedback falls off distortion goes up. So when designing opamp circuits its a good idea to know these specs and their implications; otherwise expect colorations. Obviously 'hundreds' of posters are either using older opamps or don't know what they are doing.
That you know of... A lot of people new to class D are concerned about its noise interfering with other equipment. When you don't test, you don't know if your mod did damage on its way to trying to get the amp to sound better. I'm not saying you can't make an amp sound better but I am saying that if the amp injects more noise on the AC line or simply radiates more thru the air, it can interfere with other parts of the system, the TV in the next room, that sort of thing. I don't need a faraday cage to live in because we tested our amps... Having built zero feedback class D amps (that is where we started) the thing we noticed is that as you have said, everything makes a difference since there is no correction. Noise is really hard to control; tiny changes you could hardly see in the board can have audible effects on the noise floor of the amp (as heard through the speakers). So I know Peachtree spent quite a lot of non-trivial time getting it right. They had to have been really careful about specs to make sure the parts they were using weren't shooting them in the back. If I were modding one of those amps, I'd want to know everything about it and have talked to the manufacturer (with whom I'd want to be on very good terms), before digging into their work. This might be because I respect how much work goes into the design, the designer that has done the work, and brought home the bacon. |
@donnylovely I am with @arafiq on this and he has made very valid points as has Ralph and others. No one is knocking the PT platform just the financial motives of one member who cannot back up his science or engineering. Free speech and no one is violating the Agon P&P. So did you send your PT Rick already? |
