Spectron Digital One, a digital switching amp. I owned one to power my Maggie 1.6's, back in 1999. Dead quite with volume all the way down or up! |
Still using my dead silent Dynaco ST-80 (by Panor 1996) with my conquests. Never heard such power and detail out of a 40 watt amp/20 watt triode. |
Art Audio PX25. The most "black" background. |
H20 Signature Monoblocks. No background noise what so ever. |
A 1982 TRANS-NOVA TWIN 200 made by Acoustat; dead quiet at full volume. I don't use it anymore, but I still have it. |
I have a Belles amp that is super quiet, it doesn't work. |
The new TRL D-225 dual mono amp is the quietest I have ever heard. No hum or hiss whatsoever. |
TRL ST-225 Integrated. Dead quiet, no hiss, no hum.
Incredibly fast and dynamic, too.
Best,
Jack |
The degree to which an amp will be perceived as quiet or noisy depends to a certain extent upon how efficient (or inefficient) the speakers it is used with are, e.g, a 92 db/watt efficient speaker will make upstream components sound noisier than an 86 db/watt efficient speaker. In fact, the noise level with highly efficient speakers, like horns or many single-driver speakers, can be intolerable unless partnering components are chosen with an eye toward their noise characteristics. |
Innersound ESL 300. It's just dead quiet.
Michael |
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Elevick I never knew the Dynaco ST-80 was that quiet; I had a ST-120 way back in the early 70s. The reason I am asking this question is that I am running a pair of modified Klipsch KLF-20s in a second system and, as Raqual has pointed out, the more efficient the speaker the more the amplifier noise comes through. Speaking of Dynaco I had a ST-70 at one time with the Sutherland front end board and it was dead quiet; on the other hand the stock amp with the 7199s was pretty noisy. Thanks everyone for your input; I've learned a great deal. |
Yamaha MX1000U
(1979 - solid state, 760wpc @ 4ohm; 960wpc @2ohm; 460wpc @8ohm) which I still use with fabulous results. I am amazed that for the power output and the cheesy original power cord that this monster does not put out ANY noise. Totally clean.
Even my CR-1020 (1978 - 90wpc @4ohm; 70wpc @ 8ohm) which is in a separate system performs in the same quiet manner.
A while ago I sold my much newer Mac and a Krell but kept the Yamahas. Do it again Yamaha ... where'd you go. |
Bob,
The 80 can't be compared to anything Dynaco originally produced. I've played with 70's and even had a pair of fully restored/upgraded MKIV's. Nothing can touch this amp. Panor+25 years of technology really made a difference.
The re-release of the 70 should be quite nice also. Finally, I do believe there is a 160 out there. |
Elevick I'll have to try to pick up one of those 80s. |
My nomination is a tossup between the Tom Evans Linear A and the Wavelength Triton. Both are quieter than any of the SS amps I've owned - so quiet that with my ear inside the 97dB speaker cones I can't tell if they're running. This is with the Tom Evans Vibe line stage, because all the other preamps I have except for a TVC add way more noise than either of these amplifiers.
Noise on the Wavelengths was measured during construction at .12 mV or 120 microvolts... Both are super-quiet, but the Linear A manages to put more music in front of that black background - but that's a topic for another thread. |
I just changed over to balanced cables on my Spectron Digital One and it is absolutely dead quiet all the way to maximum setting on the volume control. But once fed a signal, the dynamics are unbelievable! (I also use Rothwell Electronics line attenuators on the input and Spectron's own Zobel networks on the speaker posts). |
Singlepower Audio SDS-XLR tube headphone amp. Even through the most sensitive headphones with volume up all the way....Not a peep. |
Red Wine Audio Signature 30. |
I've heard the Red Wine Audio Signature 30 and have to agree it is extremely quiet. Want to get the newest version of the Antique Sound Labs KT88 single-ended tube amp with remote. |
Both my Edge NL12.1 and my Pass X350 were completely silent (but the Pass was HOT HOT HOT; The Edge is barely warm). |
