I will have the monoblock amps in stock in the next few weeks.
Unfair Competition: Orchard Audio Bosc Monoblocks vs. Pass Labs XA30.8
After hearing a friend's Orchard Audio Starkrimson Integrated Amplifier in my system (https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9074) a few weeks ago (it sounded pretty good!), I arranged to audition a pair of used Bosc $1500 monoblocks (now called Starkrimson) for close listening. Was curious to see just how well this "distortion-free" class D amp (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/orchard-audio-bosc-pdf.47492/) could replicate my beloved Pass labs class A beast costing >$6000 new. Close listening was done after several days of casual listening/break-in.
Bosc - The Good:
- Wide and tall soundstage
- Convincing central image
- Extremely quiet -- less baseline hiss than the Pass
- Fast transients
- Excellent instrument decay/echo
- Obviously more energy and space efficient
Bosc - The Not as Good
- Lacked soundstage depth/separation
- Less vibrant and engaging, lacking difficult-to-articulate "magic" of the Pass
- Inconsistent bass performance, some tracks sounded firmer and tighter, others weaker than the Pass
- "Flat sounding" with less fleshed-out midrange
After having the Bosc in my system for a few days and listening to nothing but that with a variety of music, I would have been very happy to keep it for the long-term. It was only after A/B with my Pass that I realized what I was missing.
Not a fair comparison dollar-wise, but I was, perhaps naively, prepared to be convinced the Bosc could go head to head. A nice reminder of what I enjoy about the Pass in my system, though. How to measure these qualities, though?
Bosc - The Good:
- Wide and tall soundstage
- Convincing central image
- Extremely quiet -- less baseline hiss than the Pass
- Fast transients
- Excellent instrument decay/echo
- Obviously more energy and space efficient
Bosc - The Not as Good
- Lacked soundstage depth/separation
- Less vibrant and engaging, lacking difficult-to-articulate "magic" of the Pass
- Inconsistent bass performance, some tracks sounded firmer and tighter, others weaker than the Pass
- "Flat sounding" with less fleshed-out midrange
After having the Bosc in my system for a few days and listening to nothing but that with a variety of music, I would have been very happy to keep it for the long-term. It was only after A/B with my Pass that I realized what I was missing.
Not a fair comparison dollar-wise, but I was, perhaps naively, prepared to be convinced the Bosc could go head to head. A nice reminder of what I enjoy about the Pass in my system, though. How to measure these qualities, though?
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- 26 posts total
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Spent the weekend shooting out the Orchard Starks against a few amps. It’s an amazing little amp. FYI my room is completely treated and flat as I use it for mastering music and it needs to be. I currently use Sonics Allegra speakers that have a fully rebuilt external crossover consisting of about 9k in parts and direct wires to each driver. (Cardas rhodium posts, silver wire etc…) needless to say my room is accurate and these speakers are very revealing/neutral. I’ve had plenty of class d amps in my space (nad c298, various wired4sound Monos, bel canto ref500m, Merrill Audio thors… a few more… and I never got along with them. I’d always go back to my Magnus Class A 340 amp or… there was always a grain or something that felt off in the sustain/decay that left the music feeling like a science experiment or something…
The Starks are amazing little amps! Non of the grain or distracting artifacts were present in what I’ve experienced with other class d amps. F2 sounded veiled and filtered compared to the Starks. These little guys really seemed like straight wire with gain. I was really impressed how the music presented so clearly, the reverb/space on orchestral music decay and air felt so open and endless… downside was the bass lacked a little impact compared to the Magnus 340. I’m hoping to demo the Ultra soon or just buy one… if you like an accurate sound these amps really out class any other class D I’ve heard. Hoping the Ultra gives me that bass energy… if everything else is there along with the bass I imagine they are awesome. I also heard the Starks on my friends Zu Def supremes and they really reveal the sound of those speakers… cool little amps!
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@dweaton I'm glad you enjoyed the monoblocks. The ultra amps will have better bass just from the nature of them having more power, otherwise, they will sound identical to the monoblocks. |
- 26 posts total