Off subject I know, but do you really feel there is low correlation between price and performance Audiofiel. Granted, there are a large number of products which give poor value for money, but if you take reputable companies with good solid engineering, I think you do get what you pay for.
With amps, the like of Pass, Ayon, ARC, conrad johnson, I believe quality is fairly well correlated with price and you do get what you pay for. This seems to be improving over time. I have been in and out of HiFi since the late 70's and my recall is, there were many more dire products around then than now.
Whether you pay too much, is another matter. Talking to a manufacturer recently about costing, he thought the material and labour content of say a top speaker, was 25 to 33% of the cost. The rest was marketing, dealers distributors mark ups etc |
I wonder if Paul Speltz zero transformers would fully address the impedance issue that audiofeil referred to |
A generous friend lent me his Audio Note Kit one with upgraded resistors, caps and output transformers (See my system pics). It has no problem driving my hi eff AN-e's. Startling presence and simply a "There" sound. Dynamics are excellent no sense of strain at moderate volumes.
Have been listening to small group jazz and chamber classical so far. Will try some larger orchestral and rock music at higher volumes this week.
Jet |
I do have the HE woofers and at some point would upgrade the internal wire to SPe. But it sounds like from this thread I should tread carefully with an amp of less than 10 watts. At least these amps would bear an audition in my room if that were ever possible
Thanls all! |
Hi Glory,
I fear you are in error regarding the quality of the Yamamoto. The beauty of such an amp is the part count is very low. There is no need for lots of expensive parts, just a few well thought out ones.
Maybe it is expensive if you consider it costs around 3K for 1.4 watts!
Dont believe the hype. This little amp left many very expensive and exotic amps behind in my set up. Though my speakers are sensitive enough for the low power output.
Unfortunately I doubt the A08s would drive the ANe to loud levels, unless you have the HE model. I think you need around 100db/watt sensitivity to enjoy any 45 tube.(regardless of amp quality). |
To Br3098,
It may have worked "fine" but you have not heard what the speakers are fully capable of doing.
Been there, done that.
Thank you. |
...I did mean to say that it is not the right /best amp for the AN speakers and not that it is low end in sound. Glory - fine, except for the fact that this is what you originally said: Why would you want to run such a cheap/low end amp on the AN speakers? To quote from Cool Hand Luke "what we have here is a failure to communicate." Audiofeil - Bill, I have frequently run 2W-8W SET amps through my older AN-E/Ls. Worked fine and sounded great in my small 2-channel room. Pairing a Sun Audio SV-2A3 3.5W amp with the AN speakers was a sublime experience. |
Audiofeil,
Your comment regarding the correlation between price and performance in high end audio rings so true. To a certain(but limited) degree you do get what you pay for, however they`re many exceptions to this rule. It takes patience, good advice and mostly trusing your ears, otherwise it`s very easy to spend lots of money yet end up with a poor/ mediorce sound and much frustration/disappointment. |
The Yamamoto A-08S is a great amp but it does not have sufficient power to drive the AN speakers properly. Neither do the Wavelength Lightning 45 or the Audio Note Neiro.
I have the speakers in my showroom and have had all those amps here for extended periods.
Believe whom you choose.
Dealer disclaimer |
As with any amp-speaker matching question it depends HIGHLY on your room size and listening levels. What are they?
I've had HE AN/Es (the Kit 3s) and they are wonderful with the Yamamoto 45 or any 45 SET if you can accept mild volume restrictions. In my very large room I could play at 85 dB or so; any more than that and dynamics were clearly suffering. As a matter of fact the Yamamoto importer loved them with that speaker as did David Cope, former Audio Note importer.
(A 'crazy' idea would be to get two and bi-amp. You would not really be getting twice the power but there would be an improvement.) |
I've been doing this audio thing for 50+ years and believe there is a mild positive correlation between price and performance.
However, it is not a hard and fast rule by any means that high price equals high performance. Far from it in fact.
IMO |
> Most AN speakers are driven by high $$$ amps to bring out the
> best in the speakers and not by cheaper amps.
Yamamoto A-08S is $3200. I guess that makes the Atma-sphere S-30 a cheap amplifier and the First Watt amplifiers cheap too.
There is certainly a wide continuum of pricing out there, and one person's cheap is another person's expensive, but anything over $2K would not be called cheap by me. |
Sorry if you Moto lovers are offended but I did mean to say that it is not the right /best amp for the AN speakers and not that it is low end in sound. Most AN speakers are driven by high $$$ amps to bring out the best in the speakers and not by cheaper amps.
I am sure the Moto amp is a fine sounding amp as I have heard it at shows but not with the AN speakers. |
meant to write willingly rather than willing |
That post by Glory is stunning in the level of ignorance he so willing displays. The Yamamoto amplifiers are superbly built and sound great with the appropriate speaker. |
The review seems positive but on the other side, Audiofeil's response is very imformative.
I would ere on the side of caution and want to hear the combo before going through with buying it. Once I have the funds for this second amp, will try to find one for audition or do something I have always wanted which is build the Audio Note Kit One which will probably mate even better than the Yamamoto and not require an audition. |
I have a smallish room and the ANe's are in the corners producing really nice bass. Listen to mostly classical music. Will try to find that review in Stereofile. |
If recall, there was a Stereophile review of the A-08s in which it was tested with ANE speakers. Not that Stereophile reviews are necessarily the be-all and end-all, but this one might prove useful. The Yamamoto A-08s is marvelous-sounding, beautiful, well-made (and hand-made!) amplifier using high quality component parts (i.e., teflon tube sockets). I have never heard it described as cheap or low end. |
Glory,
The OP said YAMAMOTO, as in Yamamoto Sound Craft. Not cheap, and definately not low end. |
For edification purposes directed specifically at the uninformed/inexperienced posters, the Yamamoto A-08S is a marvelous amplifier. |
Cheap low end amp! say what? |
No it won't.
The nominal impedance is 6 ohms but the curve is too erratic for a 2WPC amplifier.
I wouldn't use any amp less than 10WPC on those speakers.
All IMO
Dealer disclaimer |
Why would you want to run such a cheap/low end amp on the AN speakers? |
I have not heard or tested a Yamamoto amp, but from looking at the specs for the A-O8S I would say yes. But how well it will work for you will ultimately depend on your room size, how loud you play music and what type of music you will listen to. |
