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Stereophile - MF Supercharger article-add 550W/ch.

Have you read this article in september issue of Stereophile?
It says that Supercharger pumps up your system to 550W/ch. and leaves "no sonic signature" - "Like a chameleon".

It works like this - simply connect Supercharger between your power (or integrated) amp and speakers.You only need a new set of very short speaker cables.You get 550 W/ch.,better dynamics and bass, and everything else is the same.
It is claimed that it only increases dynamics, and doesn't change "the sound" of your original amplifier.

Without questioning Stereophile's knowledge (it is my favorite magazine) i just find it hard to believe this.
My question - has anyone actually tried adding supercharger to the SET based system,2-20 Watts of primary amp. power?
And can any owner of such SET system say it didn't damage (a bit at least) the magic and "the sound" of SET tubes?
I am aware that in article Scott 299B(18 W/ch.) amp was connected with Supercharger.
I want to hear from owners of SET based systems who have tried this.Or from other people who have some opinion on this subject.I just find this hard to believe.
audiobb
athipaul
40 posts
 
The supercharger increases the power of any 50 watt plus amplifier to over 550 watts rms so typical can't be used with low powered SETs.
inpepinnovations
134 posts
 
Athipaul, like any amp that is added in series, the ultimate output is a function of the output of the 'last' amplifier in the series. So, as long as the SET amp has enough voltage to drive the following amp, low powered SETs can be used. Even 1/10th of a watt should be able to drive the Supercharger.
Still, what a strange way to get more power!?

Bob P.
audiobb OP
103 posts
 
Athipaul also came up with the info i found before.MF claims that.But Inpepi is right.In Stereophile they connected Supercharger with 18 W/ch tube amp.It worked just fine.

But has any SET owner out there tried this and can he make some comments on the sound changes?
emailists
923 posts
 
As I mentioned in another post, I think one of the few systems that could perhaps benefit from this is MBL 101's. They can use alot of power to wake up supposedly.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,633 posts
 
FWIW the MBL 101s don't really need as much power as people think. Yes, they have low measured efficiency at 1 meter, but as soon as the speaker is put in a real room, the sound radiating in directions other than the one that the microphone was placed in all gets heard. You can add about 6 db to the result. 200 watts is enough power in many rooms.

Back OT: Its a fun idea, but the 'supercharger' will have a negative sonic artifact, one that anyone who values what tube amps do will hear in a heartbeat. I imagine its pretty transparent on transistor amplifiers, Res Ipsa Loquitur.
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