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Post by firebottle on Dec 10, 2022 12:37:04 GMT
Excellent idea Steve.
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Post by sq225917 on Dec 10, 2022 21:21:57 GMT
That's a handsome little devil Al. Nice to see custom cases for a change.
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Post by mrian on Dec 18, 2022 16:32:11 GMT
I moved from Nords to 686 primarily because of my propably unfounded fears about Class D repair costs. Most of the repair specialists I know are great with valves and traditional SS but with class D looks to be more board swap out that component replacement - if of course the boards can be sourced in x years time.
Sound wise I think the Nords had a slightly tigher bass, better "snap" bute were slightly more clinical at the higer frequencies BUT to be honest I would be perfectly happy with either. Not night and day differences thats for sure. The John Wood mono blocks that I was running before the Nords had a deeper bass and overall, for me, a more enjoyable listen, they delivered a room filling larger than life wall of sound that I have only experienced with valves.
The Nord and the 686 give a much tigher better controlled sound but I dont find them as much fun BUT I dont have all the hassle associated with fixed bias valves.
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Post by stevew on Dec 18, 2022 17:15:44 GMT
I moved from Nords to 686 primarily because of my propably unfounded fears about Class D repair costs. Most of the repair specialists I know are great with valves and traditional SS but with class D looks to be more board swap out that component replacement - if of course the boards can be sourced in x years time. Sound wise I think the Nords had a slightly tigher bass, better "snap" bute were slightly more clinical at the higer frequencies BUT to be honest I would be perfectly happy with either. Not night and day differences thats for sure. The John Wood mono blocks that I was running before the Nords had a deeper bass and overall, for me, a more enjoyable listen, they delivered a room filling larger than life wall of sound that I have only experienced with valves. The Nord and the 686 give a much tigher better controlled sound but I dont find them as much fun BUT I dont have all the hassle associated with fixed bias valves. Thank you. Good to have perspective based on experience. |
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Post by mrian on Dec 18, 2022 19:03:03 GMT
Ps my comnents relate to rev c with sonic imagery buffers, the claimed valve sounding sparkos boards were to me mush. They came out almost faster than they went in.
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Post by hifinutt on Dec 18, 2022 19:08:37 GMT
I moved from Nords to 686 primarily because of my propably unfounded fears about Class D repair costs. Most of the repair specialists I know are great with valves and traditional SS but with class D looks to be more board swap out that component replacement - if of course the boards can be sourced in x years time. Sound wise I think the Nords had a slightly tigher bass, better "snap" bute were slightly more clinical at the higer frequencies BUT to be honest I would be perfectly happy with either. Not night and day differences thats for sure. The John Wood mono blocks that I was running before the Nords had a deeper bass and overall, for me, a more enjoyable listen, they delivered a room filling larger than life wall of sound that I have only experienced with valves. The Nord and the 686 give a much tigher better controlled sound but I dont find them as much fun BUT I dont have all the hassle associated with fixed bias valves. some bel canto class d amps have been going for many years with no problems . class d no worth than other amps imho |
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Post by macca on Dec 18, 2022 20:24:09 GMT
I moved from Nords to 686 primarily because of my propably unfounded fears about Class D repair costs. Most of the repair specialists I know are great with valves and traditional SS but with class D looks to be more board swap out that component replacement - if of course the boards can be sourced in x years time. Sound wise I think the Nords had a slightly tigher bass, better "snap" bute were slightly more clinical at the higer frequencies BUT to be honest I would be perfectly happy with either. Not night and day differences thats for sure. The John Wood mono blocks that I was running before the Nords had a deeper bass and overall, for me, a more enjoyable listen, they delivered a room filling larger than life wall of sound that I have only experienced with valves. The Nord and the 686 give a much tigher better controlled sound but I dont find them as much fun BUT I dont have all the hassle associated with fixed bias valves. some bel canto class d amps have been going for many years with no problems . class d no worth than other amps imho It's not that they are any less reliable but if something does go and the module is no longer available then it's the end of the line. I've seen a few people post that they have run into that issue, last one I saw was a NAD class D that they ended up having to scrap. I don't think it is a deal breaker but has to be taken into consideration. |
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Post by stevew on Dec 19, 2022 8:55:29 GMT
Ps my comnents relate to rev c with sonic imagery buffers, the claimed valve sounding sparkos boards were to me mush. They came out almost faster than they went in. That’s good the hear, as I have the rev c with sonic imagery also. I had contemplated ‘upgrading’ to the rev d with Sonic Imagery, but at over £700 think I’d like at least to be able to demo. |
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Post by hifinutt on Dec 19, 2022 18:32:07 GMT
some bel canto class d amps have been going for many years with no problems . class d no worth than other amps imho It's not that they are any less reliable but if something does go and the module is no longer available then it's the end of the line. I've seen a few people post that they have run into that issue, last one I saw was a NAD class D that they ended up having to scrap. I don't think it is a deal breaker but has to be taken into consideration. yes i guess so. fortunately over many years i have never had a icepower class D go wrong . had some bc icepower for quite a few years . the second pair fettled by our own very talented mr c |
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Post by mrian on Dec 19, 2022 18:50:32 GMT
I considered the rev d upgrade, the pro and semi pro reviews are exemplary BUT spend more time searching for comments from those who had spent their own hard cash and the comments I found were positive but far less glowing and appeared, to me, to imply onky a marginal difference.
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