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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 19:21:27 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 3, 2018 19:21:27 GMT
Just ordered one of these, will be shipped in a week- www.transcendentsound.com/pinnacle.htmlHeard a pimped up diy version of the earlier SE amp at a previous Owston, it’s no longer sold- a mighty 1.5w/ch! In a lot of ways it was and is the best sounding amp I’ve ever heard. Lot of people saying this new PP version is even better, if this new one is anything like the one I heard I’ll be very happy indeed. Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,073
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 19:44:29 GMT
Post by Bigman80 on Oct 3, 2018 19:44:29 GMT
I’ve never had the privilege of hearing an OTL amp. I have also never sampled 300b in any form either. I gives that’s a huge advantage of get-together. You have a chance to hear all sorts of exotica.
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 20:12:25 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 3, 2018 20:12:25 GMT
Yes, all sorts of stuff. Some amps with valves from the 1920/30’s. Have even heard a pair of 300a’s, never even seen others for sale.
Once a pair of very early field coil drivers that were over 70 years old. Sounded amazing.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,073
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 20:51:55 GMT
Post by Bigman80 on Oct 3, 2018 20:51:55 GMT
Yes, all sorts of stuff. Some amps with valves from the 1920/30’s. Have even heard a pair of 300a’s, never even seen others for sale. Once a pair of very early field coil drivers that were over 70 years old. Sounded amazing. Are you planning to take yours to a show once you get them running?
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Deleted
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 21:06:32 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2018 21:06:32 GMT
Looks an interesting amp, not one I know.
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 21:11:26 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 3, 2018 21:11:26 GMT
Yes, all sorts of stuff. Some amps with valves from the 1920/30’s. Have even heard a pair of 300a’s, never even seen others for sale. Once a pair of very early field coil drivers that were over 70 years old. Sounded amazing. Are you planning to take yours to a show once you get them running? Yes will probably take them to the next Owston, and also the Yorkshire hifi club meets. Also having Colin Topps build me some new speakers. Don’t have room for my OB’s at the moment, so having him build me some MLTL’s using a 10” Monacor coaxial driver, which is 96/105 dB efficient, so perfect for the OTL.
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 21:12:47 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 3, 2018 21:12:47 GMT
Looks an interesting amp, not one I know. Hoping for great things Geoff.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,073
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 21:21:26 GMT
Post by Bigman80 on Oct 3, 2018 21:21:26 GMT
Colin is the Edingdale Guy, isn’t he? I’ve heard good things about them
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Deleted
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OTL
Oct 3, 2018 22:24:41 GMT
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Bigman80 likes this
Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2018 22:24:41 GMT
Heard a couple of Firebottle OTL amps. The Firebottle Monoblocks, even though they are a hybrid Valve FET design are also OTL.
They are very good amplifiers, a really sweet, clean sound and dynamic too. Bass is the one area that needs attention paying to it as I didn't always feel OTL amps gripped the bass as well as other amps but goddam they are so easy to listen too. Must also say, I've only heard two by the same maker so others may be different.
I am a big fan of OTL amps and this one looks fantastic. Bit chingy (expensive) for me in kit form, but I doubt you'd feel that way once heard.
Good luck with it Ali, looking forward to hearing what you have to say on it.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 0:04:05 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 0:04:05 GMT
I have the Mini Beast at the moment, does deeper and better bass than my SM 70. You have to allow for the limited power and use the right speakers. Most commercial stuff will dip to 4 ohms or less in the bass, so an OTL will lose power with those types of speaker.
Not expensive to my mind, ok not cheap but it is monoblocks, so you have two chassis along with two of everything else.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 0:10:33 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 0:10:33 GMT
Colin is the Edingdale Guy, isn’t he? I’ve heard good things about them Yes, he makes some great speakers. He came across this driver when he built his latest OB. I’d be having a pair of those if I’d the room, sadly I don’t so am settling for the MLTL’s.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 1:11:38 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 1:11:38 GMT
Nope........OTL........Very difficult trick to pull off.
Croft circa 80s probably the best of a shitty unstable breed.
Dont do it folks, it will end in tears...!!!
Want a laugh.......Try OBL's through OTL's
Best o luck with that fukin combo.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 1:17:27 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 1:17:27 GMT
Nope........OTL........Very difficult trick to pull off. Croft circa 80s probably the best of a shitty unstable breed. Dont do it folks, it will end in tears...!!! Want a laugh.......Try OBL's through OTL's Best o luck with that fukin combo. Never a dull moment with you, eh Jammy S.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 1:29:58 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 1:29:58 GMT
Wot the fuk you doing up at this time o night C#nt chops.........?
Single Malteser roll under the floorboards.
😂😂😂
Put the Crowbar and torch down ffs.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 6:22:56 GMT
Post by dsjr on Oct 4, 2018 6:22:56 GMT
I had a Croft unregulated OTL for six months or so. No bass, filigree delicacy up top and enogh power to cope (30WPC) but it kept blowing 4A rail fuses - I had a multi-meter next to it to check these every half an hour or so and one evening with friends round I missed the thirty minute deadline and got an internal firework display for my trouble!
Never again...
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 7:39:19 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 7:39:19 GMT
Had the OTL Mini Beast for a couple of years now, the last year it’s been used for several hours every day as I put the telly through it. Zero problems and it sounds great. Even if it does go faulty, there are caps on the output to prevent DC reaching your speakers, and each channel has a fuse that will blow in the event of a shorting valve.
If you build these right they are very reliable, check out the Transcendent forum, can’t find a single post about any damaged speakers, and problems are rare and mostly down to errors in building or something simple like a bad solder joint.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 8:39:02 GMT
Post by macca on Oct 4, 2018 8:39:02 GMT
Firebottle OTL (the big one he did not the little silver one) is still one of the best power amps I ever heard. Took me a week to adjust back to my usual amp after he took it away. I think you had a go on that one didn't you Ali?
I know traditionally that reliability has always been an issue with OTL but this is the 21st Century, there must be solutions to that now.
Are the Monacors going to be box speakers or open baffle?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 9:08:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 9:08:06 GMT
Firebottle OTL (the big one he did not the little silver one) is still one of the best power amps I ever heard. Took me a week to adjust back to my usual amp after he took it away. I think you had a go on that one didn't you Ali? I know traditionally that reliability has always been an issue with OTL but this is the 21st Century, there must be solutions to that now. Are the Monacors going to be box speakers or open baffle? Absolutely!!! Trouble is, it's flashed over and is knackered more often than not. Let me be clear, I'm not talking about paying special attention to the bass because it's Sh#t, it's because there's so much of it and if the speakers do like they do at mine and reverberate the floor boards, it can sound terrible. Flabby at best buy if you can control the bass, they are a glorious thing.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 9:25:04 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 9:25:04 GMT
Firebottle OTL (the big one he did not the little silver one) is still one of the best power amps I ever heard. Took me a week to adjust back to my usual amp after he took it away. I think you had a go on that one didn't you Ali? I know traditionally that reliability has always been an issue with OTL but this is the 21st Century, there must be solutions to that now. Are the Monacors going to be box speakers or open baffle? Yeah know what you mean, don’t think I’d want to use anything else now. The Monacors will be in an MLTL box (mass loaded transmission line). Have a look at this thread- www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7269&hilit=Monacor
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 9:59:27 GMT
Post by macca on Oct 4, 2018 9:59:27 GMT
Well I know Chris is a fussy beggar so if he rates them they must be good
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 10:55:48 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 10:55:48 GMT
Yes they sounded very good on the Mini Beast which I took down to Colin’s. The Pinnacle has more power so should be fine.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 15:48:21 GMT
Post by dsjr on Oct 4, 2018 15:48:21 GMT
Had my own croft been the later regulated one, I probably would have kept it longer and I suspect Glenn would have added the parts to mine had I asked. VERY simple signal path mine was and beautifully made to be fair. i just couldn't understand why it blew 4A fuses at random (there were four altogether and tapping points for adjustmnent which I used to check them). No particular fuse used to go, just any one at any time. Too risky. Mine went back to Glenn for checking and was sold to a chap in Northern Ireland I gather.. I used a freshly updated Quad 405-2 for a while before going headlong into AVI (just before the big ATC's came into my life for all too short a time).
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 16:36:59 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 16:36:59 GMT
Must have been something wrong Dave, no reason an OTL can’t be reliable.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 16:55:47 GMT
Post by dsjr on Oct 4, 2018 16:55:47 GMT
Maybe. I do trust Glenn and the large multi-valved ones he used to make always were reliable if not messed with. Mine was in the black case a la Series 4SA and was exquisite and simple inside (four PL509's a side or four in total - sorry, can't remember). No rhyme or reason for the fuses blowing as any one of the four would blow at random...
I've heard solid state amps give this kind of 'filigree' detailing - there was one of the Copland power amps (call-lift power button and valve rectification from memory 515?) which was starkly 3-D unlike the more popular integrateds which deadened the sound a bit). The krell Vanguard had some life and sparkle to it, but may be more lead-footed in comparison with an OTL running in it's limits. Sorry if I'm totally off the track here with these comments, but I wonder how a Sonneteer Alabaster would compare, as it's very clear and finely drawn?
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 18:41:29 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 4, 2018 18:41:29 GMT
Not heard a Soneteer, but to my ears no SS amp has equalled what a good OTL does, or any transformer coupled valve amp for that matter.
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 20:55:54 GMT
Post by dsjr on Oct 4, 2018 20:55:54 GMT
I accept that.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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OTL
Oct 4, 2018 21:03:45 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 21:03:45 GMT
Funny how nobody mentions OTL solid state amps. Not that there's a shortage of them.
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OTL
Oct 5, 2018 7:16:47 GMT
Post by macca on Oct 5, 2018 7:16:47 GMT
Funny how nobody mentions OTL solid state amps. Not that there's a shortage of them. Shush. Anyway you know the valve-ampers regard the solid-staters with a mixture of pity and concern...
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OTL
Oct 5, 2018 10:17:37 GMT
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Post by alit on Oct 5, 2018 10:17:37 GMT
Lol not at all, OTL aside I could quite happily live with a set of Nick’s P6’s.
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OTL
Oct 5, 2018 10:41:06 GMT
Post by macca on Oct 5, 2018 10:41:06 GMT
Lol not at all, OTL aside I could quite happily live with a set of Nick’s P6’s. They are one of the few exceptions in a ocean of solid-state mediocrity though. Although it is my considered opinion that most valve amps are crap too.
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