Best amplifier for Acoustat 2+2 electrostats for holographic sound, or change speakers?
I seek your opinion on how to improve the holographic sound out of my current system, which has the Acoustat 2+2 full range electrostatic speakers, solid state Sound Spectrum Technologies (SST) Ampzilla 2000 SE monoblocks (300 wpc, high current), and 2 preamps - a solid state SST Thoebe 2 and a SAS Audio Labs Reference 11A tube hybrid (which I am using currently). Sources are a Yamaha PX2 turntable with Hana Umami Blue cartridge, Eastern Minimax tube phono stage, a Musical Fidelity A5 CD player (as transport) thru an Audio Mirror Tubadour IV SE DAC and an Eversolo DP6 server. I also have a Moscade Saturn active subwoofer. Room treatments include dispersion panels behind the Acoustats, bass traps at the corners and some DIY absorption panels plus miscellaneous isolators on the equipment. Cables are a mixed bag with nothing very expensive. The listening room (my study) is 22' x 13' x 8'.
I listen to jazz and vintage rock.
I can't afford to remake my system and like the sound of the Acoustats but want the sound field to extend more beyond the panels and the imagery to be better defined.
I have read that a push-pull tube amp could result in a more holographic sound. What should I look for in terms of tube amp design and power output? Can you recommend any specific amps?
The alternative is to change speakers, one big issue being selling the Acoustats, which because of the 8' height are a challenge to ship. The other is selecting from the hundreds of speaker choices.
My budget is limited - I don't want to spend more than $1K over what I'd realize in selling either the amps or the speakers and I'd buy pre-owned. I live in the Atlanta area.
Appreciate your suggestions. Thanks!
Just hooked the Acoustat 3 Medallion to my Orchard Audio StarKrimson Stereo Ultra with dual power supplies. Absolutely amazing soundstaging and detail. Way out past the speaker edges. The 3's have never sounded so good. 500 watt per channel suits them well. I was going to buy new speakers, not now. Orchard Audio is running an amp tour with the V2 version. Listen a week for free, then pay to ship it to the next person on the list. Sign up on their website. Thanks, aldnorab |
As an alternative suggestion to having to buy into alternative Power Amplification. I am very very familiar with the Nelson Pass Design Korg B1 Pre Amp. If the gain of this Amp will work with the Power Amplification, for the money required to acquire the Basic Model, there is a lot on offer. I have mainly heard it in use across a Variety of Power Amp's, both SS and Valve, but nearly always with ESL's. I have also heard the Basic Design having undergone some of the now known upgrade tweaks, different Cap's, VC. All build guises demo'd, have delivered to what I class as my preferred description of Holographic in the earlier post. As a trait, the Korg B1 will tighten up the lower frequencies, where a Bass Decay is with a defined edge and not lingering. Such a control of this frequency, enables the Mid's and Highs to be improved in their presence. The overall frequency range is much improved in coherence. The Envelope developing, is something that gets worked towards by improving interfaces in general throughout the audio system. The magic bullet to attain this, is perseverance and willingness to try out different interfaces, as time goes by things discoveries are made that are wanted to be maintained, where there is no want to return to what was before. |
Seems like the target has shifted a bit… i would still advise diffusion and not a bunch of absorbtion if tge new target is dynamics. Since it is a dipole, some experimentation always needed. Lack of dynamics on the low end normally means too far out in room. Obviously i have not heard the Orchard but it sounds like a very innovative demo offer. @clio09 wish i had a chance to hear RM’s direct drive… lots of juice… @pindac How lucky…in my sample size of 4 all of those Korg tubes are microphonic…. it’s cool…. has intriguing potential…but… |
Another cool thing about the Orchard is they sell the proprietary modules. Amps can be assembled by connecting the modules to their power supplies. This saves money. After buying a different brand new amp, I joined the Orchard Audio tour. The Orchard was amazing and I bought an assembled one. If I'd had this amp sooner the Acoustats wouldn't have set in mothballs for twenty years. Thanks, aldnorab |
@tomic601 agreed those Korg tubes were microphonic in my experience with them B1 as well. |
