New Coincident Frankenstein 300B Stereo Version

@brownsfan @charles1dad

Great to see happy owners of the Coincident Line Stage (not to derail this thread).

I was actually considering it strongly last year. I totally get the minimalist design but I needed a remote with my preamp. That was the only thing which stopped me. My listening room is upstairs and often I would have to adjust the volume so that I don’t disturb anyone else in the house, specially when I am doing late night listening. I dont want to gettting up many times, specially in the dark. I turn off the lights when I listen in the night.

I agree, Israel does make great products. I am so happy with my SVIIIs. I do get he’s a one man show and cannot let people audition at his place, specially with COVID. BUT. it would have been nice, since I have bought 2 pairs of speakers from him :)

I did audition my first pair of Coincident speaker at his place (Dynamite - now discontinued). Within, months, I upgraded to SVIIIs.

His room and full system is quite something. One of the best system I have heard yet. As you may be aware, he has a double stacked pair of PREs. He bi-amps I believe...Franks on the mids/highs and Dragons on the bass. Killer Kuzma turntable too :)

@sim_audio_nerd 

A few years ago Coincident offered an  845 Integrated (With a 300b as driver tube)  SET that was about 27-30 watts per channel and it received universal praise. Was a very nice position between their Frankenstein (8 watts) and the Dragons (75 watts). I have no idea why Israel decided to discontinued it. This would have quite likely been a terrific option for you. Near impossible to find them used.

Charles

@sns

Ha, Jut dawned on me that you own the Coicident Turbo 845 SET integrated amplifier. 😀 Do you use it strictly as an integrated amp or as a power amp paired with the CSL?

Charles

@charles1dad Only as power amp with CSL. Using passive/volume control on 845 substantially inferior to CSL, even inferior to my relatively cheapo Schitt Saga+ passive. I see integrated feature as add on, temp solution for those without pre.

. I'd bet the 845 would be very nice match with all Coincident speakers, plenty of drive along with the SET magic. 845 not quite the magic of 300B tube, but authority, impact, drive and enough of the 300B magic to be quite enticing. The 845 preferable to my 300B amps with my Merlin VSM MM 91db sens., easy impedance curve. 300B preferable with my 104db sens. Klipschorns.

A little observation on bass:

This appears to be a unique US phenomenon that good bass is almost always equated to "tight" or "super-duper tight" (aka overdampened) bass.

While we can observe overdampened bass in real life in recording studios, or at venues where the instruments (mainly drums) overload the room acoustics.

The exact opposite is the overly loose bass: just like what you get in a concert hall when you sit at the end of the row close to the exit. Still, it's realistic, but I have not heard of many people standing in line for those seats & that experience....

Yet, while listening to bass at venues with good acoustics at good places, bass is not overly tight - it's just right. A good SET can deliver that, the bass that has a good likeness of both texture in the bass and the right tightness. Overly tight bass representations bleed out the texture of the bass.

Push-pull implementations have bass tighter, with bland bass texture. (=More apparent power, less refined skill/technique.)

Single ended implementations have bass looser, with better bass texture.

Good implementations of each have less issues, and get closer to a fine balance.

It's up to your preferences from which side you want to approach bass - is tightness or texture your #1 goal?