2. amps-preamps
  3. 1087331428

Atma-Sphere with Gilmore on HE 2004

Have anybody heard Atma Sphere Music Amplifier MA-2 Mk. II.3 with some Gilmore speakers on HE 2004 NY ?
I have heard, read a lot about those output transformless tube amps, I was expecting audio nirvana, my expectation was very high, but what I heard was week non-dynamic, non-involving sound. Yes there was a lot of details nice soundstage, but still sound was lifeless. Was it speakers, or this transformless amps sound this way ?

I was mighty impress with transformfull :) Manley or VTL or even more with VAC Phi. I even went back after few hours one more time to Atma+Gilmore room unfortunately the some bad impression. Was it bad combination?
Does Berning's sound the some way ?
sorlowski
hbrandt
272 posts
 
I was at HE 2004 and I would not base ANY buying decisions on show sound. The rooms are just not optimized for any reasonable evaluation. One of my favorite speakers (Vandersteen 5a's) sounded absolutely dreadful...for the first time ever. I'm running my electrostats with Innersound Monoblocks. One of the few amps that, in my view, sound great with stats is the Atma-Sphere. If you have a line on a decent pair...I wouldn't hesitate.

harry
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Sorlowski, you and I did not like the Atma Sphere/Gilmore sound at HE2004. I did not find it weak, or non dynamic, but harsh, irritating, and very shrill.

I also back up those here who feel the Atma Spheres are a stellar sounding product. I assure you that with a different speaker, the Atma Sphere amplifiers will sound a lot better.

However, if you witness Ralph's comments in my thread reviewing the show, you will see that he found the sonics to be first rate. I think it just comes down to preference. I think that is the kind of sound Ralph honestly likes, and more power to him. The converse is that most audiophiles will disagree, and would like the sound of his rooms better than shows where he has paired his amps with the CAR horns or these Gilmores. Still, it's his company, and he should go with what he believes in.

But, please try to give the amplifiers a listen with a different loudspeaker if you are at all able.
springbok10
711 posts
 
The sound with Kharma 3.2s and Atma-Sphere MA 2.2s is breathtaking.........just another endorsement of this truly great, great amp.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
I was there and I listened to them The mids and highs were extremely good due to the fine ribbons. As long as there was no bass in the music, it sounded superb. The bass was definitely FAT. The bass drivers in those panels need really really low impedance SS amps for good control.
sorlowski OP
236 posts
 
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ymisc&1085260344

somewhere you can read:
"And, finally, the last bad sounding room I encountered was the Atma Sphere/Gilmore room. Ralph Karsten was a gem of a person, but the synergy between his amps and those speakers was poor. The achilles heel sonically of the Atma Spheres is wrestling a woofer's voice coil to the ground and gaining the submission. Four 12" woofers look to be more than the great OTL amps are capable of.
"

they really sounded week, undymamic, I do not know what they are capable of, but they did not go well on HE 2004 seems not only to me, just not in the league of Manley's or VAC's, not even close.
More to discover