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Consonance Cyber 800/845 Valve amps; how good?

In my quest for a new valve power amp l came accross these;

http://www.operaudio.com/Html/Opera-Products-CYBERSERIES.htm

Not much info around on these but their cheaper models are well respected. Look like amazing value for money, wonder if they have the sound to match?

Any owners or listeners on the Gon?

Cheers Mondie
mondie
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
Thanks for that post, Trelja. Echos what I've heard from many insiders about the audiophiles running these Chinese companies - they're serious and they know their shit.

And what's wrong with 95db? I tend to listen just a bit below that, with peaks at the listening seat hitting 92-93.
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Thanks Grant, much respect to you as well!!!

I know this may be the minority opinion in audiophilia, but I somehow I just cannot feel the soul of the music unless it's played at realistic levels. I could never buy a Ferrari or Boss 429 and drive it 35 mph, and unlike many an audiophile, I can't sit down an listen at 75 dB. A lot of my prejudice is born out by the Fletcher-Munson Curve and the perils of chasing flat frequency response, I guess. Yes, me and The Doctor routinely go well beyond 100 dB - I rebroke in my Coincidents at 120 dB over a significant amount of time with my 60 wpc AtmaSpheres - didn't really seem loud to me.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
Only problem with that is it doesn't take much 100dB+ to start damaging your hearing...
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Right, Paul. However, some of us feel that music at 100 dB+ is not damaging. Being around live musical instruments is VERY loud. Stand 8' from a trumpet, and it is most definitely not audiophile approved volumes. Yet, the sound is not irritating because it is far more natural and organic. The same is true of a great many instruments.

Distortion, machinery, noise, etc. certainly is damaging. One must be extremely careful in this regard. We agree here.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
No argument. Nobody knows at what levels sound is damaging and certainly it varies by individual and the nature of the noise. Bad hifi can be very fatiguing well below 90dB as we all know and it *feels* like it's doing damage!!

I've suffered just a little bit of heaing loss from live music and headphone listening in my younger days and so am very careful these days. OSHA says 90dB is safe 8 hours/day (other disagree) and even they say 100dB is Ok at least a couple hours/day (I think). Time of exposure is the other factor.

Happy listening.
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