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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
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.
larryken
537 posts
 
Trelja,
I own the Consonance 12 watt 2A3 powered integrated you heard...mine is stock too....I'm constantly amazed at what the amp can do regardless of price and it was real inexpensive!!! Replaced a big name american amp with the Consonance that cost only one third of the american amp.
Larry
tx_am
2 posts
 
I have a pair of Cary 845C, Cary could modify the amp. with the switch, so I could swap between 845 and 211 tubes. But the price was pricey. I have owned 1 NOS pair and 1 used pair on my previous broken amp. I want to used them but not know for sure which wires on the tube socket have to be swap. Anyone out there know about, please give me the information. Thank a whole lot.

Dan,
casouza
239 posts
 
Dan, 845 and 211 have diferent specs in terms of output transformer impedance, high voltage power supply, bias supply and plate current.
An 845 to 211 conversion is not trivial and a very dangerous project, due to the extremely high voltages inside the amp.
Maybe you should re-consider Cary's offer.

However, 211 tubes are less linear and put out more distortion than 845 tubes, which were designed for audio.
Unless you really need to use 211 tubes, IMO 845 is a better sounding tube, there are plenty on new production tubes that sound good (Shuguang 845B).
good luck
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