Nelson Pass First Watt amp F1

Tim-

There is some in depth discussion and very favorable results described at the horneshoppe website. They are of course using it with the single driver horn shoppe horns, but seem like the amp was a revalation to those speakers.

Tim, thank you for the information!

I don't think you are a good candidate for the amp, with your VR DB99 loudspeakers. I would be more than interested to hear if anyone with a brutally difficult loudspeaker load, such as the just about dead short Apogees, have had success with the amp, as the impedance would probably pose no problem it.

Maybe I am all wrong guys???

Trelja, since it is rated 10 watts per channel, I think it is limited to higher efficiency designs.

Twl, like most of us, you are coming from a voltage source mindset. Just about all of us think in this manner. That is the way of audio. A current source is a WHOLE different ballgame.

I have heard stories of people building low watt amplifiers that were operating as current sources, and they drove the absolute devil out of their earlier Apogees (virtually almost dead shorts). Conversely, even some absolute beasts of more traditional amplifiers (the bigger Krells, MLs, etc.) literally blow up or melt with the same loudspeaker.

Perhaps Sean can educate us a bit on the differences...

It was a tough room and the Exemplar 300Bs are in a different class than the First Watt ($8k vs $2500). I think a much more accurate listening session could be arranged in a bit larger room. The thing about the Academy speaker is that it begs for a larger room to really open up. When in a show environment with a very
limited room, they pretty much need to be played at levels that are sitting room polite. To let them strut their stuff and impress, a lot bigger space is required.
Thanks for stopping by.
Lew