Thoughts on the First Watt SIT Amps

Hi,

I owned the First watt SIT-2 amp for about a month. It was driving a pair of Avantgarde Duo Primo loudspeakers that are 107 db efficient. Unfortunately, an issue developed and I was forced to return it.

When I initially received the SIT-2, it was dead quiet. After three weeks, it started intermittently making a crackling static noise in the right channel. That went away, but a short time later, it started constantly making the crackling static noise in the left channel. It was noticeable during soft passages of music. I thought the amp had developed an issue. I was sent out a second another SIT-2 amp. The second SIT-2 amp immediately made the same static crackling noise in the right channel. I was told that SIT amp does make a popcorn type noise that can change over time.

I ultimately returned the SIT-2 and got back my First Watt M2 amp, which was/is very quiet. I was a little bummed-out because the SIT-2 was dead quiet when I first received it is an absolutely fantastic unique sounding amp. However, the First Watt M2 is very close and has a couple of advantages.

The SIT amp is an extremely open sounding amp. The most open sounding solid-state amp that I have ever heard. It throws a huge soundstage. The SIT's midrange sounds like it is lit-up and glows from within. Music and voices sound very intimate and real. With the SIT amp, vocals tend to be more diffuse and further back in the soundstage. With the M2, vocals are more dense and slightly more forward. This quality in the M2 allows you to make out words in songs easier. The M2 is definitely more dynamic with harder hitting bass than the SIT amp.

After owning the SIT amp for the month, I'm a little surprised at how close the SIT and M2 are to each other. If you could combine the attributes of each, you would probably have the perfect solid-state amp.

I would like to say that Mark at Reno Hi-Fi gave me fantastic customer service! He was attentive to the issues and took care of me immediately. He even paid all of the shipping charges for multiple amps each way! I couldn't have asked for better service. Who says you can't get great customer service these days? He has customer for life.

Very informative. Thank you for the write-up!

Any further experiences with these amps? I am thinking of trading in my XA30.5 for the SIT-2 to drive a pair of Druids.

I'll say at the outset that I do not think the Pass 30.5 mates well to Zu speakers, so having heard both, I think the SIT amp will be a clear improvement.

The SIT amp is very smooth and articulate. It is among the two or three most natural solid state amps available at any price; and to put it another way it is one of the two or three least objectionable solid state amps you can buy. Within its power limits, it's listenable and satisfying -- if you've never had a better tube amp. Even on Zu at 101db/w/m, the amp's dynamic compression is evident at high but not deafening SPL. Its primary deficiency compared to a range of good tube amps is that while the transient events are defined, impactful and clear, decay is over-damped. You don't get "the whole note," compared to more complete amplifiers. But the SIT amp does have much more tonal depth natural space than the XA30.5 (which is exceedingly clean in its own right).

That's my view of it. If I were committed to solid state for Druids, SIT and Lavardin would probably be my contending choices.

Phil

Brawny,

would you agree with Phil and say the SIT is over damped? Does the SIT have any magic or is it more SS and a little devoid of the life a great SET would have?