Thoughts on the First Watt SIT Amps

Srajanebaen,

I read the SIT review and felt you were claiming that the SIT could possibly replace a DHT SET in most areas. I am interested in the SIT but suspect its the same old SS compromise.

I have been chasing the ultimate amplifier for many years. Probably like many here.

I surprised myself when I settled for a Yamamoto A08s. I installed it with EML mesh 45 and EML mesh 80, then with modified power caps (mundorf tube & silver gold in oil) and the coupling caps replaced (DuelundVSF copper). These mods & tubes I believe have taken the A08s as far as it can go.

The A08s is as you know it, but with more width,depth, slightly cleaner,less grain and a striking organicness. I believe this very adictive organic sound is helped by the duelunds coupling caps, & the extra detail is down to the mundorfs forcing more info to these coupling caps, but the duelunds remove any etching the mundorf can add. I tried many allternates before settling here.

Many amps (Tom Evans Linear/Halcro DM/ Yamamoto A011/Audio note conq/etc etc) have come to drive my AGs, and some do somethings things better. I.e lower noise floor.improved bass control, image size and so on. But within hours I'm bored by these amps. Whether they are tube or SS.

There is a harmonic beauty in the 45 tube especially with the mesh plated EML which helps music speak. Upon reading your review of the SIT I suspect this harmonic magic is not available to the SIT. Although you gain the usual SS attributes. Would you agree?

I think the Tom Evans is a excellent amp on my Trios though possibly a little forward. Would you say the SIT is more in the Tom Evans vain?I.e clean, fast with harmonic texture, but not as beautiful as a DHT SET.

I just wish for an amp that would remove the need for tubes.

Chad,
Why the need to avoid tubes? They obviously provide that something special your prior SS amps lacked or you`d kept one of them. Your Yamamoto SET is very simple,straight forward and reliable like my Frankenstein(minimal fuss). The tubes in these amps last for thousands of hours. Just continue to enjoy your wonderful system.I`ve been in pure musical bliss since I discovered SET amps with high efficient/easy load speakers.People talk about SET colorations, I can`t speak for all SET amps but the Frankenstein is more accurate to real instruments and voice than any SS amp I`ve heard. I`d imagine you feel the same regarding your Yamamoto.Realism and natural/organic- holistic sound is most important to me.This is what generates the emotion and utter involvement of music.Good luck finding that with SS amps.Could the SIT-1 be it finally?
Regards,

>>Anyway, no I do not think the SIT amp was over damped, but remember I was coming from the First Watt M2 to the SIT.<<

Adjacent to the FW M2, which is very good SS in its own right, the SIT-2 sounds liquid and lingering by comparison. So from that perspective of amps sequence I fully understand Brawny's view of it.

Phil

Charles1dad,

I want to avoid tubes for a few reasons.

1 they are inconvenient.
2 they are inefficient.
3 they are expensive to replace.
4 they are noisey.

But some tube amps & tubes do sound excellent. I am with you regarding the SET organic & holistic sound. I cannot seem to be able to beat my 2w amp for sonic bliss.

The systems that have lasted the longest & provided the most joy for me have been with tube power amplification. With all the new technologies and ideas that have come in the many years since the tube was invented, I find it hard to believe tubes have not been superseded in all areas.

As for luck finding an SS amp that's capable of such virtues? I have found absolutely none...yet.

Can the SIT be the start of this road? By the sound of it probably not (pardon the pun).

Why has no one got an SET a logarithm that comes on a chip? You plug it into a highly efficient amp stage with earth shattering spec and job done. You decide if you want a 45 mesh sound or a 300b or whatever to drive any speaker?

Come on its the 21st century. Do I really have to continue with this 100 year old glassware from an age of steam engines?

Charles1Dad-

I liked the SIT-2 very much, although wondered if it was a bit dynamically limited- above 92dbs or so I could hear it distorting in my room. It doesn't have tube decay, so is still a different sound than tube- but it has a very similar midrange to great SETs. I was really astonished by it's sound at times.

I ran it with a McIntosh C2300 tube preamp w/ NOS teles, so clearly not a DHT preamp. I really don't have interest in the monos as they don't increase power. Doesn't seem like anywhere worth 2x the $, bias adjustment or not. The gem of the line is the stereo version imo.