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Anyone Here Have Atma-Sphere Amps?

I find these amps very intriguing and was wondering what people with real experience think. I have read all the reviews
which are generally excellent except for some reason Stereophile has not reviewed them as far as I can tell.
The main question I have is how often if ever do you blow a tube and how long are your tubes lasting. Do you have any quibbles. I would love to find an MA 3 owner as that is one ballsy amplifier. There is no such thing as overkill when it comes to power amps.
128x128mijostyn
audition__audio
1,492 posts
 
Driving high impedance speakers the Atma OTLs are among the few best amps I have ever heard or owned. The other amps on this list were at least 5 times the price of the Atma-spheres.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn OP
8,570 posts
 
jsautter the MA3s are $147,000. That is no joke. But, it takes 3 months to build the entire very large 4 piece set. I do not know how many people are involved in the labor but I would bet it is at least 4 if not more. Given that and parts and you can see why they cost so much. Also Mr Karsten insists they are just fine driving loads down to 4 ohms. 
Now we can ask Mr Karsten, Ralph, why would an employee's set of M60s be red??
testpilot
933 posts
 
Now we can ask Mr Karsten, Ralph, why would an employee's set of M60s be red??
I would speculate the answer to be "because he can."  Just take the standard M60 case work to a painter / powder coater  and return it to the shop for assembly. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,807 posts
 
Given that and parts and you can see why they cost so much. Also Mr Karsten insists they are just fine driving loads down to 4 ohms.
Now we can ask Mr Karsten, Ralph, why would an employee's set of M60s be red??
@mijostyn  Actually MA-3s can handle loads much lower than 4 ohms! The MA-1 and MA-2 can do 4 ohms as well.

That employee just wanted red...


mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Ralph. That color was a deep crimson and very beautiful. You should keep offering it as a standard color! IMO.
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