Atma-Sphere vs. Supratek
I placed an order last year for a Supratek Cortese LCR preamp; it will still be a few months until it will arrive at my home in Silicon Valley. Meanwhile I keep reading good things about the Atma-Sphere MP-1 and Mp-3 instruments. Can anyone voice an opinion about those two brands, both hand-made tube machines in a similar price range? I listen to all kinds of music, including opera, mostly on vinyl [Basic 2200 Signature with Vector 4 arm and Benz Micro LP-S cartridge, Sunvalley phono stage with EMIA SUT, MSB Platinum Signature CD transport and DAC, LinkwitzLab NCore6 active crossover/amplifier, and Linkwitz LX521.4 open-baffle speakers (best speakers I have ever heard)]. For preamp I am currently using Ed Shilling’s The Truth. For me a natural-sounding soprano voice is the pinnacle of well reproduced music.
Yes - the Futterman OTL design of Atma-sphere amps makes all the difference in the sound quality. Read the background / history in the web site and in the reviews: http://www.atma-sphere.com/en/index.html In addition, you have the history, qualiy and reputation of years of experience of Atma-sphere, which is well known and reguarded by everyone. These things make the decision very easy - actually… “a no brainer,” as the say!
|
I am a former Supratek Cortese owner, purchased in 2007. It had point to point wiring (i.e. the "rat’s nest"), which was touted as a sonic advantage. It had a lot of inputs and outputs, so there were wires everywhere. The phono stage was very nice, and I bet the LCR version is even better. I enjoyed the sound in my system when I had it. I had no repair issues in the 5 years that I owned it. I regretted selling my Cortese. I sold it because the power supply got too warm and would heat up my small room more than I liked. It was like having a small class A amp in the room. I could never connect with the music with the next preamp that I owned, so I contacted Mick about another Cortese, but by then he was on a break from making new units. I ended up buying a used Syrah which was not nearly as good as the Cortese. OP, like you, I now have The Truth preamp, so I am curious to see which direction you end up going. I am very happy with the sound of my system with The Truth in it, but I would love to read your comparisons with whatever you end up getting, or if you stay put with The Truth. Both Supratek and Atma-Sphere offer superb built-in phono stages, and if I were looking to reduce my box count, those two brands would be at or near the top of my list. |
@bassdude Maybe you just mis-typed but Atma-sphere claims their amps are NOT Futterman design, that the Futterman Design gave OTL amps a bad name with it's instability, and that no company has ever marketed a Futterman circuit amp and not gone out of business. |
