Peachtree GaN 1 Beta

You want more? How about making your own speaker and bi-amping with two of these amps. You get a miniDSP Flex (digital out version) $500 and you use this as your digital xover after your streamer......it has two digital coax outs so you can use one amp for each channel. You set the xover wherever you like and at whatever frequency you want (all done at 32 bit/96K). You make an open baffle, partially open baffle, or box speaker using super pure woofer and tweeter......I would use a 10 inch cone woofer (or maybe two Purify 7 inch woofers in parallel) and cross it/them over to a super AMT or Beryllium tweeter in a wave guide around 1.3 K. You hardwire your speaker wires directly inside the amp and directly to the voice coil wires on the woofer and to the tabs on the tweeter......This will kill most $100K systems.....no doubt. Of course, you can get another digital xover and more amps and do 3 and 4 way speakers, as well. You can equalize for flat at your listening position...time align, etc. all in the digital domain.....again...no DACS, no preamps, no normal amps, no analog interconnects and no transparency robbing and dynamics robbing passive xover parts......OMG.....mind blowing possibilities.

What is so cool is that anyone (above the age of 10 with normal IQ) can do this. You do not need to know most of the parmeters of the drivers and how to design a perfect passive xover. You just play in the software and then measure using a measurement mic and your ears. Of course, the Q of the drivers and the size of the box (if using one) has to be taken into consideration for bass loading. Pretty simple really.

I received my GaN1 + Node 2 weeks ago and have been listening to it everyday for a few hours.  While waiting (& waiting) for the combo to arrive, I went ahead and ordered the Teddy Pardo lps for the node and had it waiting (& waiting) for when the rest arrived.  Didn’t even bother testing the node without the lps lol.  
I'm replacing a Rega Elex R + NAD C658 combo and have Triangle Borea BR08’s with a REL t9/x using speakon.  I’ll mention that I’d like be keeping the C658 if it had digital coax out.  
The elex-r/c658 was a funky combo due to the rega being an ia and the nad being a preamp.  Needless to say, it loved them with the BR08’s.  The BR08’s (I’ve read) can be a touch bright if not paired carefully and the Rega was a great amp for them.  Very natural and polite.  Convincing soundstage and nice dynamics across the fr.  Not the last word in detail, but a very nice setup (especially for the deals I found on the nad and triangles).  My biggest complaint was that everything didn’t really “wake up” until around 25% volume, which is too loud for evening listening.  The speakers are 92db sensitive, so the 72w of rega class a/b should have been plenty for quiet sessions.  Just left me wanting more though.  
Figured I could do with some more headroom right around the time PT announced the beta.  200wpc, DAC-less, zero feedback, cutting edge design used in much more expensive amps?  Sign me up.  
2 weeks in and I couldn’t be happier.  I was worried the GaN would come off bright on the BR08’s, but it isn’t an issue at all.  Not a hint of harshness to be found.  I’ve got some tinnitus, so I can be touchy with some hf and can get fatigued pretty quick in the wrong conditions.  Extended sessions with the GaN have been nothing but pleasant.  I haven’t done a quick-swap a/b test with the rega+nad combo, but I had the rega for around 5 yrs and the nad with it for the last 1.5yrs, so I’m pretty familiar with what I was used to hearing.  Comparing it to the GaN1, I can’t find a single parameter where I preferred the rega+nad.  Soundstage?  It was good before, but now it’s great!  The separation between instruments, the air/space around instruments/effects is profoundly better.  Previous setup had good depth, but the PT is deeper while also being more forward and throwing sounds behind/around my listening position.  My music lounge is untreated aside from carpet and soft furniture (room treatments are next up), so I know this will only get more precise once the room is dialed in better.  The triangle’s cellulose paper midrange driver already was very natural and a true highlight of the speaker, but paired with the GaN1, vocals (m & f) have more texture and presence.  Percussion sounds like it’s in the room with you.  If I were a drummer, I could prob tell what make/model drums, heads and cymbals are being played by how real they sound.  Strings sound superb, all of it.  I’ve thrown the kitchen sink at this amp and it hits a home run with everything.  
I understand the node is the weakest link and I’ve been thinking about adding the ifi ipurifier 2.  What’s kept me from pulling the trigger is the male coax output on the ifi.  Do I just plug it straight into the amp and have all the stress from its weight and cables be supported by a single rca?  I feel like that could cause some issues down the line?  I’m running a kimber ascent series coax and it’s very stiff and I feel like it would be unforgiving.  Does anyone have experience with using a node as a transport with the lps upgrade and a ipurifier2?  Does this push the node into proper streamer (lumin) territory?  
Anyways, I’m completely sold on the GaN1 and very much look forward to upgrading my triangles at some point.  I’d love to hear some Q Acoustic Concept 700’s on this amp.  I’d also love to hear this amp with a few of the previously mentioned internal upgrades and would be curious to know the cost of having work like that done?  I swapped out the ps on the node, but that was super-simple/low-risk.  
Looking forward to hearing more feedback once these amps get out in the wild more and others begin to see the light!

 

On one had you rave about the sound.....and then with the other hand you say its best use is using it with cheap streamers in a secondary system......HUH? How can you be raving about the sound in your main system and say this?

My statement should have been that most people would not spend the money on the 150 and just use the digital out to the GaN1.  Agree using the best possible streamer will enhance the GaN1 performance.

Ric - I love your idea with using the Flex and may have to look at using (2) GaN1s for an active system with my Camerton's and Purifi woofers.   Interesting....

Here is a link to a review of a bunch of digital cables (all with bnc connectors). The same difference would still be there if using rca connectors. This will give you an idea of the differences EVERYTHING makes. We have only just begun!

Curious that you don't feel that BNC connectors/connections make a difference.  Aren't they supposed to be superior to RCA since they are truly 75ohm terminations.

I did not say that bnc connectors were inferior or superior to rca. You would have to listen to the connectors to know which is better. What is on the GaN 1 is an rca. If you add an adapter, then you add the "sound" of an adapter. If someone really has to have a BNC connector then I could add one to the GaN 1 as part of a mod. Personally, I would not do that.....just use a better rca connector and better wire going to the board....but who knows?

The 75 ohm thing is really only one small factor in the sound of things. Years ago I bought this "pure 75 ohm" digital cable from Goldmund....that was suppose to be baked in an oven to insure perfect 75ohm......well, I made my own digital cable in a few minutes using high purity six nines copper twisted together and just regular rca’s.....and it slaughtered the Goldmund cable for sound purity. My cable was who knows what impedance. There are sooooooooooooooooo many things that make a sonic difference. Getting hung up on 75 ohm or whatever single thing will not get you great sound.