Unofficial Orchard Audio StarKrimson Ultra Amplifier Owners


Reposting details about my loaner Amplifier from Orchard Audio. If there are other owners of the fully assembled or DIY boxes. Please feel free to post here.

Obviously all the "Armchair Engineers" can feel free to either deficate or praise your thoughts on GaN LClass D Amplifiers even if you’ve never heard one but feel to have an opinion. Then there’s the brainwashed Placebo Effected Guys that feel Class D just ain’t there yet. You can post here as well while the rest of us laugh. It’s usually the Geezer crowed that has a n issue with Class D. Anyway here’s my repost :

I actually have the Orchard Audio StarKrimson Ultra on loan for the Arizona A/V Club to get passed around. Leo Ayzenshtat is great to work with and sent us the original StarKrimson (then BOSC) Amplifiers and power supplies last year. Yes, it was a kludgy setup but sounded so good I sent all my PS Audio M700’s & an S300 off to The Music Room ! After I DIY’d some of his GaN boards, they went up in smoke because of a not recommended Power Supply bring up method I had going (long story). But they sounded amazing when I didn’t let the smoke out of them.

Fast forward to the StarKrimson Ultra just received for my review (YouTube & for the Club & Leo). They are amazinger sounding. He’s hit it out of the park again and then some. All the issues I had last year have been resolved. No break in required either. These are out of the box perfect. Understand that I’m an all Tube Guy and I will do a comparison between the currently direct connection form my PS Audio DSSr. DAC into the Ultra and the DSSr. into my BAT VK50-SE then head to head out to the Ultra and my Jolida 3502p KT150 Tube Amplifier.

Speakers in my Evaluation :
KEF R3
Bose 901 Series 1 from 1968
my Homebrew DIY Open Baffle Speakers
KEF 105/3 modified
Future plans of mine are to DIY from blank PCB’s 5 Ultra Amplifier Modules for a kick ass Home Theater setup and for the Summer, use two of those 5 channels for the main L & R. Fall/Winter/Spring would be back to the Tubes for the L & R while the Center & Surrounds would be powered by the Ultra’s. Surface MOunt Soldering for me is easy but the BGA devices will have to be put on by a board shop.

The beauty is you stop listening to the Amplifier and start listening to the music very quickly.
https://orchardaudio.com/shop/ols/products/strk-ltr-mdl
https://orchardaudio.com/stereo-ultra
The ClassD Audio stuff is pretty good too (haven’t their GaN’s) through a friend who had a 250Wx2 built for him.

My Evaluation rig is setup so that nothing colors or influences the (no BAT VK50-SE in the chain - until all reviewing is done this way first)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZPGJR1RatZf2ZrzW9
rajugsw

 

I had switched to Vaughn Cabernett ii speaker.

How about voide of Billie Ellish?

It doesn not sound thin at all.

 

 

Pretty deep soundstage and fast sound.

I believe that Orchard is a really nice class D amp at reasonable price.

 

It sounds pretty musical.

 

I also have Crown Xls 2502 but it is no match with Starkrimson in refinement at all.

 

I brough down two Lanshce 4.1 speakers (85lb) each from third floor by myself.

 

It was lot of work.

 

The only helping hand is the elevator in my house without it I could not move them.

 

I bought Lanshce 4.1 speakers new paying 50k$ on 2006.

 

It has plasma tweeter and 99db/w claimed efficiency(real efficiency may be 95db/w).

 

I used to drive this speaker with Silbatone 300b amp fitted with WE 300b made in 50’s.

 

But after movijng to larger listening space, Silbatone could not do it.

 

Thus I had tried Cronus Rogue Magnum II for a while and then Line Magnetic 508 since 2017.

 

But after I got Altec A7, 2021, I got enamored by its unlimited dynamics.

 

Thus Lansche got a break in the attic.

 

Then after I assembled Scaena 3.2, I use main tower of Scaena 3.2 for upper frequency, and use Alted basshorn for bass using active by amping.

 

12 3.5 inch mid drivers of Scaena 3.2 has no passive network.

9 ribbon drivers are also connect with simple low pass using a capacitor.

 

Thus Scaena 3.2 is very revealing speaker.

 

But plasma twetter of Lansche 4.1 give slightly more details.

 

I drive Lansche 4.1 using Starkrimson from 180 hz up while Altec basshorn and two Scaena 18 inch subwoofers are still engaged.

 

Tomorrow, I will try to drive Lansche 4.1 using Starkrimson full range.

 

Thomas

 

I got the feeling that Class D amp had improved a lot in musicality.

It would be better to audition Atma and Audion Agd D amps but i could not around Seattle area.

"AGD Audions are lovely.

Atma Ds are more detailed and transparent.

But some may prefer the AGDs"

Above is from someone who listened to both.