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Mike Elliot s ARIA..the ultimate amp?

I am sure that people have noticed the new brainchild of Mike Elliot, of former Countepoint fame, the ARIA amps. I read that they seem to be sort of HYBRID in design, solid state plus the use of just two tubes. Will this sort of amp sound more tube like or solid state like? What about clipping, will it clip more like tubes or solid states? Who has had experience with other hybrid designs from Countepoint, like the NPS amps? How do they sound, do they clip? Has anyone experienced the ARIA themselves?
Any suggestions are recommended!
PAUL
bemopti123
bluenose
387 posts
 
Oops, amp not preamp. Sorry, Paul. see what happends when I haven't had my morning coffee? Duh, I'm disfunctional. Ignore my post as I thought you said preamp....cheers, Bluenose
jimtreanor's avatar
jimtreanor
19 posts
 
I have an "older" (6922-based voltage stage instead of the SN7's used in phild's) Elliott-modified SA-100 (designated the NP100) with a Plitron toroidal transformer. It employs a bipolar SS output stage.

I've written an extensive review of the unit, reproduced on Mike's Web site at www.altavistaaudio.com/testimonials.html. To summarize, it's "sweet," dynamic, and near-holographic, given appropriate source material. When I wrote the review, I had Symdex Epsilon dynamic floorstanders, but now drive a pair of Magnepan 1.6QR's in a 26'x14'3"x7'8" room up to approximately 90db levels at my listening position 10 feet ahead of the Maggies. If the NP100 (a rated 100-watter at 8 ohms, 140 at the 1.6's rated 4 ohms) is clipping, I can't hear it. Most of my listening is to classical, with a fair amount of jazz, all played on a Sony SCD-777ES. The preamp is also an Elliott-modified unit, a Counterpoint SA-2000 tubed line stage.

I second phild's suggestion to contact Mike directly.

Hope this is helpful.
phild
603 posts
 
I agree with Jim...

<< To summarize, it's "sweet," dynamic, and near-holographic, given appropriate source material. >>

I listened to Patricia barber's "Companion" last weekend, and I was amazed at how real it sounded. Good recordings sound unbelievable. Thankfully, I don't mind the bad recordings either. I listen to all kinds of music, and many aren't necessarrily "hi-fi". I listened to "Introducing The Sonics" (Beat Rocket /Sundazed pressing) a few nights ago and it was still very enjoyable. The recording is 35 years old, mono, and technologically disadvantaged (that's the nice way of saying "bad"), but it sounded as good as it possibly could. All of the energy was still there...just not, ironically, the sonics. I was really worried that improving the amp would take the fun out of the music, but I was very wrong. It does present many more details, but it remains very musical and involving. I didn't have that experience with some of the other amps I've tried.
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