2. amps-preamps
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battery powered with 'vivid' sound

I am looking for battery powered amp options that have a sound signature more vivid in nature than refined. I'm basically looking for a battery powered version of a Manley tube amp operating in triode mode (connected to a pair of ProAc 1SC). My real objective is to get my components off the grid and save the thousands of dollars I would otherwise spend on re-wiring the house, power conditioning, and cables.

I have a Red Wine Signature 30.2 that I'm trying out and there is a lot to like about it; detail and staging blow away the Manley and my acoustic jazz on vinyl is wonderful. But it comes up shy to what I want with rock and pop, it's not as emotional or involving compared to the Manley.

Suggestions?
shazam
glory's avatar
glory
1,614 posts
 
I have found that even with a RSA Dmitri/ full Isoclean system hooked up to my system that it never matched the glory of my system being completly off the grid.

I will never go back to AC after hearing what I have now in my system.

I have the Dmitri still but use it only for my Mac./TV./SAT./DVD.
shazam OP
205 posts
 
Power conditioning technology is mostly a band aid for something that is - in my opinion - the single biggest problem in hi-fi. Much like up-sampling and re-sampling, if the source (in this case, power) is garbage, you can only do so much to clean it up. Even the PS Audio conditioners that regenerate AC are only 60-80% efficient. Besides, is there a single piece of audio equipment that natively uses AC power? No, everything requires DC power.

AC is useful for most uses in a typical home - appliances, lighting, etc. But hi-fi is a critical application of DC power - why on earth should effort be wasted on trying to extract it real time from garbage AC when battery technology now exists to bypass it?
glory's avatar
glory
1,614 posts
 
Zam,

Well said. Sad to say this bit of truth will fall on deaf ears.

When I heard my system off the grid I knew I struck gold.

I would not give up on the 30.2 so fast as I know it can ROCK!.
cdc
1,807 posts
 
Shazam, buy any amp you want and run it with this power inverter.

However, I spoke with an amp mfg recently and he told me sealed lead acid batteries are notoriously noisy FWIW.
shazam OP
205 posts
 
Cdc, the power inverter is the same philosophy of the PS Audio Power Plant line - buffer DC power to regenerate AC. But the problem of AC transmission and DC conversion in the component remains - this is the weak point I'm trying to eliminate.

I have heard that sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries can be noisy compared to others - I'm sure batteries will continue to improve. But it's significantly better than my Isotek power conditioner and Manley tube amp when it comes to noise. It has the side benefit of being cheaper and eliminating the snarl of cables too.
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