THE BEST SLEEPER AUDIO AMPLIFIER OF THE DECADE !!
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- #thebest #homeaudio #hifi
Well folks, here it is. A world class "insiders" amp that only people in "the know" are aware of.
No fat ad budget. No grab ass with the magazines. No Gold or Copper chassis. No 30Amp RV Automotive power plug.
RESULTS ONLY.
this is the REAL Black Tie Solid State HiFi Amp.. (along with Jeff Rowland)
VIOLA LABS simply walks the walk.
If you need fluff then take a walk... ;-) I'm a poet and I don't even know it...
SEE ya !!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE if you like my content !!
Just-did.
Thx !
already done , since i saw your first video
cutiön devveice knöt ´änn ämp vFv
No blower cooling fan ❓
I'm unsure we should be calling 20-30k amps as sleepers. Sleepers in car terms I know of is basically a car that doesn't look fast but goes like hell once you try to race it. a BMW M5 doesn't qualify as a sleeper since it's expected and looks like it goes fast, a BMW 340i however without any sports pack still goes very fast but doesn't look like it..just like the above amp, I expected way more from 30k lol. Sleepers should be relatively high value(not cheap), with built quality based on the price it's sold at and outperforms many of these higher end(good sounding but horrible value amps). Hypex Class D amps like the NC500 module would be a sleeper, sounds fantastic(no house sound), make your own through the DAC and Pre-Amp of your choice, built to last, super power efficient with 1200W power Supply, very low temperatures(Again extending the life of the equipment) and distortion levels to dream of. 2K would get you two monoblocks that walks past the above. Maybe the above will give you a House sound that you prefer, that's subjective. So it may be a Sleeper...for the ultra rich...not for common folks ;)
The price is ridiculous.
He said $35k in the video. For that price, this amp is garbage.
34,000 and it's 200 watts per channel. That's it! You can buy a car with more amplifier power for the sound system for 34,000.
@@PDXGTP Given the size of the power supply , this would be a high current amplifier , capable of driving very low impedance speakers -like the Infinity Kappa 9's ( Impedance drops below 1 ohm !)
Current Capability: High-current amplifiers are designed to provide substantial current output, allowing them to handle complex and dynamic audio signals without distortion or loss of fidelity.
Speaker Control: With their ability to deliver ample current, high-current amplifiers offer better control over speakers, resulting in improved accuracy, tighter bass response, and reduced distortion, especially at higher volumes.
Efficiency: These amplifiers are engineered to efficiently convert electrical energy into amplified audio power, minimizing wasted energy as heat.
Stability: High-current amplifiers are designed to remain stable even when driving difficult speaker loads, ensuring that they can handle various speaker impedance variations without compromising performance.
Dynamic Performance: These amplifiers excel at reproducing sudden changes in audio dynamics, such as quick transients and peaks in music or sound effects.
High-current power amplifiers are commonly used in home audio systems, professional audio setups, and high-quality home theater systems. They are often found in applications where accurate and powerful audio reproduction is desired, such as live sound reinforcement, studio monitoring, and audiophile-grade audio systems.
Couldnt agree more
Absolutely beautiful amp, especially with a choke input PSU. I actually took a screenshot of that stunning PSU. Fantastic design. I’ve moved from tube power amps for the most part to SS, but I still gotta have my tubes in my pre and phono pre. Luckily, those tubes last for many, many years unlike power tubes. Thanks Mikey. Again, beautiful amp! 🔊🎶😊
Thanks for sharing Nick !!
What is the frequency response (bandwith) slew rate,power delevery,single differential inputs or double diffrential inputs,stages configuration (emitter follower or cascode) ?? then ill decide if its worth anything !
Bye.
Lucien
Woooo
@@VinylgorrilaReggae Woohoo! 👋🎶🥳💨💨💨
What do you think about the Yamaha M80? Do you see it as a good Amp?
Hey Mikey and chat. One thing you did not catch about the build is they are using CDE capacitors. CDE is Cornel Dubilier Electronics. They are American made, very high quality capacitors. The audio world is all the rage about Mundorf and the like. CDE is an OG of caps. You will often find them in very demanding applications like industrial equipment. It says a lot about how good the amp design is.
I caught it. Simply did not mention it.
Have you ever seen and heard the MA-70 class ab amplifier made by High Fidelity cables? They go for about 100 grand anyways the internal power supply uses 2 4.5lb 100000uf 100v nichicon capacitors in it these things are 8" tall 4" wife hands down be physically biggest caps ive ever seen
Anyways when they went out of business I just happen to live local to them and managed to get my hands on eight of these capacitors for 15 bucks each LOL one day I will make one mega amplifier with them
@@KnowName33 i have not heard of that amp, but those caps sound insane. Crazy deal you got. I would be scared to safety discharge them. That's a lot of juice. I wonder what the tertiary specs are on them. Ripple, ESR, etc?
For $35K they better be the best caps available.
Mundörf of Germany makes the best caps in the world, if they used those the price would be 50 or 100k
35K is outrageous. You would have to be on drugs to pay that much for that amp. Yes, the build quality is outstanding, but it's still just a bunch of electronics components that would cost a tiny fraction of that to purchase. And the review actually proclaims that the architecture isn't a reinvention of the wheel. Standard legacy design executed nicely. Possibly the transformers are wound with platinum or gold perhaps.
You don't understand luxury product. Nothing will sound like this amp. Regardless if it's made with bicycle parts. May I ask how old you are ? I'm wondering if younger people don't understand luxury bespoke handmade products and the premium they carry.. it's possible you were brought up on disposable items and don't get stuff like this..I'd say 25K would make it a strong value... I get 35K is a premium, but so is a Rolex and look how many of those are sold in a year.
@@OCDHIFiGuy
I'm 65 years old. The Rolex analogy is actually partially strengthening my position somewhat. While the Rolex is a very well made watch, you can know what time it is with a $20.00 Timex just as well. People purchase the Rolex primarily as an attention seeking mechanism / status symbol.
My background is pro audio (3 decades of design and installation) utilizing Crown, Lab Grupen, etc. A lot of this is now going multi channel with DSP with the current trend of line arrays vs point and shoot, but I have also dabbled in the restoration of some vintage audio gear as a hobby, mainly early Hafler power amps and preamps, some Spectro stuff, etc. There is a distinction between that kind of amplifier designed for home use and pro audio amplifiers, but after hearing some high end home stuff such as 'MOON", Macintosh, Krell, etc. I'd be more than happy (probably happier) with a Bryston 4B in my home. The Spectro amps are kind of less musical sounding in some ways which concurs that an amp can provide a distinguishable sonic footprint, but the Haflers (after complete rebuild and calibration) get very close to the Bryston which really boils down to subjectivity. Beyond a certain degree, it's a matter of preference. Yes, most disposable consumer amps and receivers (with the exception of the Yamaha RX-V1 (probably a few others) don't have the weight or depth of a hi fi separate, but I'd be willing to bet that a blind test of your amp and some of the amps I mentioned above would likely not result in people picking out the 35K amp every time (or even most of the time).
Additionally, there is a lot to consider other than the power amplifier in any scenario in terms of sonic result. The transducers are probably the most important and noticeable factor, the source input signal is also a significant contributor.
Possibly you can help enlighten me as to what it is that's going on with that amp (other than being hand assembled with premium components) that renders it so far ahead of anything else. Feel free to describe the special circuitry design innovations (if any) that contribute.
@@magnustorque5528 I did not design it. I listen to it. A Porsche will not go any faster in traffic than a Honda Accord. Honda Accord is probably more reliable and lasts longer. Its a fraction of the cost. I'd buy a Porsche every time over the Honda... I'm aware of small subtleties. The ride is different between the 2, even with both at 30mph. Bryston is dry sounding to me. It's a pro amp. Needs to work and not ever break. That's the goal. I'd rather not have an audio system than to be relegated to Bryston. That's just me. I ride a Ducati.. Yamaha much less expensive but I'd rather not ride at all than ride a Yamaha... it's called personal taste my man. Has nothing to do with cost. I have my clothing tailored and made in USA. My leather riding jackets are custom made for me... it's the way I buy and it's the way my customers buy. No big deal. I don't need to prove to you why I or my clients do this. You do you, I'll do me. I'm into experiential living. Once I'm dead, thats it. So I style while I'm alive...
I don't understand the intricacies of amplifier design. But I do understand the concept of marginal utility and the law of diminishing returns. And I do understand that 35 grand can buy me many things that bring me joy, including numerous tickets to a live music event. I paid much much less for my amplifier, which also happens to be a dual mono design (but from a less known maker). It appears to be well made, and delivers more than enough power to my floorstanders in a 5m x 4m room. I suspect most people, including well informed hifi enthusiasts, would rather pocket the difference or spend it on other components that make a difference.
I am 60 years old and I have spent more money in my lifetime on drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol that if I did not spend the money I could’ve Owned. 4/5 Of Mikey sleeper think about it
35k is a real joke, "for suckers only"
Says the "competent" sales guy. If you were competent, you'd realize complaining about prices is for suckers.
Damn that's gorgeous.
I remember buying a Velodyne ULD 18 2 and seeing a Mark Levinson 23.5 on the floor for basically the same money.
been kicking myself in the ass ever since.
Just found your channel. You’re so obviously a music lover and broadly educated. Thanks so much for sharing. I got into all of this back in the late ‘70’s, before I could really afford anything much beyond Sansui, Hafler and Carver, and was beginning to learn to play. Now, I am way too deep in, but have combined my avocation (music) with my vocation of computers and AI.
Cool Andrew, welcome to my channel. Hope you will subscribe if you haven't already ! All the best !
Audio jewellery.
@@karenjobagy5822 - Nope. This is QUALITY! 👍
@@karenjobagy5822 This is the opposite of audio jewelry, ya unnerstan'?
ya unnerstan'? 😂 haha.
Absolutely no reason why manufacturers can’t use floating captive nuts for all bolt connections. Can’t cost more than a measly $200 to use such captive nuts. Any manufacturer who doesn’t use captive nuts in their chassis designs are stiffing their customers. They lack integrity.
Krell used to use those, perhaps they still do?
A sleeper ?
At $35000.00
LoL
Ever price a Rolex ? Clearly not
@@OCDHIFiGuy I'm more of a Casio Guy ..
But I could list several amps that would compete sonically with the silly expensive at a fraction of the price that would be my idea of a sleeper
@@turbomustang84 That's great. My clients are not interested in those brands however. I've got luxury buyers. I also sell amps under $5K for the budget conscious, as I don't ignore music lovers on a budget. ;-)
Excellent. This is what I like to see. No-nonsense solid engineering design refined over the years, with no bling. Thanks, brother!
Glad you enjoyed it !
Military products are like that: basic, over engineered and 100 times the market rate with every certification it is possible to have. The certifiers will be impressed by the expensive nuts holding the case together. Nothing bad hidden under the bonnet, but taxpayer footing the bill so price no object.
It costs $34K (pre-amp not included).
@@Mark-rw3kw Ouch
With an actual wheelbarrow of hi- performance caps.
Caps comin' out yer ears!
Not just luxury, legacy. You want something you can pass on down the line? Buy something Mark Levinson made. Heard Cello driving Martin Logan and it was very memorable indeed. Great gear
Well said!
OCD Mikey will not steer you wrong I have been into Audio 53 plus years I have Large Money Back in the day ML Krell AR & So on Purchased The PBN LIBERTY Speakers from mickey which was his Sleeper Speakers Gave Me A Killer Deal & Will Will EAT 10k Speakers 4 Lunch Bottom Line You Can TRUST This Guy he's not A SalesMen Thank you Brother Grego
Rock on Greg !
He said this is a $35,000 amp.
For that price, it's garbage.
HiFi gear now is like Tiffany Jewelry. They jack the prices way up and put $1,000 of electronics in a fancy Star Trek looking machined Aluminum box and sell you the box for an addition $20,000. So out of control. I would like to ask these over-priced bloated sellers of fancy boxes at inflated prices if I can just get the amp boards and parts from them and I will just put it in my own $100 aluminum box and save $20,000 for the same amp.
Differences between amps are so small that most people can't tell the difference between a working condition 1000 eur amp and a 100 000 eur amp in a blind test. This has been tested numerous times and most audiophiles even refuse to be tested not to lose face.
@@dingdong2103 That is so true. Amp circuit designs have been around since the 1950's and not much has changed but the boxes and the introduction of LEDs and small phone screens. I am extremely blown away by amps that are simple Nelson Pass designed Class A amps with only 5 or 10 watts and get sold in the Audiophile marketplace for some insane price like $10,000. You can build one exactly the same yourself in an afternoon with minimal skills and about $400 in parts.
What if I WANT to spend 50K on an amp because I just made millions on a deal ?? Do I buy some "value" brand ?? Hell no I dont..
@@OCDHIFiGuy If you want to splash money just for fun it's your right to do naturally. Just don't spew hyperbole afterwards how magical the sound is lol.
@@OCDHIFiGuy By all means do. And let me know because I have some magic beans you might be interested in. Only $5,000 per bean!
I don't see two large power supply chokes, which is what is needed for the two power transformers. If you had a choke on each rail there would be four chokes needed in this amp. Plus the heat sinks look small which means not much standing current and this can cause higher crossover distortion. But it does look nice and well made.
LOL. I guess you can design an amp better than Viola just because you think you can tell what's happening in the amp. The 2 chokes are inductor type. Don't get me started, man. You have no freaking idea about this company clearly or you'd shut up and just admit you don't understand the circuit. Tom fucking Colangelo... Google him bro...
@@OCDHIFiGuy I can't identify anything that looks like 100Hz power supply chokes either (choke/inductor - same thing). Maybe there are some RF choke/inductors hiding there somewhere to reduce the switching spikes from the power supply rectifiers., hardly a choke input power supply. Then again I am getting old and frequently put my foot in it...
@@OCDHIFiGuy This is just basic amp design, if you want a true choke input power supply you need a big chunk of iron and copper for each rail, I do not see that in your video. Then you need enough standing current so the choke does not "run dry". Choke input power supplies need constant current thru the chokes or they will then act like capacitor input power supplies. They most likely have common-mode chokes in the power supply that help with high frequency noise, but don't work at the 120cy ripple frequency. As far a Colangelo, he was brought onboard because John Curl left ML after Mark refused to pay him for his work, so to get back at Mark John published the ML designs that he developed in the magazine "The Audio Amateur" in 1977 for all to see. Question, who is more revered now, Colangelo or Curl? I think you know the answer but won't admit it. Take a deep breath Mike and chill, this is all just audio, not life support equipment.
I don't see big inductors in there either
@@OCDHIFiGuy Does Tom own your soul? Why you getting so upset?
So you need a forklift of money for an amp that underperforms an ordinary Yamaha and you call it sleeper? So you're just another "RUclips Audio Dude" who knows nothing about audio?
And there you go with an amp sounding?!? So the amp is broken, right? 35k??????? for half a percent of THD? Do you even know where we are with those numbers these days?
Could you find a topic you actually know something about to do a video on?
Lol. It's so easy to tell a kid on RUclips. So here's your homework. 1. Wake up. 2. Make some money. 3. Compare a shit ass Yamaha to a Viola Labs. 4. Learn something.
You sound like someone with no money that's jealous other folks can afford the bomb audio gear. Stop hating what you can't afford and change it if you don't like it. Otherwise get your Yamaha and enjoy it. If you're truly happy with it, you'll ignore gear like this. But the fact that you write all this crap on this video is because you are unsatisfied and jealous. So you lash out. You probably complain about shit all day to other people... a real positive guy... go get laid or get spirituality. You are unhappy.
For $34000 it better do more than my girlfriend. I'll stick to my GAS Ampzilla.
For 34K it will give you far better relaxation than a female will...
I have the same amp. Still the best I've heard. I also have a Thoebe preamp. I send it all to a set of Delcoid speakers.
Nice looking unit! Checks off all the boxes
For sure.
I have a Hafler 9505. I paid $700 for it on Reverb. It's amazing. Quiet, clear, dynamic, imaging & soundstage, all get the checkmark.
Cool ! Glad you enjoy it !! What a deal 👌
now that is MY IDEA of a SLEEPER AMP. Much like my LSA Voyager GaN amp (~2k) or my EVS 1200 IcePower dual mono (~ $2700) by Ric Schultz (Tweak Audio)
@adambrown8867, I also have a Hafler 9505. It’s my first separate amp and pre. It’s the best thing I’ve owned so far and sounds truly amazing to my ears. I have it matched with a Hafler Class A Series 915 preamp. I’m running it single ended but I’m curious to see what a balanced signal from source to output would do. I think it’s a total sleeper amp too. Tons of capacitance, 4x20,000 mf, I could go on and on. Thanks for the look at the amp in video too Mikey. I think the closest true dual mono I could afford right now would be a Bryston 4b sst one day. Keep the videos coming mikey. I enjoy the channel and the conversation style you use. Cheers.
Edit: Adam brown, what preamp are you using? Ever tried a balanced tube pre with the 9505?
@kodiak2053 I only have 2 preamps & both are Chinese made headphone amps. One is a Singxer SA-1 which is the one I've been using for a long time. The other is a Xduoo TA-26, but I haven't even set it up yet. It's still in the box. Actually I've got 2 of each.
@@kodiak2053 ... Having worked for Hafler in the late '80s and early ''90s the Trans-Nova model 9505 design as it was known,,, was pretty damn good .. I own a few NIB Hafler Class A Series 915 preamps... thinking of the day I'd use them..
Cheers, M/S ... Subscribed.
I had a Pass Labs X350.5 and i don't have it anymore. Big and heavy and odly weak and slow and muddy sounding..
That's too bad, the new Jeff Rowland is Amazing..
$35K?! Maybe I’m being too closed-minded but I’ve yet to hear an SS amp that sounds as musically and emotionally engaging. darTZeel came close but it still didn't have the three-dimensional quality of tubes. At least it’s not an SS preamp. That would be blasphemy. LOL
You are being too closed-minded indeed ! ... ;-) 😉
@@OCDHIFiGuy Maybe…but you didn’t say anything about the sound, just the build quality. So does it impart the same sense of dimensionality, air, and musicality as a $35K tube amp?
@@LorenzoNW this is not the listening video in case you missed the lack of music... talk is cheap. Yes this is a world class SS amp which has the sonic attributes of a tube amp with better control and speed.
@@OCDHIFiGuy Well, that's pretty damn impressive if it can match the dimensionality and musicality reproduced by a good tube amp. But I'll stick with my 300B SET integrated amp, given my budget and level of satisfaction with what I've got.
Mikey that looks like a great amp but I wouldn't praise the Levinson lineage too much due to the Red Rose chapter. I'm sure you know what I am talking about.
I don't consider the Levinson line today to compete with the top brands anymore.
Always enjoy your videos.
Simple and elegant old tech. I love it!
It sure is!
Amplifiers without vu'Meters is like a brick. No face, no heart.
I'm shure that these will give my McIntosh M-601's a run for their money. The one thing that I personally feel is missing from this amp is power meters. I am a huge proponent of big power meters, Yes, they are I (eye) candy, but they do serve a purpose, especially in helping you understand how power amplifiers and power in general work. I think that if they had put meters on the front, their sales would most definitely improve and increase.
35k!
I don,t even know if my kidney is woth 35k hahaha
Such an informative video.... I really loved this video.... At first I was fooled by those twobig huge components .... I thought it was a capicator and then I thought it might be a transformer.... But wanted to see if it's a huge daddy sized capicator😜unfortunately I got other stats of latest tech👍🏻
Wow that is a beauty! Good looking build quality, just needs at least a gold power switch lol! Maybe a couple more benefits when mentioning things about the innards be nice, thanks!
That one thing costs $25,000.00? Does it sound that much better than a $500 dollar high-end amp? Is there really a difference? My $5 dollar headphones from Amazon sound super.
$500 is a shit amp... hello
@@OCDHIFiGuy I have heard Mark Levinson with $50,000 dollar speaker set and cannot tell the difference between the shit amp and those expensive amps. I am sorry bruh but I am not trolling your channel.
Same goes for ATC. Ugly looking speakers, best sound.
heard them at the big audio show in costa mesa yesterday ..... they sound great
@@mrgiggles7840 nice!
No link to the amp?
I have a Old school favorite a Pioneer SX-1080 in pristene condition.
better
Absolutely a Beast of an amp. I can just imagine what it would cost to build today. (considering everything is not even made in Japan or definitely in the US (it's an audio Masterpiece. but I bet it draws a lot of power. really nice work.
If they finish it in gold like Dartzeel with a Blue Panel VU Meter like McIntosh then I am in baby!
Lol. Then they'd have to price it like Boulder and put it in all the dealers.. Success!!
35 k means 35000 $, right ?
For that amount of money you can buy a pretty nice car new .
This amp to be built cannot be at all as much outlay as building y 35000 $ car.
$35,000 buys a wristwatch to tell the time for buyers of this amp. We get you can't afford it but millions of people in USA make $890K or more per year... this is a luxury product for a luxury buyer.
@@OCDHIFiGuy So the profit margin is several hundreds percent, right ? ----- That is the fact, which I criticize. Whether I can afford it, is not relevant at all.
Poor design those black caps next to the cooling fins of the transistor heat sink will shorten the life of the black cap because of the heat not good.
Lol. Trying to act like an Engineer, huh ? Sorry brother, these guys are far beyond your ability. You clearly don't know about 105C computer grade caps
Word. Looks exactly like 50k griffin...lol. schitt does the Choke imput now
Schitt is nowhere near this build level and will never have the respect or lineage/history DNA of this brand. But good for entry level buyers !
I wouldn't call any amplifier that costs $35k a sleeper, not in any way shape or form. Just sayin'.
How old are you ? It seems the young people think "sleeper" is a cost related thing. It is not. Never was. It's something that looks unassuming but kicks ass on all the things that look high performance. It's an automobile reference. Everything is under the hood.
@@OCDHIFiGuy There's your mistake, you assume I'm young and know no better. I'm 47. And yes, a sleeper is someone/something unassuming that exceeds expectations. As I said, a $35k amp better meet said expectations.
That's one Powerful amp. Need to start looking for one of these!
The build quality of my vintage BGW 203, 750D, 250D, and 100 is on par with this for a fraction of the cost.
Those are PEM nuts that get pressed into the chassis - we used to use these in military power supplies that had to be certified for harsh use. The wiring harness is over built and sized so it can easily handle whatever currents it has to. Quality like this has not been built for DECADES, all they want to do is use the cheapest parts and construct it quick and dirty now.
That is a true boat anchor!
These are not PEM brother.. that was my point. I owned an amp manufacturer and we used PEM. these are actual loose nuts held captive... but yes, nowadays they just thread the sheet metal...
So weird to see PEM mentioned in an audiophile post. I worked for that company from 1995-2000. It was a great family owned business that literally printed money.
@@PersonalTriumph We used PEM's' from the early 70's till that power supply house closed in the mid 90's - i went into consulting and the rest of the workforce scattered to the four winds.. I still have some down the cellar in my parts cabinet
Hey Mikey, I think you got 60 screws loose. I like it!
Yes, I did !!
Capacitor looks like a $8 from china 😮
Heavens no !! Lol.
I have a Heath kit power amp from the late 70's. I built it and has it tested by a lab at over 300 watts per channel. It looks like this cello amp. It is heavy,very. It does not require a fan for cooling, massive heat sinks. . I built it and now it just sits, only 2 channel and I need 5.1 for sound.
Add a 3 channel and a powered sub or add a 4 channel amp if the sub is passive.
does it still work?? whats its output at 4 ohms?
I'm looking at alien made speakers. Do you got any???
Absolutely !!
JUST CURIOUS SIR, I HAVE SAE GEAR ( VINTAGE) 2500 AMP, PRE 2100L, TUNER MK3, AND PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER, WHATS YOUR TAKE ON THIS GEAR ? STAY AWESOME !!
If your audio system connects you to the music in an intimate way, whereby you relax and enjoy music, then my take is that it's great ! Don't change a thing.
are you out of your mind a sleeper 27 grand power amp never heard so much bollox SLEEPER perhaps a UNICORN 27 GRAND it wants to be good you need the pre yet and who knows perhaps bi amp with two of these your talking 100k gtfooh
Seems to me that a 35K price tag intrinsically excludes it from a "Sleeper" status. By definition if an amp costs 35k, it had better damn well perform to a reference level.
Sleeper means looks like nothing special on the outside but whoops your ass. Otherwise you're just talking about a HIGH VALUE amp... nothing sleeping in the dark about high value gear... it's out in the open.
@@OCDHIFiGuy I guess what I was getting at is when I look at that amp, I see nothing BUT quality, definitely unpretentious, but also obviously high quality.
Smart to use a steel top hat to hold the two transformers, very stiff and light.
A enormous chunk like that costing 30k USD is not a sleeper in ANY way. Class D amps like Hypex or Purify for a fraction of the size and price with similar or even better performance is way more of a sleeper than this junk. Even if I had the money for this I would not ever buy it, it's just pure audiophile snobbery.
WOW
I listened until the thirty eight thousand dollar price was mentioned.
35K.
Mike , When you say choke input are you saying its a CLC or CRLC ..? Do you know the amount of class A bias , with a choke you want that constant load so a decent amount of classA bias is necessary , but the heat sinks appear too small for any decent amount of classA bias ..
Interesting design and very nice build quality, Viola has less exposure today but was a known , known, top entity a decade or so ago , i do recall Genesis using them to demo their Gen1’s sometime ago ..!
Regards
I have no idea. These are things that don't matter to the buyer. If it sounds good, buy it. Who cares about the bias ??? People get too hung up on the unimportant specification numbers IMHO . Listening tells all... ;-)
Beautiful amp, but a $35k amp is not a sleeper. It would really be at $3.5k.
Sleeper is something that looks like nothing special but is the best amp you've ever heard. Sleeper is always tied to performance, not cost. $3500 would make it a cheap amp with much lower build quality... or one made in a country that supports slavery with a copied circuit and lower build quality.
35k 25 years ago i bought a doublewide for less on 3/4 acres
Yeah.. let's keep printing federal reserve fiat currency !!
I was gifted an old Marantz 7.1 amplifier/receiver that was heavy and well built. The flagship model of 2006 or so. A good amp with accurate signal amplification. Source is the important thing, and speaker system is the important thing too, but the amp is the backbone.
I like low power amps, but I can appreciate the heavier amplifiers.
I understand that the app without it there is no sound OK speakers have a lot to do with that, but I believe that your room is the most important part of your Soundsystem and the Grand Central Station, which is called the preamplifier has a lot to do with that
Im curious on Mikey’s view on the brand Soulnote especially the A-2 integrated.
Coming from tubes I would like to try transistor again, wish me good luck!
Good luck !
It is a great amp. Personally I have a FOSGATE AUDIONICS FAA 1000.5 AMPLIFIER. It is about the best sounding amp I have ever heard.
Yes, that guy made some great Car Audio !!
@@OCDHIFiGuy The FAA 1000.5 ran about $3500 new with all 5 amp boards in it but that was a while back. It still works like new though.
Earlier and much better build than the first two sets of Jeff Roland. The 3 you mentioned are also music aficionados first, like Saul Marantz.
they shouldnt cost more than a car--- ridiculous rippoff, they have about $1000 in components--- pure lunatics pay that for a amp
Hey Mike, love your videos. This is gentleman from Mass Massachusetts wants to buy that amplifier from you. I understand what you mean about it being a sleeper AMP.
IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AN AMPLIFIER 24 YEARS AGO I PURCHASED A PLINUS SA-100 i’m sure Mike the Familia with that amplifier that looks has The look of an amplifier well built, massive, Heat sinks Beautiful design well constructed that amplifier caught my eye because it had to look and it also sounded very well at that time $4500.
I had to sell it over a financial .
I had a choice of three solid state amplifiers that I could buy from this dealer. I chose to buy the Plinuis, Over the balanced audio technology amplifier or the classa Amplifier, even though both of the other manufacturers had better ratings as far as the output, The Plinuis Had to look, had the heat sinks, big chunk of aluminum beautiful I didn’t even try to listen to the other two amplifiers. Where the other amplifiers better , I’ll never know I missed that app.
Hey Mike, watched a video of you trying out some Maggie, And I believe that you were driving them with an amplifier from China called kinky studio. I was impressed and also were you with the sound? Would you recommend that AMP.
IT LOOKED GOOD. IT LOOKED WELL-MADE. GIVE ME YOUR OPINION. APPRECIATE IT.
D FROM MASSACHUSETTS FALL RIVER HOME OF LIZZIE BORDEN CHOP CHOP LOL
MIKE, I NEED YOU TO Sell me that app I gotta have it
Just call me. Phone # is at 11stereo.com
To me this is a collectors item.
Totally...
$34,000. It would be nice to have!
"It will last forever"........
👀 ..... looks at the wiring and the capacitors realising they only have 30 to 40 years of life in them...... wiring maybe 60 years before the plastic cases become brittle and drop off......
🤣😅🤣😂🤣😅 l.m.a.o. and goes to another video.........
Lol. If you're worried about an audio product lasting 30 to 40 years you got problems. That IS Forever... 🤣
$35,000 sleeper? That's an oxymoron. Sleeper doesn't mean what you think it means. A Sleeper is something cheap that outperforms something more expensive.
Yeah, I don’t get it. I think I hope that he’s referring to the design of the amplifier no fancy big handles no huge heat sinks on the outside but 35K a lot of money.
Monster Toroidal Transformers AND HEAT SINKS....Certainly Can't be CLASS-D. That Puppy putting out 1KW per Channel-Capacity must run pretty Warm, even if it's Cl;ass A/B. For $35 K certainly something about its Performance MUST IMPRESS... like it walks on water. That Single AMP cost more than BOTH my Home Theater Systems with 20 total Components incl, Marantz, Klipsch, Yamaha, Boston and Sony There are som NEW CLASS D's out there at 8 to 10 times less which "SEEM" to be quite impressive.... Drive well & run COOL.
I was in a $2M, 2 channel audio system 3 days ago... ;-)
OK, very impressive inside. Thirty Five K? I don't know of any music good enough for this level of equipment. 20 to 20K Hz. response that's it. That's all the frequency you can hear on a good day. Me at my age, not even close to that!
Lol. We hear more than frequency range... a LOT more...
I recognize the merchant from the first one, and his topic is known
What is the matching preamp to this? Not all of us have a DAC with 11V of output like your playback designs lol.
Honestly you'd be better off selling your DAC and getting a Playback MPD-8 than spending the $24K on adding a preamp...
Well, I'm sorry but I couldn't resist not writing the following comment: I strongly disagree with the price tag ! Don't matter how good and well this amp sounds, and how high grade the components IE transformers are, blah, blah, etc. paying 35K for it is simply beyond being ripped off. This is what I would call it the "Evil Price". How can anyone justify such a high price tag for it ? Come on ! Are you for real ? With that amount of money I could do myself an entire house extension at my own house and perhaps add value to it. And honestly....if I had that much cash put aside (which I don't) I would rather do that. One must be either an "Audio Fanatic" or...have more money than sense to pay that much for an amp (however good). Gosh... And yes I like audio stuff very much. In fact I'm very passionate about it. However, I like judging the real value of things with my brain rather than my heart. Therefore (the above opinion) still stands regardless.
First, no freaking way you're doing an addition for $35K unless you do it yourself and that's the parts cost. Next, look up D'Agostino Relentless Amp and grasp a $250K amp for your stereo.. there are at least 50 amps that are $100K... so sorry to burst your bubble but audio has changed since youve paid attention. Lumber costs as well..
Maybe a sleeper , but the price knocks ME out of contention .
I've got other solutions for less..
@@OCDHIFiGuy Do tell!
I used to say that I could afford a Porsche. And people would say "look at that skinny guy getting out of that Porsche". Because I wouldn't have enough money for food. I could buy that amp...
My idea of a sleeper amplifier would be a QSC USA 850. It's a name that nobody pays attention too because they are normally used in PA, DJ or Club applications. They are absolutely bulletproof and if you put a clean source signal in what you get out will put a huge smile on your face. It's simple design is what makes it so good. Specifications on paper are not what your ears will actually hear.
You're right, I used the USA 900 with Klipsch speakers and I have heard a lot of state of the art systems including being in a pro studio so I know sound. Although I discovered even 1 amp better than the qsc USA 900.
It's the Crest vs 900. Got it for $100 450watts per side damping factor of 100. I owned 4, but had to downsize. The only negative is the loud cooling fan. But that's an easy fix. I put the sound quality equal to a Krell. Many pro audio people say it's the best of both worlds, the dynamics and power of solid state but smooth clean and neutral like a tube amp.
I will never part with them. It sounds crazy but everyone I have challenged has lost my bet.
Damping factor of 1000 (oops
Click bait. Like only the top 1% can afford this. Hardly a "sleeper"......smh
Total click bait. But I do sell to the top 1%
Where is the dual choke that as you said gives near unity power factor correction? The blue inductor is a common mode inductor and would saturate with even very small currents if you attempt to use those for power factor correction. A power factor correction inductor for this power level would be about half the size of the 1 transformer. And what is dual differential? Having two power rails for a DC coupled power amplifier is not the same as differential. Differential signaling is something different. Two complementary or opposite in phase signals are used to transmit a signal from one point to an other. At the receiving end those signals are turned back into single ended signals. What happens is that noise being picked up by both wires is rejected by the differential receiver. A dual rail amplifier is an amplifier with separate rails for the positive and negative part of the signal. Dual rails are nothing rare or new. Almost all amps starting from late 1970's employ dual rails and allow for DC coupling of the loudspeaker. Some rare ones also employ DC coupling in the feedback in combination with a servo amplifiers to regulate DC offset. What makes amplifiers different is how they overcome distortion caused by the output transistors switching from class AB to class C at higher power levels. There are some rare books on the subject and manufacturers had their own techniques and patents to reduce switching artefact in output stages. The simplest technique being very small speed up capacitors in combination with very high speed output power transistors (20...50 MHz) mostly made in Japen by Sanken of which the 2AS1216 and the 2SC2922 became the most famous and now sought after complementary pair.
LOL, wow. Encyclopedia brown.. Its a truly balanced amp. circuit.. hows that ? ... you know what that is ? I go on what the circuit designer tells me ... of course its OLD tech, its class AB... LOL ....
Great video damn i love the simplicity of that amplifier, does anyone have an idea of the wattage of this amp?
How old is it, and how much on the second hand market?
I think I saw one for like $25K recently... had some "scuffs" on it. I can make u a deal on this one if you call me. Go to 11stereo.com for the number..
Dang man, them are such big toroids
And more than likely is made by ATI with a massive price hike. Just slap our name on it and we built it.
I won't even consider an amplifier unless it has at least 30 screws per side. I may have to give this amp a try. Nice video.
LOL, I can even throw in an EXTRA SCREW !!
"Sleeper" for just one easy payment of $35.000, sure, why not.😆🤯 People, come on, get real.
Sleeper sound. Not sleeper price
That is a Monster ! Love it ! Mike you keep going, I have seen equipment on your channel that I never knew existed ! Viola screams Quality ! Maybe I’ll hit the lottery ! It’s nice to dream anyway ! Thank you !
You bet Fabien !
Paul from Tech something made pint sized amps that put out 500 amps each! This was back in the 80’s too! No push pull no transformer pure electronics class D! This tech is used for n todays class D amps at 18 lbs.?!
Ok. I believe you.
35k is maybe realistic for a studio. Even then we are talking about the auditioning/preview theater. I am sure it sounds amazing, but not realistic for the average person at home. Of course some people blow that on a car every year, or worse consumables that disappear up the nose. Interesting video though.
Yeah, I've found others for less that sound as good
I would have to keep this amp inside of a FREEZER because I would play the fuck out of it with my JBL Studio series speakers.
Wow !!!!
Lol. Rock on !
sleeper? way to expensive to say that this is a sleeper but i love the amp
Sleeper means looks like no big deal, but has a racing engine. It comes from hotrod cars. That's my context. The younger generation calls a strong value a sleeper. That's simply a good design priced with integrity to me. But I get it..
This is an insanely expensive, insanely high end piece of gear not a sleeper. A JVC JR-S401 is a sleeper. Sleepers fly under the radar because of the brand name, looks and etc. They can be had for cheap because no one knows about them. What you have is a highly sought after high end piece that every audiophile knows about.
When you are OCD HiFi, this is a sleeper.
👍
Not once do you say how muck power???
Not better than my VAC Master 300 at $42k, nope, never gonna beat great tubes!!
Lol. OK then keep your tubes..
THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ?????? HOLY SHIT !!!!!!??
For $35k, it better be good. I expect it to beat something like Dan Augustino or Gryphons just to be qualified as a "sleeper".
It beats both..
Yeah. O.K. 35K is not a sleeper. It is expected to perform like an obnoxiously priced amp. If it were 4-5K then it's a sleeper.
It's a sleeper if it looks like nothing but beats something that looks very expensive. Sleeper cars have very expensive engine builds. $4-5K is called Chinese Bullshit...
Count the word "look" in this video.
Anything you "look at" in this context is unrelated to sound.
High power for bullshit efficiency speakers.
Let the half deaf dimwits with too much money to burn buy it.
Sounds good to me 😆 Hater....
For $34,000 I would certainly would think this would be something.
Right ?
35K for something that built with the technology of the 80s
A real bargain :)
Lol. If you want a bargain, buy used gear...
@@OCDHIFiGuyi will buy new parasound jc 1 pluse for half the price. Double the power then this and made in USA 😂
Nobody is stopping you. Parasound is popular with many people. Not me however. I prefer best in class. ;-)
Jeff Rowland Versus Viola Labs....which Amp would win ?
Coming up.
Love it!! Class A/B?
Yes!
Amazing... Did you try to drive the TAD speakers with the Viola Power Amp?
Yes, it was great !
You describe it as elegant whereas I see majestic. Absolutely gorgeous.
Well said !