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Our favourite amplifiers - The sweet spot!
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- Опубликовано: 7 авг 2024
- I discuss with Ian White, Editor and Chief at Ecoustics, our favourite integrated amplifiers between £1,000 and £3,000.
Link to my Patreon
/ abritishaudiophile
Link to Ecoustics website
www.ecoustics.com/
Link to manufacturers webpages
Schiit Ragnarok
www.schiit.com/products/ragna...
Exposure 2510
exposurehifi.com/portfolio-it...
Croft Phono Integrated
croftacoustics.co.uk/products....
Willsenton R8
www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/w...
Time stamps
Intro 0:00
Schiit Ragnarok 0:31
Exposure 2510 4:40
Croft Phono Integrated 8:05
Willsenton R8 16:44
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last two videos. The discussion was thoughtful and your banter with Ian was great. I look forward to your next interview with Ian.
Thank you Steve. Very much appreciated 👍😊👍
What a delightful and enjoyable format - thank you
Thank you for watching 😊👍
Thank you both for a balanced view of the mid range equipment
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Great to see Croft Acoustics finally get a mention here on RUclips. Very happy owner of a Croft 25RS preamp. Love it to bits.
I thought Croft no longer updates their products...Are they still in business?
@@bestbytes6800 He's still updating his products and still in business. Take a look at The Art of Sound forum in the Blank Canvas section. Someone took their amp in to him personally a few weeks ago.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Glenn has one of my power amps to upgrade at the moment. Great gear!
What a fantastic presentation! Thank you, Tarun and Ian. After a life of raising kids, caring for our parents, and now having time to slow down just a bit (between grandparent duties), I can take a few moments to refocus on my passion for music and quality sound and components. Delightful food for thought, gentlemen. I'm excited to experiment with some vintage equipment tucked away in a closet and add some new pieces. I have a carefully preserved vinyl collection that's screaming for attention. Tarun, your channel is most helpful. Your presentation is engaging and spot-on informative. Thanks again. Cheers!
Thank you David. That is very kind and greatly appreciated 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Likewise, Tarun.
Excellent chat Tarun.
l love these interviews you do just seems more laid back.
A real chat as if a couple of audiophile's where sitting down over a cup of coffee and talking shop.🙂🎧👍
Thank you Shane. That was what I was aiming for 😊👍
@A British Audiophile
You nailed it Tarun great work.👍🎧🙂
great chemistry between both presenters! really enjoyed this video.
Thank you Carl 😊👍
@Tarun and Ian. Sadly Glen Croft has passed away since this review. He was close to a one off, extremely private and very talented as you recognised. He has decided his amps die with him. His website is taken down. RIP Glenn. I fondly remember your OTL monsters.
Thank you. May he rest in peace. I can imagine his amps becoming quite collectible 🙏
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Tarun, I agree...never met the man but have had several of his 20th Century products...still have 95% of them & keeping them.
There is specific "Croft" sound that I like in all his stuff, an honesty & simplicity yet unmatched musicality without the "stoggy" baggage of valve of old!
RIP Glen, we will all remember you every time we power one of your lovely handwork. We need to create a "Glen Croft Glub" in his memory with enthousiasts who are determined to keep his legacy alive by maintaining his equipment in working order so they can be enjoyed by as many people as possible!
I enjoy these collaborations quite a bit…thanks
Thank you Scott 👍
Thank you for this interesting discussion.
Ian makes a point about what gear gets reviewed by the mags, Stereophile in particular. I too have noticed that the bigger companies, with bigger marketing budgets seem to get the lion's share of reviews, while small companies like Croft are ignored. And many of their reviews could have been written by those marketing departments.
This is why we need reviewers like Tarun. Your comparisons of products under review to known standards is so very useful.
and like you, sir, I have very little faith in any review which does not contain comparisons.
Thank you buddy. That is very kind 👍😊👍
They are ignored due to adventures in advertising. I read about this and paying for advertising is a agenda behind reviews in some mags.
I love my Creek Evolution 100a and I never felt the need to change it. I had to change size of speakers because of change of home and it was always solid as a rock.
Another classic brand from Old Blighty 😉
This was great. Somehow I was not familiar with Ian before, so thanks, Tarun. Following ecoustics now. Loved his point at the end. I don't think it's ever been more affordable to build a very, very good-sounding system for less money than today.
Thank you Joe 👍
I really like Ian's point about a mind blowing $50k system. I think the following 28k Euro system (inc. Isoacoustic footers, Furutech power distributor, DIY Furutech cables, etc) would blow most minds as well: Jay's Audio CDT2 Mk3 (CD transport) + Holo Audio May KTE (Dac) + Holo Audio Serene KTE (Preamp) + ATC SCM 40A (active 3-way speakers).
Finally a little talk about croft. Love my integrated phono - which only has ONE volume control btw.
Thank you 👍
I have the Croft Integrated "Regulated", which is line only, no phono. What a stunning amp this is! Plays amazingly well with a Dynaudio Special Forty, which most people wouldn't expect for whatever reason.
@@monsieurlehigh4912 cool 😎
Nice video. So many options now to choose from in the £1k - £3k. I’ve been auditioning amps in this range for my proac d2’s and a Sugden A21SE came out on top. Unfortunately no exposure dealers near me.
Cool 😎 very nice amp 😊👍
I just upgraded from a Rega Brio to a Croft Phono Integrated. I really like it.
Cool 😎
Glad you mentioned calling Croft. Did try too (for my integrated PP amp)
Now I know why. ;)
Cool 😎
Great discussion. I compared the Schiit Ragnarok and Marantz PM8006 with Buchardt s400 mk2. The Marantz had much better tone , cleaner sound with superior power and phono input, but no dac and no balanced connections, all analog.
Thank you for sharing Kirk 😊
Really Enjoyed... Thank You!!!
Thank you John 😊👍
Good evening tarun, great post, Ian seems like a very nice guy, true audiophile, and understands the UK audio mindset I've had exposure in the mid 80s and 90s, but never used croft, I've had a lot of the schiit audio dac headphone amplifiers which are very good, I didn't realise croft were based in Scarborough, my neck of the woods, gods own county, I will have to try visiting them if they are still in business. , another great British brand, I think you would be interested in
NVA, perhaps you could try some of NVAs products in the future, looking forward to seeing another review soon.
Thank you Paul. I appreciate the heads up and would love to check out NVA too 😊👍
Great to see mid-tier gear being discussed! Think this is the arena most of us play in. The £1000 - £3000 price bracket becomes very attainable especially if you are happy to buy pre-owned kit. My amp sold new for around £1800 but was able to pick it up 2nd hand on the bay for around £400. Same with my DAC around £2000 when new but again around £400 in the pre-owned market.
I'd obviously love to be able to go out and spend 20-30k on an amp or speakers but that's almost certainly never going to happen. What I mean to say is I'd luv an Aston Martin but a 2nd hand Audi will probably do me just fine! :)
You and me both brother. Thank you 😊
Great discussion. I was told about Croft by the late Roy Johnson of Green Mountain Audio. Roy also mentioned Graham Slee Audio whom I believe is another exceptional British manufacturer. I would be very interested if you could revisit this topic every once in a while.
Thank you Nikhil. I am familiar with the Graham Slee amps and hope to get to them in time 😊
Great conversation Taryn and Ian. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Taryn, can you do some more with our RUclips reviewers including Steve Guttenberg?
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
really enjoying these talks will be checking out-coustics
Cool 😎
Great. Really enjoyable thanks.
Thank you Monty 👍
Glen will be hard to contact,if the cricket is on ,his words ,not mine.Have a non phono croft line integrated,one volume pot.Love it.
He is elusive 😊
You guys should consider starting a podcast together. I could listen to you 2 talk about audio gear all day
Thank you. I wish I had time 👍
These are good viewing videos. Integrated amplifiers are more popular these days with at this price pre & power designs thin on the ground. Component quality is so important for good sound quality, to cut costs many companies have sadly compromised in this area.
Thank you John 👍
I have auralic Aries streaming bridge to denafrips Ares2 balanced into Ayre AX-7 E, a truly magical sounding integrated into my triangle Titus ez and RELT-Zero subs. I adore the Ayre, tone and palpability are stunning Ipurchased for similar price to amps mentioned in this video
Thank you for sharing Paul 😊
Taren is so right about tube quality.It makes a big difference.I have found GL to make a remarkable improvement in my PL power amp.
Thank you Todd 👍
As a nod to my audio obsession I looked up Croft amplifiers and noticed that one of the models with the dual volume controls was for sale, brand new for $1795 on Ebay. I also noticed that the dealer was Gene Rubin Audio in California. I go way back to the 80s with Gene and he's an excellent audio retailer FYI. I of course am sorely tempted to leap but for the fact that I recently sold my Raggy to a happy audiophile and replaced it with another hybrid tube amplifier. Can't have everything but it doesn't cost anything to consider it.
If you take the plunge. Please let me know how you get on 😊
What is a Raggy ?
@@ralex3697 A Schiit Raganok 2 integrated amplifier. Schiit names some of they equipment with impossible Norse names. Like Raganok, Freya, Aegir, gungnir. Proper also call the Gungnir a Gunny.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 In short, I love the Unico Primo integrated.
Wow Tarun you picked the Exposure 2510 over the 3510. You did recommend it to me and I found a local dealer so I am going to demo it. I think it'll go good with a warmish speaker, KLH Model 5. I'll see. Great review
I can vouch for it. That exact combo is my biggest joy these days. KLH Model 5, Exposure 2510
Agreed. I have the Exposure 2010S2 (and a spare 2010S) plus Neat Motive SX3. You want loud effortless Rock and even low level late night listening, you got it :0)
Belles ARIA at $2295 US. Strictly for 2 channel sound with loops and a bypass. Mr. Dave Belles gives unbelievable products for the money. It sells well in Europe. This integrated is silent and a steal with a killer phono to boot.
Thank you for the heads up 😊
This is a fun and informative conversation. I'm curious what you meant, Ian, when you said that the Ragnarok can be a little "incisive." You seemed to like the amp a lot, and I wanted to know a little more about how you saw the sound signature as a whole. Thanks both of you for these conversations!
Thank you 😊
I’ve had Croft, he rebuilt my Leak TL12 amps. Amazing sound signature. Deco Audio in Aylesbury sell his kit.
Thank you Billy 👍
I have been toying with the idea of a Croft phono integrated, but those two volume controls have me scratching my head. The specs on the amp are poor, but for some reason lots and lots of people love the SOUND. Still, I can not get myself around two volume controls and only because of this, I think I'll pass.
@@markd4292 I bieleve they do a single volume control version 🤔
@@markd4292 Trust me, the two volume controls work brilliantly. The sound of Croft amps is smooth and punchy. They are well worth the money.
@@richardattridge3182 Thanks Richard. Gosh, I forgot I threw this conversation out there. Funny you mentioned it and that I logged in to see it, but I was thinking of getting a Klipsch Forte IV and pair it up with a Croft, or I may get the KLH Model 5, but I don't think Croft's 50watt is going to do much for this speaker which comes in at 6 ohms at 87dB sensitivity. I don't know, I still dig the "live" sound style of horns. Thanks Richard!
What speakers below $3,000.00 would you recommend with the Willsenton R? Do you think they would be able to drive a pair of LRS?
RIP Croft.
My fave amplifier SCHIIT AUDIO AEGIR wonderful sounding amplifier!!! Open sounding class A with authority!
Thank you JT 😊👍
Hi Taran
Really loving this channel, great work. 👍 You have been discussing little known British hifi designers and wondered if you had heard anything designed by Kevin Edwards (Talk Electronics, Edwards Audio) I have been using Talk Electronics pre and power amps now for over 10 years. Although I am not in a position to buy this gear from new, these pieces can be picked up fairly cheaply on Ebay and Kevin will still service them for you for around £100.00 per unit. I currently have his Hurricane and Tornado 3.1b pre and dual monoblocks with a Denafrips Pontus II and ATC SCM 19's and it really is fantastic. I believe Kevin is working on a new line due to be released soon. His is always available to talk to and a very nice guy. Maybe you should give him a call and see what he's up to, I would love to see someone like yourself give his equipment a review to to show that these small British outfits are still out there and producing some great equipment. Keep up the good work Taran. Paul
Thank you Paul very kind. Funny enough, I had a chat with Kevin just a couple of weeks ago. Shhh… don’t tell anyone 😉
Some 15 years ago I had this part-time thing at a hi-fi store in Norway, and they were selling out a selection of TALK products. So underrated. Especially the amplifiers.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That sounds interesting. Hopefully his new line is coming your way for review. 🤔🤫
Just out of curiosity I checked Gene Rubin Audio as mentioned as a dealer for Croft amp. He does indeed sell the Croft Phono Amp as well as the Exposure 2510 amp. And for those with a bigger budget he offers LFD amplifiers.
Cool 😎
Hello ! I could listen to you guys for hours. Great discussion ! Do you believe Hegel H120 makes the cut in this price point ?
Cheers !
Thank you. Very kind. The H120 is a very good amp but just edged out by others here 😊👍
8 minutes into the great video I must pause and comment that the older Passlab amp ensembles somewhat valve-like sound without worrying about valve/tube life and reliability, at the cost of..well…cost. I can see the video is only gonna get more interesting and informative., great job Tarun, let’s carry on..
Thank you William 👍
45 Watts Tube.... I have '4' 10 Watt V/M amps
I'd love to have a 45 Watt Stereo (or 2 mono blocks)
.... I hear good things about the WILSONTON R8
... if my gig calendar had some weekly stuff I'd have a sixpence to spend today!
Thank you for sharing Marvin 😊
Gene Rubin sells both the Exposure and Croft in the U.S. I have a pair of Epos Epic 2 speakers that have piqued my interest in the British audio sound! And vintage audio, like Rogers.
Cool 😎 please let me know how you get on 😊
Thank you !!!!
Thank you too 👍
Yet another first-rate discussion. Thank you. I am curious, however: do Rogue Audio amps not make it into the British market?
Thank you. I haven’t seen them here 🤔
Surprised your guest was not familiar with Willsenton.Their amps are now sold on Amazon.BTW a phase inverter tube upgrade makes a big difference.It the "heart" of a push pull design.Careful tube matching in front end tubes is critical for best fidelity.Look forward to your detailed presentations weekly ;arguably the best on You Tube.
(Interesting comment on a Leak knock off.I am old enough to remember the grand old Leak tube amps of the 50's and 60's.The pioneer High Fidelity engineers of the 50's really knew what they were doing.EG KT88 is still a top tube for audio.)
Thank you for sharing Todd 😊
Hi Tarun, I'm completely new to high end speakers and amps. I'm interested in the kef ls50 meta. Which amp and subwoofer would you recommend I go with.? Will be using it for both music and home theater. Thanks.
I like REL subs. You need one the right size for your room.
Well, according to Schitt website, the DAC inside is not the multibit version but just an ES9028.
Why does the PS vane tubes does not have branding on them?
I'm curious about the Audiophonics HPA-S400ET power amp with Class D Purifi 2x400W. Have you heard of it?
I haven’t as yet 😊
Hi, thanks for your interesting conversation, really enjoyed it. I'm wondering what you think about the Woo Audio WA8 Eclipse? Of course, I’m asking about a transportable DAC/amp, because that’s what I’m looking for right now. What is your opinion?
Thank you. I haven’t heard the WA8 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Alright, thank you for your response.
You’ve sold me on the Willsenton r8, but I’m buying my floor standers first. Because they are now 30% off, the Revel Concerta2 f36 are now within my budget $1540. Does anyone have experience or insight on these? Reviews are all positive. Thx
Cool 😎 thank you for watching 😊
My amp: Leema Acoustics Pulse. I have the first gen version and if the latest MK4 is an improvement on my bundle it should be a very impressive amp. Leema, AFAIK, make most of their components in-house.
They seem to pull off a cool trick: they have a similar PRaT to Naim, yet the overall tonality is more akin to Arcam. The control/grip is a major benefit with all Leemas.This means speaker matching is relatively easy.
The real gem is their phono stages. On all the Pulses they are switchable, and rather good.
The two owners Lee Taylor & Mallory Nichols are both Ex-BBC sound engineers.
Sadly, due to a lack of dealers they tend to get overlooked.
Thank you Richard. They are on my radar 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314
You could always, if you wish, borrow mine for a couple of days. Although quite old in hi-fi terms it's still impressive. At least it'll give you a taste of the Leema presentation.
I've owned it since 2010 brand new as a clearance item, and I wouldn't change for anything below the 2.5k mark.
Anyhoo, I'll leave the offer on the table.
Best wishes
@@plasticpenguin1 thank you Richard. Very kind. I always shy away from borrowing peoples gear. The life of a reviewer means constantly moving equipment and the risk of damage is always there. I will reach out the the Leema guys 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314
That's understandable. If you come across any snags with Leema guys, the offer is there
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Also when you do contact them, ask for the Quasar. It's an all singing, all dancing digital amp. Apparently the sound is very special -- it's alleged to be very close to the Tucana Anniversary.
Have you guys listened to the Kinki Studios integrated amps? Be curious to listen to your take on that amp Tarun.
I haven’t but I am sure I will get to them in time 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Awesome discussion. I hope you track down the phono integrated. Would love to see you run it with your Proac's. I've had one for eight years and love it. Wouldn't sell it. Still haven't paired it with proper speakers(sounds ridiculous, but I had a free pair of Dynaudio x14's sitting around). Debating Proac's, harbeth's and atc's. I keep waiting for a good online review with any of them, as I have no way of auditioning any of them. Hopefully you will make one!
Thank you Christopher. Much appreciated. As much as I love ATC speakers, I would rule them out with the Croft as those speakers require gobs of power. Harbeth’s and ProAcs are definitely worth a try. Good luck 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks so much. And yes, I had ruled out all but the baby ATC's and after watching your review, probably not worth contemplating. You know, I love the look of the Amphion's. I'm wondering if that may be a good alternative. I'm curious how the floor standing Argon's sound. Anyway, your reviews are excellent!
I am waiting for delivery of Proac tablette 10 signature for mine and I really expect to enjoy that combination. Spendor Classic 3/1 should also be a great match with that amp. Reason I didn’t go with the Spendor was because of color choices which might sound silly to some but they can just do whatever pleases them.
Hi there, just discovered you page. I really enjoy your videos.
I would love to hear to what you think about the icon audio amplifiers.
Thank you Gary. They declined when I approached them. It may be time to try again though 😊
I still love the Audio Analogue Puccini. That little amp is just so musical.
I have fond memories of that brand many years ago 😊
It's obviously a dumb question but with the phono integrated I assume if you just turn the right volume the right channel gets louder and if you turn the left then the left channel gets louder? So that means you would always have some sort of Stereo imbalance am I right ?
I mean don't get me wrong I suppose it would also negate the need for a balance control and I definitely could see some advantageous aspects of it but I can't help but think it would get annoying fast.
I tend to agree. It has uses for asymmetrical listening positions but would be annoying if not needed.
A great American company that do not get press coverage is Herron Audio. I love and admire this brand. Of course it’s 4 times the price category but it will definitely blow one’s audiophile mind. There’s a great British small company: Moor Amps. 💯 percent 🇬🇧 British. Mind blowing. Timeless. Yet another great British amplifier is from Ovation Fidelity. Love’Em all. SUGDEN IS THE ULTIMATE CLASS AMPLIFIER COMPANY. I also admire Heaven11Audio from Canada 🍁
Thank you Hamid 😊
How about Rega? I currently have a Brio being fed by a Planet CD player... driving a pair of ProAc Studio 1speakers. It’s a truly musical setup.
They don’t send out products to RUclips reviewers at the moment 😊
Owned a Raggy 2 for a couple years. Rock solid and great performance. Mine was bare of the DAC and Phono for $1495. You can definitely do worse.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Would love to see a review about the Vincent amps, thanks
Thank you for the suggestion 😊
Hey Tarun,
It's me again.
If you remember our discussion the other week about budget amplifiers, with the Audiolab 6000A being recommended with the Dynaudios, what are your thoughts on the Peachtree Nova 125?
I'm currently scoping out a set to pair with my Dynaudio Emit M10s and wonder if this is the budget option to settle on for the time being, compared to something like a second hand Audiolab 6000A.
Do you think the Peachtree Nova 125 would be a better option if I am not in need of a phono stage? (Gosh darned young people who don't use vinyl, right?)
My other worry is that the Peachtree Nova 125 (although Class D) has a tube preamp option which might take the Dynaudio too far in a musical/relaxed direction, since the likes of Hegel/Densen typically get recommended in my wider reading as a natural pairing, since they sound more neutral to balance out the inherent musicality of Dynaudios.
Kindest Regards,
Shan-Jun
Sorry Shan+Juan, I am not familiar with the Peach Tree Nova 125 😊
I hadn’t seen this video before, but I’m glad I did. I owned a Croft Micro 25 pre, and series 7 power amplifier. This was a brilliant combination, that I regretfully sold some years ago. Loved it’s punchy smooth sound. I own a Luxman 509x that I’m really happy with, but I’m very tempted to purchase a Croft Integrated phono amplifier, as a back up to my Luxman 509x, as I don’t think you can go wrong for the money, as the amps punch ten times above there weight. A classic amplifier in its own right.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Richard 😊
Hi Tarun. Thanks for uploading this chat. Really interesting. On the Croft brand mentioned, I've heard that the Croft Micro 25 (I think that's what it's called) matches up really well with the old Quad II monoblocks. Do you or anyone else out there have any thoughts on this? I'm trying to find a tube pre-amp with phono stage that will fit into a Quad system of refurbished ESL-57s and refurbished Quad II monoblocks. My budget is limited to about £1,000 or maybe £1,500 if I really push the boat out, and would be really grateful for some advice on this. I listen to a lot of classical music, jazz, acoustic etc. Thanks in advance. Really enjoy your content.
Thank you. I hope someone has tried that combo and can respond 😊
have the Croft micro25 phono pre and series 7 amp, endgame for me unless I win the lottery
Thank you Matthias 😊
@21:12 15,20,30k pieces of equipment.... So what would be your opinion on Dynaudio Confidence 60+Simaudio Moon 700i v2 + Linn Klimax DS? .. I did not have time to pause... :)
thanks for any reply
PS I love these conversations, and am instantly fascinated by the croft story. Are they only creating high impedance amps? Could anything they have drive 4 ohm Dynaudio Focus 340s?
I haven’t tried that system Andro and I would have to look into the Croft design. Sorry not to be of help.
Croft have always been superb value, no PCB hard wired and well designed valve circuits. I had an original Micro for a number of years. This is a brand where you get what you pay for and that's components and design not marketing or casework
I hope to get my hand on one. Thank you for sharing 👍
Tarun, any chance you could compare the Exposure 2510 with the Naim Nait XS3?
Agree. Would love to see that one
I hope to 😊
My money is on the Naim XS3 and I wager that it would single handily spank the tar out of the Exposure amp. Paired with his Proacs Response and synergistically it’s as good as it gets with the Naim.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Perhaps the Exposure 3510 compared with the Nait XS3 might be fairer at least on price terms
@@freakin13guy I have the Naim XS2 . Best I could afford out of the amps I auditioned nearly a decade back . Very pleased with it & chose Focal Floortanders before the two brands started working together
That Croft Pre-amp looks similar to an Old Hafler DH-101 or Adcom. Except for the tubes.
Thank you for sharing 😊
i'm more of a subaru man. what's your car of choice tarun? if i lived in the UK i would be driving an old escort cosworth i think.
Nice choices. I am very happy with my Jaguar XF. Another brand I worked for and am very fond of 😊
No Hegels? I have been shopping in this range but I have decided to keep saving and buy only once more.
Probably in pt3, streaming mid tier amps.
Hegel make very good amps 😊
Have you ever done a review of music Fidelity’s integrated amps I’ve looked at your channel and I haven’t seen any I’d sure like to see a review of the amps thank you
Not yet but I am planning to 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 i have the musical fidelity M5si and it is a great value as a audiophile intergrated Amp !!! all there stuff is !! looking forward to your review of there …. stay safe brother its a nutty world right now
3000. is a pretty big # to me, if it's $ or Euro's. I'd consider mid level to be $600 . > 2000. max. Outlaw Receiver, $ 1000. for 110 conservative W /ch, multi dig. & RCA inputs , adjustable Phono in & Sub output
Thank you Rick 😊
I am assuming you are talking about the RR2160 MKII? If so, I do not understand why there are almost zero reviews anywhere for that product. It is well regarded and has a great set of very usable features. Would really like to hear Tauron’s take on that product.
technics integrated sug 700, 70 watts 8ohms,140 watts into 4ohms, internal DAC, phono amp, and headphone a beautiful piece of gear lots of Hitech in the design you should check into it few reviews all giving hi prase.
Thank you 😊
Dear Tarun, which is the best amplifier in 1500 range with a sub out for Magnepan 0.7. Have you ever tried Roksan K3
Maggies love power. Maybe at Atoll IN200 Signature. Unfortunately, Roksan haven’t responded to my emails 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks a ton. I m also looking at rogue audio sphinx , have a look on that.. it’s hybrid tube preamp section with class d output stage
You shouldn't use the position of the volume knob as a reference, especially in the case of the Ragnarok 2. It's a speaker and headphone amplifier (not unusual) that uses the same circuitry for speakers and headphones (very unusual), so the same power is available for both headphones and speakers. In order to have sufficient volume adjustability for even efficient in-ears, it needs to dedicate a lot more volume steps to lower power levels than most amps do. As a result, it's perfectly normal for the Ragnarok 2 to produce barely audible sound out of regular speakers with the volume at 50% on low gain, but that is no indication of its power.
In terms of very well thought out... I disagree to an extent. The preouts and headphone outs are either all on or off, so if you use a 2.1 setup with a subwoofer at the preouts, switching to headphone mode leaves the subwoofer on. Intentionally. For the niche that wants just that. I would want separate mute functions for speakers, headphones and preouts that you can combine however you like.
Also there is no way to directly select specific inputs, either on the device or remote, meaning you have to skip past three inputs to go from 2 back to 1, say.
The gain button is also placed very poorly, away from the gain level indicator LEDs and at the same distance from the output mode indicators as the mode selector button. Very easy to unintentionally increase the gain (twice, with significant differences) instead of switching modes. Dangerous.
Of course there is Schiit's stubborn placement of the power switch in the back, somewhat unbecoming of a device not used on a desktop. There has to be some clever way to put it in the front without compromising the sound, maybe with a servo flipping a separate switch in the back?
Lastly, the infrared sensor is placed in a way that makes the remote unreliable if you're somewhat off axis.
Still, I'm enjoying the sound of mine a lot with the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 and have not been able to top it so far.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Dang it! Went to Willsenton R8, looks like it is one hell of an amp!! Problem is they are not avalible!!!!!!!!!!! So sucks'
That is a shame.
Tarun…that exchange was so much fun…you laughing maniacally because Ian can't get his hands on an Exposure Amp and him getting "even" by chortling at the thought of having to send you a Croft Product. Quite amusing!!! 😁
Can't wait to see what you two come up with at the more expensive end!,! 👍🏼
Question…do you think that The Willsenton R8 with the upgraded tubes would drive a pair of DynAudio Contour 20s which are rated at 4ohms?
Thank you Bob. It has 4 ohm taps so should do but I would go for the upgraded tube with the Contours 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 YES! I definitely was thinking the same! I am enjoying this series, especially because you are both discussing less-than-mainstream quality products. It's exciting to learn. I live in New Jersey, too…but am smiling because Ian is a very "British Isle's name"! You two were just FUN and informative during this exchange!
@@bobb.9917 very glad you are enjoying it. More to come 😊
Tell me about the $50K system. I've seen one stack on Linus Tech Tips with an Abyss headphone that ran a cool $35K. Curious to know what other options there are (pls don't say Orpheus - we all know about that one). Oh and this really is just pure curiosity. I'm not dropping that much bank on my head-fi. Not even close. It's fun staying in the $1K-$4K range. This way one can afford to dabble and get new cans, DACs and amps. If one spends $50K on the "endgame" setup, then your journey is over. What's the fun in that? And... "the next Best Thing" is always lurking around the corner.
Thank you for sharing Will 😊
So you get the thumb up now based on an excellent track record but I have to get off line until much later :)
Thank you Hugo 😊👍
I'm based in the UK and thinking of dipping my toe into the Audiophile pond. I listen mainly to classical and opera, with occasional 'classic' (1960s/70s) pop. I'm thinking of basing the system on a tube amp. and I'm attracted by the Willsenton R8 with upgraded tubes. (My room is relatively small at approx. 3 x 4m.) My sources would be a tuner, a CD transport and a streamer (source: Tidal). Do you think this amp would be suitable for my needs and could anyone suggest initial speakers, DAC, a CD transport and a streamer that I might use as a starting point for my own research. My total budget would be around £6000. (Additionally, how long do tubes last before they start to deteriorate?) With many thanks from Oxford, and my apologies for being such a dunce in this field!
Thank you for sharing William. I just did a video which you may find useful on how to put together a great sounding system. Start with speakers that work in your space first. I hope you find it useful. Here is the link.
ruclips.net/video/IY2IehAvwio/видео.html
Up to GPB 3,000 I think I probably would have included the Roksan Blak and Musical Fidelity M6si.
They are in the price range but I haven’t reviewed them as yet 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I think you should especially the Roksan Blak if you like the Exposure. Plus, both are British brands, it shouldn't be too difficult to get your hands on a couple of units.😃
You should review some Vincent gear
Thank you for the suggestion 😊
Sorry gentlemen you are both wrong. The best is the Sugden 21 se amplifier.👍😀
I really like that amp too 😊
I’d like to try that one and see if it could outperform my 25r/7r+ combo.. I would be amazed, but open to that.
@@basa1549 cool 😎
I would have thought the Benchmark AHB2 or Luxman L-590 would get a mention.
See the description.
There a lot of good options out there. We have only heard a limited range 😊
How much is the Croft Phono version? in USD
I don’t know
Jeff Rowland 735 Mono blocks are the bomb.
Cool 😎
I wonder what Ian’s $50,000 mind blowing system would consist of. More relevantly could he put together a system for 1/5th of that to blow the mind of most people. $10,000 is as much as I would spend on a system to listen to music.
I am sure we would get into that in future episodes 😊
It would only blow his mind, not mine.
Digital only, you are 100% missing out. Vinyl an amazing addiction to get into. The vinyl sound can sometime pull you into the music, sometimes it's worse than digital.
Amazing but expensive to build a vinyl collection from scratch. Still worth considering though 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Indeed. My Dad recently gave me his old Rega Planar 3 from the 80’s and it’s currently sitting gathering dust, as I’ve since decided at £20-£30 for one album it really isn’t worth it. Passing it on to my Sister. I’m afraid the discovery factor of streaming is a much bigger positive for me.
Glenn Croft has gone West. November, 2022. Great discussion.
I was sad to learn of his passing. RIP Glenn 🙏
The Matsui music centre is the best by far.
Cool 😎
amplifiers change the sound?
Yup
@@abritishaudiophile7314 that's weird, I thought they amplify.
@@concertmaster can they not do both?
@@abritishaudiophile7314 they do, they amplify, which changes the sound because it gets louder. don't take me too serious, I don't have a strong opinion on this. it's just that all my experiences with amps were placebo, at least in hindsight. but if others see something in them I don't see that makes them happy, then that's great.
@@concertmaster just a it of friendly banter. Thanks for watching and sharing 😊
I know Glen and may be able to do an introduction. Let me know.
Thank you Daljeet. Very kind. Ian is doing the same. Let’s see how he gets on 😊👍
keen
It’s a pity that schitt audio can only be bought via the internet, you can’t have a listen so you are depending from reviews and my experience is that you can’t always trust them because everyone listen in a different way. I have no budget for taking risks. I only believe my only ears and the knowledge from my regular dealer who is one the greatest to my knowledge.
Kind regards
Ludo
Great dealers should be supported 😊👍
👍👍👍
Thank you 👍
You guys would add so much more value for us if you weren't so scared to mention the gear with issues
Scared?
It is not about being scared. I don’t want to spend my time reviewing gear I don’t like. Also, as much as I try to put my bias aside, it is just one persons opinion on a product. It could be it doesn’t work in my room or with equipment I tried or that it is just a fault with that particular unit. To tarnish a brand with so many unknown variables, when a negative review can potentially kill a product, is a quagmire I would like to avoid. I would much rather give a fair and honest assessment of product I do like. The ones I don’t, I just send back.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 All good, we know the drill. Still like your work : )
@@tallpaull9367 thank you buddy 😊👍
Try him via email, he will answer, but only if there's no cricket on :) You will be impressed by his gear and his ability to customise any of his amps to your setup/wishes.
I have emailed him 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 He’ll get back to you, but don’t expect long essays or oodles of information without specifically asking. He’s currently working on my 7, turning it into an7r+. He gave me a loaner 7r (his original prototype) as he had to wait for parts delivery. Looking forward getting it back!
Schiit Ragnarok vs Onkyo 9150... 😁
ruclips.net/video/6ICzARq13Fk/видео.html
So, for $600, isn't the Onkyo one of your favorites ? 🙃
I haven’t tried it 😊