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Thread: Amplifier Shootout

  1. #1
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default Amplifier Shootout

    Amplifier Shoot-Out

    Currently sat in my front room are 5 amplifiers. I can only imagine this being a long post at this point so apologies in advance.

    The First of the "New boys" to arrive here was the Monarch Audio SM-70, 25w per channel of Class A (or not, depending on your view on what Class A is).

    Monarch SM-70 Class A
    The Monarchy came to me with a high standing review from Walpurgis. I was slightly hesitant about whether this amplifier could improve on the Firebottle Monoblocks i had. Unfortunately, i never got the chance to try to do the comparison because the car failed the MOT miserably. Something had to be sold. I chose to sell the FB-Monos because i could get another pair and i'd never seen a SM-70 for sale in the UK before this one.

    I plumbed in the SM-70 and instantly regretted my decision. It was thin, harsh and totally different to anything i have tried here. I was gutted. Still the car was on the road and in a few weeks i could look for something else. Whilst driving the car to work, a thought hit me, the valves in the Phonostage were Telefunkens and they had been called thin and harsh by someone on the forum previously. I decided to try a different combo of valves. In went two Tesla PCC88's and a Tesla ECC83.

    I decided to play a track i knew well, Carousel Waltz – Dire Straits.

    Instantly a smile was plastered to my face. The sound was transformed into something unrecognizable from before and i was very happy to hear it. I played well into the evening and probably had 30 LP's lying on the piano. I just couldn't stop listening, Why?

    Lucidity and transparency. I'll be straight up, I haven't had THAT much exposure to amplifiers in my own home but this one was clearly special. The imaging was wonderful, truly magical. Ry Cooder on "Chicken Skin music" just appeared out of thin air, his ensemble of musicians had a spotlight on them and the backing singers were clear and present. It was that which i noticed most than with other amps here, the backing singers weren't as "backing" as usual. I was delighted at what i was hearing. As i went on, more things started to come to light.

    This little amp was very Dynamic. The bass punches out, but it clean bass, the detail and finger slides on John Deacons bass on "Another one bites the dust" were clean and i am convinced this is only possible due to the transparency of the unit. There is absolutely nothing in the way of whats being reproduced and its audible. It's soundtage is 3D in the truest sense of the word.

    My Search for an amplifier was over, or so i thought. I got a Message from Walpurgis. "I have two Monarchy Audio SM-70 Pro's. Do you want them?" I obviously bought them!!!

    I took this Mini Beast to Maccas for a little test against his big Krell, the KSA50s. After a good listen to the Krell we plumbed in the SM-70. I have to be honest, the Krell sounded bigger. Soundstage was impressive from both and there was no veiling of the sound from the Krell. I was so impressed with how close the little SM-70 ran the Krell. It did sound a little leaner in Maccas system as it was digital but the difference was there in tone from the Krell. I was convinced the two Monarchy SM-70Pros might be up to the task of usurping the KSA50S from my memory.

    Monarchy SM-70PRO's (Bridged mode)
    I set up the PRO's and sat back in expectation of more of the same from these as i had experienced from the single SM-70. I wasn't disappointing. Much of the same traits were there, the clean pure sound, the sound stage was bigger due to having two amps in bridged mode. There was more scale and the channel separation was excellent. These were excellent BUT i missed something from the SM-70. I couldn't out my finger on it but i preferred the SM-70. The SM-70 was slightly more forward and i liked that. It felt intimate using the Pros to listen to Nirvana – Unplugged. Kurts distressed vocals and the sound stage seemed lifelike and spacious, Dave Grohl's drumming was clean and fast. I loved it.

    I put the SM-70Pros back in and again, i'm smiling and rocking in the chair. It was close but the SM-70 went back in. To stay this time.........or so i thought.

    Krell KSA100 MK2
    I'd been listening to the SM-70 for a few weeks now and i loved it, waxing lyrical to anyone who'd listen to me. This was a fantastic amp. No doubt about it. It competed with the much bigger (and far more expensive) KSA50A and I did not leave Maccas thinking, "I need a Krell!" but the itch didn't leave.

    After abandoning the world wide search for a SM-70 to partner to mine, another amp on my "to try" list popped up. A Luxkit Z504 Avance. I ordered it from Denmark and was waiting patiently when this Krell KSA100 MK2 came to my attention. Surely i didn;t need another amp. I turned to the forum for much needed advice. The advice was varied. In fact, it was mainly negative. Things like the components suffering due to heat, expensive service bills, heat in the room, unsophisticated circuit, etc.

    I ignored all of the advice to the negative and went to buy it.

    The Krell is a monster. 40KG+ and built like a tank. I plugged it in, waiting to be blown away.

    It didn't happen.

    The first track i played was "Neighbor Neighbor – ZZ Top"

    I dropped the needle and sat down in anticipation. The track started and i got up to check the SP10 was ok. It was so slow sounding that i though the TT had broken. Gone was the rhythm, the pace, the immediacy that i had heard from all of the Monarchy's. I was gutted. Sat there perplexed, i remembered that i had swapped the valves previously. Back in went the Telefunkens and a better pair of interconnects. No Spotfires yet.

    I restarted the same track. I wasn't overly enthusiastic but then the track started. YES!! this is what i wanted. Sound stage was huge, seriously huge. I felt like the bass was at my feet and the vocals were coming out about 6ft in the air. The Pioneer speaker were suddenly much bigger. Scale, depth and width were all bigger and every now and again, id hear something, an ambient noise just floating miles away from the speaker. This is the good stuff, the bigboy stuff.

    Track after track followed and everything sounded so natural. I'd been in Birmingham earlier in the day and heard a jazz group playing in the Symphony Hall's foyer. I took a serious listen, and couldn't wait to see whether the Krell could match the natural decay and smooth sound. I can tell you now, It's the closest i've got to that natural sound. I was over the moon.

    The Krell, apart from sounding huge in every direction, is super smooth. It's like a Cadillac, everything is easy for the Krell, Rock, Jazz, Acoustic, Metal, Rap, it just doesn't care. As this week progressed, the bass was becoming a bit of an issue. The Krell is so good at digging out bass, i was concerned the neighbors would be round. Subterranean beats from "Cypress Hill – Dr Greenthumb" made the room shake. Always under control and the grip they had was brilliant. It doesn't sound as punchy as the Monarchy Audio SM-70 but damn, its deeper.

    I have to say though, the SM-70 has the beating of this Krell in immediacy. The Krell cant match it for speed and if i am being hyper critical, i think the SM-70 is more transparent and thus meaning the insight is probably better with the SM-70.

    On all other counts, Krell is King. I have no issues with heat or any of the other stuff mentioned in th eadvice and the SQ is fantastic. The Krell is a force to be reckoned with IMO but make no mistake, the SM-70 & SM-70PROs are right there with it.

    Friday arrived and with it, the Lux Z504 Avance.

    Luxkit/Luxman Avance Z504

    To be continued..................

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    The results don't surprise me Oliver.

    I know what you're saying about the SM-70. It's amazingly lucid.

    (I still say get a listen to a Destiny 2, it'll blow you away ....specially with your speakers, trust me!)

  3. #3
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    The results don't surprise me Oliver.

    I know what you're saying about the SM-70. It's amazingly lucid.

    (I still say get a listen to a Destiny 2, it'll blow you away ....specially with your speakers, trust me!)
    I may do Geoff but I have my eye on something. All depends if I still have a job in a week or two. Changes afoot in the workplace.

    The Monarchy is just top draw. People just don't know about them. Already rare as dinosaur droppings and I can see their value rising significantly if people heard them.
    Sent from my VKY-L09 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūþsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

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    Looking forward to your reflections on the Luxman Avance Oli.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  5. #5
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Edwardlon View Post


    Looking forward to your reflections on the Luxman Avance Oli.
    I need a week of good listening. I've been lucky this week to be able to listen to the Krell so much. Would normally take a couple of weeks or so to get that much time.



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  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

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    If anything doesn't come up to standard just drop the Krell on it, that will sort it out
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  7. #7
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ian7633 View Post
    If anything doesn't come up to standard just drop the Krell on it, that will sort it out
    that's one idea.

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  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    I told you the Krell was not to be trifled with! And I sympathize with you on the bass. The bass I’m getting from my FPB-300 is HUGE! A song from Uriah Heep, (I can’t recall) from the, “Sea of Light”, album on CD has the lowest bass synth notes I’ve ever heard! And the whole earth trembles. I’m hoping a new preamp will tame it, or perhaps I need smaller speakers? What I don’t need, is a new amp.

    But then, Ive never heard the Monarch SM70?

    A great write up! I enjoyed reading it.

    Russell

  9. #9
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    I told you the Krell was not to be trifled with! And I sympathize with you on the bass. The bass I’m getting from my FPB-300 is HUGE! A song from Uriah Heep, (I can’t recall) from the, “Sea of Light”, album on CD has the lowest bass synth notes I’ve ever heard! And the whole earth trembles. I’m hoping a new preamp will tame it, or perhaps I need smaller speakers? What I don’t need, is a new amp.

    But then, Ive never heard the Monarch SM70?

    A great write up! I enjoyed reading it.

    Russell
    Thanks Russell,

    It's not to be trifled with, that's for sure. It's very impressive but the Monarchy Audio SM-70 lives with it. There's aspects of one, that the other doesn't do as well. That's been the biggest surprise of all. A little amplifier living with that monster.



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  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    Sorry it's me again.

    I still think you are probably not getting the best out of the Krell by giving it an easy load to chew on.

    With different, more challenging speakers you may well find the Monarchy slipping behind in the betting.
    Mind you, with a more difficult load the Monarchy might not sing quite so fluently.
    Too many variables.
    .

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