END GAME?

[antonio]

Enjoy your new amp, would love to hear one.

[Jimbo]

End game until the next End game?

[Firebottle]

No James, I can't think it getting any better.
You really need to hear the system now.

[Jimbo]

No James, I can't think it getting any better.
You really need to hear the system now.

Only joking Alan, yes look forward to popping in sometime hopefully soon.

[Firebottle]

Thanks Alan,

That was the kind of reply I was hoping for.

I would be very interested to see some photos of the interior; so as to assess component quality and ease of construction. Any chance you could provide some?

Cheers
Barry

Finally got around to taking a couple of pictures.
These are the two amplifier modules at the bottom of the case:




This is the switch mode psu on the 'mezzanine' chassis plate:

[Bigman80]

Finally got around to taking a couple of pictures.
These are the two amplifier modules at the bottom of the case:




This is the switch mode psu on the 'mezzanine' chassis plate:

Saw this in the flesh the other day and my word its so small!!! It's absolutely the cutest amp I've seen. Just love it.

Ordered the Blank plated BTW.

[Bluebeat13]

The more powerful 686 boards appear to be cheaper than the 286 with greater distortion. Is this correct?

[Bigman80]

The more powerful 686 boards appear to be cheaper than the 286 with greater distortion. Is this correct?

No, the 686 is more expensive and the difference in performance is about difference in THD.

686 > 240W (8Ω), 360W (4Ω) @ <0.0002% THD

286 > 65W (8Ω), 125W (4Ω) @ 0.0001% THD

Not sure I'd be concerned about that. Lol

[Firebottle]

So I have had the Neurochrome 286 for a number of weeks now and it continues to impress.

However things have taken a big leap forward with new speaker cables. Yes ....different wire
For those that think cables make no difference go and read another thread.

I have been impressed with Gazjam's journey and have wondered how the uplifts have sounded when he has changed speaker cables to ones higher up the range. Fair play for pushing the boundaries at not inconsiderable expense.

Nirvahna arrived at the beginning of the week when I was lucky enough to trial 'The Dream' speaker cables, built by Bigman80 of this parish.
The overriding impression when I had to remove these leads and put back my previous leads was that the system was broken, in comparison flat and lifeless.
Once heard there was no way I could live without the performance so I have built my own pair of 'The Dream'.

Here comes the bit where you will be thinking 'he's over eulogising, how can a change of wire have that much effect?'
Honestly I am at a loss to explain it, I thought I was using good OCC copper before. It just goes to show that even at audio frequencies we don't actually know what is happening with the transmission of signals through wire.

I would suggest that you need a highly resolving system to hear the full benefit but now the Neurochrome 286 amp and the Quad 57's seem to be mated to an astonishing degree.

First impressions playing Hotel California on CD, such realism of the crowd and applause. Astounding punch and clarity across the board, the kick drum is so solid it makes your hairs stand on end.
Englishman in New York by Sting, again on CD, shows there is double tracking to the percussion, I've never heard that before.

Everything is clearer and more balanced with pinpoint imaging, whatever the source.

These cables won't find their way into many system due to the expense but I can't think of any other position in the chain to obtain such an uplift in performance for the same outlay.



EDIT Is this review too understated? This cable is EPIC.

[YNWaN]

I’ve heard Neurochrome amps many times as two of my friends use them. I agree that they are extremely good - i’m Not sure I would describe them as ‘game changers’ though - perhaps that is the fault of the pre my friends are using, who knows.