Neurochrome Modulus-686

[Jimbo]

That's what preamps are for!

My 686 allows the upstream components and ancillaries to be heard, very clearly.

I don't think I would partner it with similarly 'neutral' preamps. That ultimate transparency can certainly be a bit too much at times. (I think this is what you're eluding to Jim??). I completely agree it is reminiscent of some Class D amps and does have a somewhat synthetic 'digital' sound. A little cold at times.

Hence why I will only ever partner it with something that adds a little 'flavour' or harmonics in the form of tubes. I certainly wouldn't try partnering it with a passive pre or indeed straight from a DAC's variable output etc.

BUT - with that added 'soul' (and possibly speakers slightly favoring the lower registers) it has magnificent heft, weight and grip on any music I put through it. It also does cue's and transients incredibly accurately and go from 0-100 like no other bit of kit I've heard. Soundstage pushes miles beyond the speaker boundaries without breaking sweat even a little. Drove Quad 63's (before one went bad ((unrelated)) on me) with stunning ease.

Cheers

Great to hear you have incorporated the 686 and managed to give it a bit of soul by adding carefully chosen pieces of kit up and down stream. I think this is what is needed to get the best out of the 686.

cheers

[Opti-cal]

Great to hear you have incorporated the 686 and managed to give it a bit of soul by adding carefully chosen pieces of kit up and down stream. I think this is what is needed to get the best out of the 686.

cheers

Thanks Jim,

for anyone interested a fully tube rectified preamp (Musical Paradise MP-701) using Mullard GZ34, 6SN7 X4 (tried various RCA/Sylvania combos) eventually settled on some Russian 6H8C tubes (6SN7 equivalents) was exactly what was required to get the 686 beyond just being an incredibly powerful, neutral amplifier.

To be fair the preamp also has massive Audyn Copper and Mundorf Supreme Gold caps (probably a few hundred quids worth) and has been fettled by Mr Alan Firebottle so its at a very decent level of performance. If i do stick a merely 'decent' preamp in there I don't doubt a lot of the character I now have in the system would be removed with it.

Cheers

[Firebottle]

Cobblers you pair. Character? Soul?
What I have hear is absolute transparency and accuracy to what's in the recording.

If the vocalist doesn't sound the same as in real life that is down to how the recording was done. A concert hall is never going to sound the same as a studio.

[Opti-cal]

A concert hall is never going to sound the same as a studio.

Whilst I agree with you there if what you say is correct then I certainly prefer the added distortion/harmonics a concert hall (or in this case some tubes) adds. Right or wrong it just sounds better to these ears!

Listening to the 686 with a very transparent active pre, whilst undoubtedly accurate (to a fault in certain recordings), is never as much fun as listening with some tubes in the mix. System dependent of course . . . .

If accuracy is the sole goal then blessed be the 686 with an equally transparent pre however I'm still finding out exactly what I'm looking for . . . . think U2 did a song about that kind of thing . . .

[Jimbo]

Cobblers you pair. Character? Soul?
What I have hear is absolute transparency and accuracy to what's in the recording.

If the vocalist doesn't sound the same as in real life that is down to how the recording was done. A concert hall is never going to sound the same as a studio.

Thats your opinion Alan. From my experience the 686 was the most characterless amplifier I have ever heard and correct me if I am wrong but I though you said it had no character of its own on a post somewhere?

[Jimbo]

Whilst I agree with you there if what you say is correct then I certainly prefer the added distortion/harmonics a concert hall (or in this case some tubes) adds. Right or wrong it just sounds better to these ears!

Listening to the 686 with a very transparent active pre, whilst undoubtedly accurate (to a fault in certain recordings), is never as much fun as listening with some tubes in the mix. System dependent of course . . . .

If accuracy is the sole goal then blessed be the 686 with an equally transparent pre however I'm still finding out exactly what I'm looking for . . . . think U2 did a song about that kind of thing . . .

You have absolutely nailed what the 686 is about Chris and I agree if you want neutrality, transparency and accuracy this is the amplifier to buy.

Some of us want a different flavour or musical experience from our music not always exactly what the mastering engineer was listening too in the studio.

[walpurgis]

An amplifier is a tool. It is only required to 'make the signal bigger', if it does anything else like adding "soul" or "character" then there's something wrong with the design!

[Jimbo]

An amplifier is a tool. It is only required to 'make the signal bigger', if it does anything else like adding "soul" or "character" then there's something wrong with the design!

I agree with you there Geoff to a point but no two amplifier ever sound the same and certainly valve and solid state amplifiers will produce a different interpretation of the recording.

Its up to the individual to decide which is the most accurate and which one they enjoy most.

[Ubi]

Thats your opinion Alan. From my experience the 686 was the most souless amplifier I have ever heard and correct me if I am wrong but I though you said it had no character of its own on a post somewhere?

You seem to contradict yourself, an excerpt from your "Jimblog":

"I was so impressed with the 686 performance in all the combinations I tried today. It has star quality and I feel it may well be exactly what I am looking for. Compared to other muscle amps I have heard it goes about its business without letting you know it is there, most other power amps I have heard have their own sonic signature. Not the 686. I know this amp was engineered for vanishingly low levels of distortion but I was anxious this would also mean it had no soul or spirit. This is certainly not the case.

The Croft although transparent is not as clean as the 686 or grain free so it must be introducing something else which becomes apparent when switching between the two. I wrote in my listening notes the words analogue, smooth and clarity many times. It is this very aspect that makes the 686 stand out above most amps I have heard. I have heard greater clarity from other power amps but they then become etched and fatiguing, not so the 686. You could listen to this in your system without ever tiring from it. As Alan ( Firebottle) said it almost has no sound of its own, you have to dial this in with your own ancillary equipment whether that is digital or analogue, valve or SS"

[Ubi]

I agree with you there Geoff to a point but no two amplifier ever sound the same and certainly valve and solid state amplifiers will produce a different interpretation of the recording.

Its up to the individual to decide which is the most accurate and which one they enjoy most.

It is not up to you what amplifier is more "accurate", the specifications and circuit design do that. It is only for you to decide what amplifier you prefer listening to.