My new Abraxas Audio 12B4 [message #3396] |
Fri, 28 July 2006 18:11 |
Shane
Messages: 1117 Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
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This little gem finally arrived in the mail today. Many of you may have seen it at GPAF this year, and may have listened to it with headphones. Jef didn't play it much on the speakers due to the fact that he had better amps to showcase than this one. But, I happened to hear it on the Pi Two Towers with Skip when I first got there and thought it sounded quite nice! Very neutral compared to the few other tube amps I've heard. I've hooked it up to the NAD Bee CDP running to the Towers for the moment to get used to it. My intention is to eventually hook the Seduction and TT up to it for a completely analog TT rig. It puts out just shy of 1 watt, and I haven't had to move the volume knob past the 12 O'clock position yet (I don't listen very loud). It's got great bass and of course great mids and highs. Very nice! Thanks Jef!!!
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Looks Great [message #3398 is a reply to message #3396] |
Fri, 28 July 2006 19:47 |
Skip Pack
Messages: 51 Registered: May 2009 Location: Hollister, California
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Baron |
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I'll be interested to hear your impression after you've broken youself in to the new combination :-). I sure liked it at GPAF. On another subject. I have just ordered a Ripper half-kit from Jim Hagerman. I'll set up my turntable and experiment digitizing LPs for convenient use on the Squeezebox and have the table ready for direct listening as well. I already have a Bugle I put together about 4 years ago. Did you settle on a phono stage? I'd be happy to ship the Bugle to you for a while -- you buy the 9 volt batteries (they last perhaps 10-12 hours if you don't leave it on). Skip
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Re: Akhilesh??? [message #3401 is a reply to message #3397] |
Sat, 29 July 2006 09:40 |
wunhuanglo
Messages: 912 Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (2nd Degree) |
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I'm kind of curious abut this idea in that I run the JBL 2435 on top (the commercial variation of the 435BE) bi-amp, XO at 1K. They're rated in their bandpass as a system at 116 dB, 16 ohm, 3 wired in series. I run them individually. I have no idea how to back out an individual sensitivity but I'm guessing it's close to as good as you can do. Given that, I found that 35 WPC SS was not enough - they lack clarity at the volumes I listen, but this is nonetheless in my ~500 ft^2 living room (15 ft cathederal ceiling) so it's not a large space relative to the capabilities of the devices - I'm not stressing them. I just don't have much faith that 1 or 2 tube watts would do the trick for me, but reading what many people say it certainly ought to. Sort of confusing.
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Congrats [message #3403 is a reply to message #3396] |
Sat, 29 July 2006 18:58 |
akhilesh
Messages: 1275 Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
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That is a great amp & a great tube, if you have eff speakers. I love mine with my K-Horns...mark margiotta came by and listeneed to all my systems and his favorite was my K-horns (with the newly updated Xovers...BIIIG difference from before...so all of you who heard them earlier...erase memories and e prepared to listen again) running with this 12b4a doing the amplification, and a cheap little pioneer CD recorder/player (24/96 dac but cheap otherwise). Congrats Shane! Keep us updatedon how you use it. -akhilesh
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Initial impressions [message #3407 is a reply to message #3396] |
Tue, 01 August 2006 21:44 |
Shane
Messages: 1117 Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
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I've listened to the amp for several 2-3 hour sessions now and really enjoy the way it sounds. The power is adequate for my listening levels 99% of the time and it seems to do well on the Pi Towers. After listening to some Keb Mo for about 30-40 minutes tonight, I quick switched the cables around back to the NAD 320Bee amp and fired up the CD again to the same song I was listening to. First impressions were that the bass was a little tighter (but no lower sounding) and the sound was more flat (maybe neutral is a better description--hell I don't know all these audio adjectives!) for lack of a better word. Sounded fine, but did't have the image and air that the little amp had. I had to turn the volume up on the NAD to achieve anything like the 12B4, so it was basically just louder which didn't accomplish anything. The 12B4 just made it sound like the band was more in the room with me than the NAD. Nice. Now, according to Akhilesh, his 12B4 amp sounds very good on his K-horns. Maybe I need to start thinking about upgrading to some more efficient Pi's down the road!
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