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IDEAL INNOVATIONS - COMMENTS & FEEDBACK
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Date:2003-11-12
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| Name: Warren Rubin |
| Email: wazmoh@hotmail.com |
Comments: Let's do a quick exercise in visualization. Ready? OK. Imagine that you want to speak with the CEO of a major audio equipment manufacturer about a one-off amplifier design you have in mind for your home audio system. Go ahead, dial the phone; I'll wait. Now imagine that you've managed to negotiate the maze of clerical, administrative and management staff who stand between you and such a conversation. Introduce yourself and explain why you called. What do you hear next? That's right, click-buzzzzzzzzzz!
OK, same exercise, but this time call Syd Beaumont of Ideal Innovations. What do you hear now? That's right, you hear Syd answering the phone. Now Syd's listening to your idea and maybe making some helpful suggestions. Finally, Syd's quoting a very reasonable price and telling you he'll ship your amplifier in a matter of weeks.
The most amazing thing about the latter scenario is that it describes conversations that Syd and his customers have routinely. It's a conversation that Syd and I have had twice, each conversation resulting in a stellar piece of audio equipment arriving at my door a short time later.
Recently, I purchased a set of Magneplanar MG-12/QR's. In my opinion, there are a fair number of good things to be said about these speakers, but highly efficient is not among them. It is this fact that occasioned our second conversation, the final result of which was the brilliant 'Stereo 120' (126, actually) power amplifier that is the subject of this review.
First, a word on aesthetics. Ideal Innovations amplifiers are carefully made and very well finished. It's difficult to fault hand-rubbed ash side panels, a powder coated chassis or button-head hex fasteners. That said, these units are not err' dainty. Rather, they are beautiful in the way that a bumper from a '55 Buick is beautiful; massive, imposing and obviously built to last. In fact, stacked on top of my matching Ideal Innovations preamplifier (first conversation), there's an Art Deco effect that's reminiscent of a giant locomotive from a thirties-era World's Fair. All that's missing is an improbably gaunt woman sporting a pixie hair style and a cigarette holder.
This amplifier has some interesting technical details. The plate supply is comprised of two power transformers connected in series. This results in an amplifier that is both very powerful and very dynamic, with large reserves for transients. It's a fixed-bias design, which means that it runs very cool. In fact, after an hour of hard running the transformers are still cool to the touch and the KT-88 output tubes are not noticeably more warm than at idle.
Syd and Ron have written extensively on the sonic differences between fixed and cathode biased amplifiers. My experiences mirror their findings. Where my cathode-biased Custom 54 was very smooth and seemed to describe a larger sound stage overall, the '120 is excels at revealing inner detail and presenting the position and surrounding space of each instrument. Where the Custom 54 had a very 'sweet' sound the '120 seems to reveal more of an instrument's initial attack. The latter difference could also be due in part to the differences in power. Both of these amplifiers are very musical, fatigue-free and render bass that is at once taut, extended and detailed. I should point out that the differences to which I refer are very subtle and simply reflect the slightly different viewpoints of two very fine amplifiers.
As well as these amplifiers perform (and that's very well, indeed) and as well as these amplifiers are made (and that's very well, indeed) they represent only a portion of what makes Ideal Innovations products such a pleasure to own. Much of their value derives from the people who build them: people who have many decades of experience, people who are committed to customer satisfaction and people who answer the phone!
Warren Rubin |
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Date:2003-11-12
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| Name: Thomas Robertson |
| Email: tonyarobertson@netzero.net |
| Comments: Hi, I recently purchased the Custom 80 power amp with improvements added by Syd, including 3 power supply fuses and independent cathode fuses for each of the eight 6L6GC output tubes to prevent internal circuit damage as a precaution. The thought and design placed into this amp is spectular, but the sound is what I wish to express. Using 4 output tubes per channel, designed using only one third of their output capacity generates the smoothest and most powerful 40+ watts I have ever heard before clipping. The massive transformers run very quietly, even at long (8 hour +) listening sessions. The sound has incredible attack, yet produces some of the some sweetest notes that are full, seperated, and natural. The music just flows smooth and natural out of my speakers with tonal clarity. I've auditioned this amp over 2 months before leaving comments to be accurate in my listening experience. As a notation, I also enjoy musical DVD's and movies w/added subwoofer from pre amp, and it has it's own unique listening experience because of the incrediblely wide sound field and clarity. I normally listen at a volume of 3/8s, but never past 5/8. The sound is incredible, but I don't want to damage my ears. By the way I still love my Stereo 50+ and listen every now and then, (it has it's own strengths and unique sound charactics), but I wanted emphase this recent purchase and what a fantastic acquisition that it was. Thanks much Syd. Regards, Thomas Robertson |
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Date:2003-10-01
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| Name: andrew vanderkruk Octave Audio |
| Email: kvanderk@golden.net |
| Comments: re stereo 30 amp, this amp is perfectly quiet with 15 clean watts that come out of my reproduced vita vox corner horns like it was 100 watts.Thanks Syd well done. |
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