bhobba Posted January 31, 2011 Author Posted January 31, 2011 Hi Guys A little birdy told me they found out I sold my NAKSA 70 to RAB (its the amp he used for his recent get together) and wondered why since I was/am so enthusiastic about it. Well as the guy that started this thread rest assured it had nothing to do with the amp - in fact its because I am so impressed with the amp I sold it for a higher purpose - I want to get the 100W version. Trouble is the techo I want to build it for me is run off his feet right now and won't be able to build it for a while. This is a pity because I am now using my little Redgum Sonofagum and while it is a good amp for the money compared to the NAKSA it is no contest. But I know it has gone to a good home with RAB. Rest assured once it is built I will hold a get together to check it out. Thanks Bill
Hugh Dean Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 You won't have long to wait, Bill, as together with Graeme Huon of Whyse fame (he's the clever one!) we are putting together the metalwork design for a chassis for both the 70 and the 100, which will be available for those that want a custom enclosure, purpose built for these very popular amps. Not long now...... not sure yet what cost it will add, but more than reasonable. Cases will be built by Elgee, of Dandenong, box makers to Kings and Queens of the realm. cheers, Hugh
New Sensations Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 You won't have long to wait, Bill, as together with Graeme Huon of Whyse fame (he's the clever one!) we are putting together the metalwork design for a chassis for both the 70 and the 100, which will be available for those that want a custom enclosure, purpose built for these very popular amps.Not long now...... not sure yet what cost it will add, but more than reasonable. Cases will be built by Elgee, of Dandenong, box makers to Kings and Queens of the realm. cheers, Hugh Oooh, this is terrific news, Hugh.
Hugh Dean Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 John, Yes, good news indeed, but it will be hugely expensive for Aspen, as metal work costs a hydrogen bomb. The prototypes will be around $1K; and I've had the benefit of a highly cadcam literate friend do most of the design, it's been a godsend. But it should look very professional and fit the need nicely, hopefully opening out a few more sales. Cheers, Hugh
soulsonic Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) The glass baffle is 1.5" thick. Hugh Hi Hugh and thanks for your help! Just one small correction, the tempered glass panel is only 6mm thick (0,24 of an inch?) I apologize for this interruption. Best regards, Miro Edited February 2, 2011 by soulsonic
Hugh Dean Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Miro, My apologies - easy to make these mistakes if you haven't seen it close up! Hugh
The Expanding Man Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 You won't have long to wait, Bill, as together with Graeme Huon of Whyse fame (he's the clever one!) we are putting together the metalwork design for a chassis for both the 70 and the 100, which will be available for those that want a custom enclosure, purpose built for these very popular amps.Not long now...... not sure yet what cost it will add, but more than reasonable. Cases will be built by Elgee, of Dandenong, box makers to Kings and Queens of the realm. cheers, Hugh Hi Hugh, Have you given any thought as to whether the enclosure will be available by itself, or whether it will only be available for new purchasers of the NAKSA?
davewantsmoore Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 You won't have long to wait, Bill, as together with Graeme Huon of Whyse fame (he's the clever one!) we are putting together the metalwork design for a chassis for both the 70 and the 100, which will be available for those that want a custom enclosure, purpose built for these very popular amps. Oh yeah!!!! :-D
soulsonic Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Hugh, there is absolutely no need to apologize, I thank you once again for your help. Cheers, miro
Hugh Dean Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 TEXM, Now, why would I want to supply amp cases without my esteemed amps inside? Am I mad, or are you right? Hmmm....... thimks........ Hugh
The Expanding Man Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 TEXM,Now, why would I want to supply amp cases without my esteemed amps inside? Am I mad, or are you right? Hmmm....... thimks........ Hugh I should have been clearer. I have been considering a Naksa purchase. This may determine whether I wait for the enclosure to be ready, or slap it in a cheap rack case in the meantime. I understand & respect that this is a strategic and commercial decision for you, and one you may not want to answer on a forum.
Guest Drizzt Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Kajak12, Could you please clarify your contradictory posts below? Would you recommend the Naska to someone if they wanted an amp that recreated audio that sounds like real music ? i had a good listen to the naksa its a great value amp imho punches way above its price point to other amps on the market full credit to hugh smart bloke and a clever desighn.auditioning is recommended if your after a bang for buck amp made in australia. i could write more but whats the point use your own ears and find out for yourself. yes i have yet to hear a ss amp that sounds like real music
andyr Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Kajak12, Could you please clarify your contradictory posts below? Would you recommend the NAKSA to someone if they wanted an amp that recreated audio that sounds like real music ? Haha - good pick up, Aaron. Regards, Andy PS: Irrespective of how he wriggles out of that one, I suggest you need to take your own ears over to Hugh's place and listen for yourself.
Guest Drizzt Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Hi Andy, I went to Rab's gtg recently and got to hear the ML1 PlusR + ML3 speakers and the NAKSA did a great job. It was great to have the naksa plugged in again after the low powered valve amp was spluttering away (totally underpowered for the job). For the money I reckon the NAKSA is great value. Haha - good pick up, Aaron. Regards, Andy PS: Irrespective of how he wriggles out of that one, I suggest you need to take your own ears over to Hugh's place and listen for yourself.
Hugh Dean Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Thanks DZT, Nice of you. Andy, Y'know, Kajak is yet to hear the NAKSA 100. I am hoping when he does there will be a loud, unrepeatable invective audible here in the East! Keep on truckin', Mario, nearly there..... We need a kaffe, could you bring yourself to row your boat to Heidelberg sometime soon? Hugh
Once was an audiophile Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) Kajak12,Could you please clarify your contradictory posts below? Would you recommend the Naska to someone if they wanted an amp that recreated audio that sounds like real music ? oh dritz you really like to stir **** dont you the naksa is musical, when compared to my valve amp the naksa does fall short of sounding as real sound staging,resolution,separation of instruments,weight,texture,presence. now dritz dont forget i am comparing $1800 naksa to $9000valve amp(custom made with quality parts which some are very hard to get) and a few people asked me how does the naksa compare to my valve amp like i told them the truth for the money its the most musical ss amp i have heard i have never stated anywhere its sound like real music. their is a difference between musical and sounding real. go and get a life dritz ps:dont forget dritz i am biased towards valves Edited February 5, 2011 by kajak12
Paul Spencer Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Yes, Paul, well spotted.They are modified AE drivers. Very expensive. The glass baffle is 1.5" thick. Miro is looking for an Australia agent/distributor for his $100K speakers. Does anyone here have any ideas whom I might approach on his behalf? He lives in Slovenia. Hugh They look great. Making a glass baffle appeals to me as a cost-no-object speaker and he's addresssed the challenge of attaching drivers nicely. oh dritz you really like to stir **** dont you the naksa is musical when compared to my valve amp it does fall short of sounding real sound staging,resolution,separation of instruments,weight,texture,presence. now dritz dont forget i am comparing $1800naksa to $9000 for my valve amp and a few people asked me how does the naksa compare to my valve amp like i told them the truth for the money its the most musical ss amp i have heard i have never stated anywhere its sound like real music. their is a difference between musical and sounding real. go and get a life dritz Interesting. That's the reverse of what I'd normally expect to hear, the valve amp being the one we'd expect to hear described as more musical, SS being typically more neutral. The Naksa in Rab's system didn't strike me as being coloured. The valve amp we heard first did give me the impression of a little sound of it's own, but it was with unfamiliar music/room/speakers.
bhobba Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 The Naksa in Rab's system didn't strike me as being coloured. The valve amp we heard first did give me the impression of a little sound of it's own, but it was with unfamiliar music/room/speakers. The NAKSA to my ears does not sound colored either. I think its distortion profile is revealed in its non transistor non fatiguing sound rather than sounding colored. To me its one of the best amps I know but obviously other top flight amps likely have characteristics that may appeal better to others ears and/or type of music they listen to. For example I really like the midrange of my Leben but the bass grip of the NAKSA leaves the Leben for dead. Thing is for the music I listen to that midrange really appeals. I can see myself ultimately having two amps - a NAKSA for the bass grip when my system is on home theater duties or when on the rare occasions I listen to bass heavy stuff or just casual listening and a Leben or similar for midrange critical listening. That is not to say the NAKSA has any problems in the midrange - but some valve amps seem to have this midrange affinity to my ears - but that is almost certainly distortion lacking in the NAKSA. Thanks Bill
Guest Drizzt Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Thanks for clarifying kajak12, as I was a bit surprised at you dismissal of all SS amps as not being able to recreate 'real music'. oh dritz you really like to stir **** dont you the naksa is musical, when compared to my valve amp the naksa does fall short of sounding as real sound staging,resolution,separation of instruments,weight,texture,presence. now dritz dont forget i am comparing $1800 naksa to $9000valve amp(custom made with quality parts which some are very hard to get) and a few people asked me how does the naksa compare to my valve amp like i told them the truth for the money its the most musical ss amp i have heard i have never stated anywhere its sound like real music. their is a difference between musical and sounding real. go and get a life dritz ps:dont forget dritz i am biased towards valves
andyr Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Remember the key point, Aaron - Kajak12 is biased towards valves. So he willingly sacrifices the bass "balls" that the ss NAKSA has, in favour of a valve amp that "sounds more like real music". It's a tough call, that one - purely personal preference - but I guess I myself prefer the combination of neutrality and bass heft that Hugh's amps provide. Regards, Andy
andyr Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Andy, We need a kaffe, could you bring yourself to row your boat to Heidelberg sometime soon? Hugh Yeah, I might be able to manage it next Fri am (I'm trying to take Fridays off, over the summer ). I'll send you an email to confirm, early in the week. Regards, Andy
Guest Drizzt Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Remember the key point, Aaron - Kajak12 is biased towards valves. hehe, but he tells me he is immune to bias. So much conflicting data
bhobba Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 Thanks for clarifying kajak12, as I was a bit surprised at you dismissal of all SS amps as not being able to recreate 'real music'. I don't think Mario is dismissive of all SS amps not sounding real - he simply has not heard one that to his ears is. I was recently speaking to an acquaintance on this very point and they thought the SS amp that may do it is the LFD: http://www.laurelpacificaudio.com/LFD/index.html http://www.generubinaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/lfd.pdf But it does cost $6K. Thanks Bill
dr-wyas Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Remember the key point, Aaron - Kajak12 is biased towards valves. So he willingly sacrifices the bass "balls" that the ss NAKSA has, in favour of a valve amp that "sounds more like real music". I understand what you're getting at, but having visited Mario's place recently and listened to his system for a couple of hours, to my ears there's very little 'sacrifice' being made when it comes to bass. The bass in Calypso Blues from Youn Sun Nah's Voyage was simply sublime.
Sir Rab of Everest Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 But I know it has gone to a good home with RAB. Indeed it has - and loving it! But I am also excited at having an opportunity to audition the NAKSA 100 in my system next week! we are putting together the metalwork design for a chassis for both the 70 and the 100 That's fantastic news Hugh! Can i hope that the chassis might have predrilled (or CNC'd) holes/openings for mounting the boards, transformers, inputs & outputs, and IEC socket...? That would greatly simplify the requirements for assembling a NAKSA for those of us without access to a drill press, nibbler, etc, not to mention avoiding the need to figure out exactly where to put all of these things in the chassis! Thanks for clarifying kajak12, as I was a bit surprised at you dismissal of all SS amps as not being able to recreate 'real music'. I think there's a couple of things going on here. First, i think you need to understand what Mario means by 'sounding like real music.' While it might sound like a putdown to say (by implication) that an amp does not sound like real music, the way i interpret Mario's comments is that 'sounding like real music' is the highest possible accolade that Mario would give to very few amplifiers... which leads to the second point. As noted already, Mario is a valve guy. As you no doubt know, there are many audiophiles worldwide who feel that only valve amps are capable of providing the very finest sound reproduction. Whether this is a 'bias' is a classic audiophile topic of debate in itself. Personally, I have owned both types of amplifiers over the years, and I am greatly enjoying the NAKSA 70 - can't wait to hear the NAKSA 100!
.thumb.jpg.cb6b24bd10b41bd7dcd534b13bb08334.jpg)
Recommended Posts