Nat Audio - giant killers?

morricab · Feb 9, 2017

microstrip said:
It is one of the amplifiers that attracts my curiosity - the Wavac SH833. The 833 is really the king of the DHT's. Do you know what were the speakers being used with the Wavac SH833's?

XLFs will work just fine I would think.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

microstrip said:
It is one of the amplifiers that attracts my curiosity - the Wavac SH833. The 833 is really the king of the DHT's. Do you know what were the speakers being used with the Wavac SH833's?

Think Keith_W preferred the Einstein OTL to the Wavac 805 on his Acapella. Milhalis on the Gon went to the Vitus from his Wavac SH 833 MkII on his big Martens (and he also compared Kondo Kagura IIRC, or someone did). I know an 805 for sale in the UK at 6k GBP

morricab · Feb 9, 2017

bonzo75 said:
Think Keith_W preferred the Einstein OTL to the Wavac 805 on his Acapella. Milhalis on the Gon went to the Vitus from his Wavac SH 833 MkII on his big Martens (and he also compared Kondo Kagura IIRC, or someone did). I know an 805 for sale in the UK at 6k GBP

You are talking about the MD805s not the HE805.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

What's the sonic difference in the two

LL21 · Feb 9, 2017

microstrip said:
It is one of the amplifiers that attracts my curiosity - the Wavac SH833. The 833 is really the king of the DHT's. Do you know what were the speakers being used with the Wavac SH833's?

He was running Gryphon Poseiden...the 4-tower forerunner to the current Kodos. The bass towers are self-powered.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

LL21 said:
He was running Gryphon Poseiden...the 4-tower forerunner to the current Kodos. The bass towers are self-powered.

I think you are referring to Mihalis? He shifted from the Poseidon to the Marten 4 towers, and from Wavac to Vitus

LL21 · Feb 9, 2017

microstrip said:
It is one of the amplifiers that attracts my curiosity - the Wavac SH833. The 833 is really the king of the DHT's. Do you know what were the speakers being used with the Wavac SH833's?

When i first got the Wilson Xs, i considered lots of amps: CJ LP275, Lamm ML2.2, Wavac 833 (the first level), Gryphon, Boulder 2060. All 2nd hand, and all within a surprisingly narrow price band. In the end, it came down to availability for the audition since some were located half way around the world. If i'd had the chance to listen to something locally, i might have come to a different conclusion. But I am extremely happy with Gryphon which also gives greater long-term flexibility in speakers should I change the Xs for more difficult loads.

Argonaut · Feb 9, 2017

bonzo75 said:
Think Keith_W preferred the Einstein OTL to the Wavac 805 on his Acapella. Milhalis on the Gon went to the Vitus from his Wavac SH 833 MkII on his big Martens (and he also compared Kondo Kagura IIRC, or someone did). I know an 805 for sale in the UK at 6k GBP

And your point is bonzo? Are you implying a lack of fidelity within Wavac amplification?

Audiophiles might make such a major change to their system for any number of reasons, from identifying a better impedance match between Amplification and Transducer, through to sheer boredom and a desire for change. As such this does not always infer an absolute regarding the previous incumbant item of equipment.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

Harlequin said:
And your point is bonzo? Are you implying a lack of fidelity within Wavac amplification?

Audiophiles might make such a major change to their system for any number of reasons, from identifying a better impedance match between Amplification and Transducer, through to sheer boredom and a desire for change. As such this does not always infer an absolute regarding the previous incumbant item of equipment.

No I am pointing to people who have had experience with both so that people can contact them to know what's what.

Argonaut · Feb 9, 2017

bonzo75 said:
No I am pointing to people who have had experience with both so that people can contact them to know what's what.

Not particularly how your post reads.

morricab · Feb 9, 2017

bonzo75 said:
What's the sonic difference in the two

Quite a lot, I would think given the price differential. THe MD805s are around $20K new and the HE805 is like $70K. The input and driver circuit are completely different, chassis is milled from solid aluminum block, more and better transformers, chokes etc. I haven't heard MD805s though so I cannot say what the difference is.

The MD805 is near the bottom of the Wavac lineup and the HE805 is one step below the HE833 (one box version).

In between MD and HE is the EC line. The reviewer, Jack Roberts, was using the EC300B for quite some time (more than $20K 300B amp) as his reference. There is an EC838 that looks interesting but rarely ever comes up for sale. I have yet to see an used HE805 up for sale...ever. There are 3 pairs of MD805 for sale right now on Audiomarkt, so if I ever want to try a pair they are not so hard to find.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

Harlequin said:
Not particularly how your post reads.

When people change, best to ask them why. Keith didn't change, his post on stereo net reads that he found the Wavac HD 805 to be wanting in bass compared to the Einstein on dems with his acapella. I have no experience with Wavac

morricab · Feb 9, 2017

bonzo75 said:
When people change, best to ask them why. Keith didn't change, his post on stereo net reads that he found the Wavac HD 805 to be wanting in bass compared to the Einstein on dems with his acapella. I have no experience with Wavac

There is no HD 805...it is either MD805 monos (most likely) or the HE805. Go to the Wavac website and you will see they are quite different.

bonzo75 · Feb 9, 2017

Sorry, MD

spiritofmusic · Feb 9, 2017

Justin, can't comment on Amperex v GEs
Have you heard my particular amp w the Amperex?
Unfortunately the SE2SEs aren't self biasing, so endless tube rolling is a bitch
Happy to stick w Peter's recommendation
Unless you can point me to an SE2SEs install w the Amperex I can go visit

gareneau · Feb 9, 2017

Brad,

I know you're not a big fan of Krell amplification but still would like to get your read on whether a preamp like NAT's Symmetrical would play nicely with Krell amps. Any thoughts?

morricab · Feb 9, 2017

gareneau said:
Brad,

I know you're not a big fan of Krell amplification but still would like to get your read on whether a preamp like NAT's Symmetrical would play nicely with Krell amps. Any thoughts?

Should work because the NAT has a low output impedance that should allow it to work fine with SS amps, many of which have somewhat low input impedances.

gareneau · Feb 9, 2017

morricab said:
Should work because the NAT has a low output impedance that should allow it to work fine with SS amps, many of which have somewhat low input impedances.

Good to know - thanks for this.

spiritofmusic · Feb 9, 2017

Gary, have sent you a couple of PMs
Marc

spiritofmusic · Feb 9, 2017

Home for 2 hrs from work, and the NATs are kind of time and matter transference machines
Taking you to the time and place of the performers
I've had the Koda K10 and Ypsilon SET100 on trial in the past, but the NATs win out for more neutrality than the former and more tone than the latter
Truly high high end at modest outlay

Nat Audio - giant killers?

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