Einstein Silver Bullet OTL Mk. II Driving Wilson Audio Alexx

Ron Resnick

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I heard this afternoon the system of Danny Kaey, a Reviewer for Positive Feedback, which I think displays the fastest rise time in terms of dynamics, and the most instantaneous “jump factor,” I have ever heard (meaning ever). I visited Danny only for a couple of hours but from just a few seconds after the first needle-drop I knew his system was something special -- and I was pretty much dumbfounded for the rest of the listening session.

In this system a suite of all Einstein electronics -- including the Einstein Silver Bullet OTL Mk. IIs (65 wpc into 8 ohms; 50 wpc into 4 ohms) drove Wilson Audio Alexx loudspeakers (91 dB sensitivity).

I stipulate that I can't prove any of this with comparative listening sessions -- this was the first time I heard Einstein electronics and Alexx speakers in a leisurely environment (and the turntable and tonearm and cartrige were new to me, too) -- but I'm pretty sure about a few of things:


1) The Wilson Audio Alexx is without any doubt (on my part) the best speaker the company has ever made (WAMM Chronosonic excluded, which I have never seen or heard).


2) I think there is some jump factor and dynamics and crystalline transparency “magic” in eliminating the output transformers from the power amplifiers. Now I am not sure whether I am more interested in experimenting on the Pendragon ribbon panels with the NAT Audio Magma New SEs or the Einstein Silver Bullet OTL Mk. IIs. (The 89 dB sensitivity of the Pendragon ribbon panel is significantly less sensitive than the 91 dB sensitive Alexx, and that probably disqualifies the Einstein OTLs right there, but I still want to try OTL (even though I am a big believer in the merit of “excess” amplifier power for electrostatic and ribbon drivers).


3) Danny's system sounded breathtaking without:

A) fancy audiophile fuses,
B) any major acoustic treatment (just three diffusors behind the listening chair which is four feet from the rear wall)
C) $10,000 interconnect network boxes,
D) heroically heavy stands,
E) active or pneumatic isolation platforms,
F) special footers,
G) sympathetic resonators,
H) balanced power,
I) isolation transformers,
J) NCF outlets,
K) expensive power cables or connectors
L) power conditioners
M) cable elevators,
N) special stones or weights
O) after-market titanium headshells, etc.​

This system simply was dialed-in perfectly. Danny said he aligns the cartridges himself, a feat of black magic I never will be able to accomplish.


4) I never thought I would say this, and certainly not about Wilson Audio speakers, but the Einstein electronics embued the Alexxes with -- please sit down lest you fall over when you read this -- electrostatic-like transparency of which I did not think any dynamic driver system was capable.


5) I did not hear from the Einstein OTLs the slight tube warmth (which I like) I hear from VTL and NAT Audio mplifiers. When I was talking earlier this year with people who owned Atma-Sphere OTLs there was a consistent refrain: that the Atma-Sphere OTLs, while incredibly transparent and crystalline and clear, have a slightly leaner presentation than conventional tube designs. I think I heard that today with the Einsteins.


6) Part of the “secret sauce” of this system is that the speakers are about 15 feet in front of the front wall. This allowed great depth of sound to develop.


Danny has not one but two Telefunken M15 tape decks. Tape sounded amazing, as always!

Thanks very much to Danny for a fun afternoon and for a great introduction to OTL amplifiers and to the Wilson Alexx!
 

Sablon Audio

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Ron, I would recommend you seek out the Berning Quadratures for an audition. They display many of the qualities you appear to have enjoyed here and sound sensational.
 

DaveyF

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Ron, I agree with you, the Alexx's are the best Wilsons that I have heard. No top end sibilance, no bottom end bloat, and an ability to define images that needs to be heard. Far better than any other Wilson I have heard, although, like you, I have not heard the Wamm's.
While you say that no other treatments were in the room, I am sure that the room you heard them in was a superb room from an acoustic perspective.
 

Ron Resnick

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The room was great naturally from an acoustic perspective -- about 30' long and about 17' wide.
 

Ron Resnick

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Ron, I would recommend you seek out the Berning Quadratures for an audition. They display many of the qualities you appear to have enjoyed here and sound sensational.

Thank you for the thought. Here is the thing: I love the transient response and crystalline clarity and transparency of the OTL, but I like (or maybe I am just used to and comfortable with) the warmth and body of the NAT Audio and VTL amps I have heard.

microstrip feels the VTL MB-750s have a slightly muddy, out-dated, non-neutral sound. I don't know. I will have to spend a long time getting used to the new system (if the house is ever fixed), and then it will be extremely interesting for me to insert a new amplifier into the system for auditioning. The crystalline sound of the OTL on the ribbon panels makes me nervous I will find the sound too lean (for my comfort).
 

XV-1

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bonzo75

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Thank you for the thought. Here is the thing: I love the transient response and crystalline clarity and transparency of the OTL, but I like (or maybe I am just used to and comfortable with) the warmth and body of the NAT Audio and VTL amps I have heard.

microstrip feels the VTL MB-750s have a slightly muddy, out-dated, non-neutral sound. I don't know. I will have to spend a long time getting used to the new system (if the house is ever fixed), and then it will be extremely interesting for me to insert a new amplifier into the system for auditioning. The crystalline sound of the OTL on the ribbon panels makes me nervous I will find the sound too lean (for my comfort).

I agree with that assessment of VTL. OTL to me is much better but as always only on speakers they work on. If you want to drive TAD with valves, you need VTL.
 

bonzo75

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bonzo75

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Ron, those items listed in your point 3 - none of my favorite rooms except Mike's have them, including the more smaller/small budget favorite rooms, but that does not mean they should not be added or played with as it is all part of the hobby. It could be argued that you could have been happy with a much lesser TT or cartridge but you will choose to upgrade. Heck, one of my favorite rooms has a Denon CD player and a Nottingham Dais with Schick arm. That does not mean his Caeles with Schroeder arm will not work better.

As part of the hobby, one can choose to isolate their components, improve cabling and power supply, etc etc after the rest is in place, provided there are no negative effects. Of course ensuring there are no negative side effects is tough and expensive to do . If room and core components are finalized, cables, NCF outlets etc are fair game. Also, upgrading say, speakers, leads to a lot of cash outflow in one go while cash outflow for tweaks in many cases is easier to manage.
 

LL21

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Thank you for the thought. Here is the thing: I love the transient response and crystalline clarity and transparency of the OTL, but I like (or maybe I am just used to and comfortable with) the warmth and body of the NAT Audio and VTL amps I have heard.

microstrip feels the VTL MB-750s have a slightly muddy, out-dated, non-neutral sound. I don't know. I will have to spend a long time getting used to the new system (if the house is ever fixed), and then it will be extremely interesting for me to insert a new amplifier into the system for auditioning. The crystalline sound of the OTL on the ribbon panels makes me nervous I will find the sound too lean (for my comfort).

There is an excellent review of the Berning Quads by a big, big fan of them (Roy Gregory who might even still own them), which compares them with the then reference CJ LP275 monos and one other...and the gyst is:

- the most minute inflections, nuances are easily and instantly heard and appreciated with the Berning monos...you will hear DEEP into every recording and the inner workings of the notes, in particular the silent pauses in between the notes
- But the absolute power/depth of tone in comparison with the LP275 might have made the Berning appear more lean

However, I have never heard them...and understand from a few people who own/have heard the Berning Quads that what it reveals of the inner microdynamics is insanely addictive and rarely heard outside of the Berning/OTL world. Just passing this along...not experimented myself.
 

Sablon Audio

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Having had a pair here for the past year, I can endorse the many eulogies about these amps. They are lightening fast / very transparent / extended / tonally natural / musical. There is sufficient power to effortlessly drive my 88db / 6 ohm Wilson Benesch in a 5000 cubic ft room.
 

Ron Resnick

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I just realised -- the Einsteins might be an amazing, synergistic match on Rockport speakers.
 

bonzo75

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I just realised -- the Einsteins might be an amazing, synergistic match on Rockport speakers.

I had also tried Einstein on analysis Audio omega, not sure of the model of the amp. It shut down every time during a loud Mahler part and had no drive on the softer parts or on vocal tracks. I am quite open to trying the lower priced amp on horns I like.
 

DaveyF

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I read somewhere that the Einsteins shut down while driving Harbeth 40.2's as well! Clearly, one has to be VERY careful matching this amp up to the partnering speakers.
 

Ron Resnick

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That doesn't surprise me. That's why I believe strongly that ribbon drivers and electrostatic panels cannot be under-driven.

40 w at 4 ohms is not nearly enough power for multi-way ribbon/planar magnetic speakers.

I had also tried Einstein on analysis Audio omega, not sure of the model of the amp. It shut down every time during a loud Mahler part and had no drive on the softer parts or on vocal tracks. I am quite open to trying the lower priced amp on horns I like.
 

bonzo75

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It was 80w 8 ohm, 120w 4 ohm. It's about control not just power
 

Ron Resnick

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That might have been a hybrid model?
 

microstrip

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Thank you for the thought. Here is the thing: I love the transient response and crystalline clarity and transparency of the OTL, but I like (or maybe I am just used to and comfortable with) the warmth and body of the NAT Audio and VTL amps I have heard.

microstrip feels the VTL MB-750s have a slightly muddy, out-dated, non-neutral sound. I don't know. I will have to spend a long time getting used to the new system (if the house is ever fixed), and then it will be extremely interesting for me to insert a new amplifier into the system for auditioning. The crystalline sound of the OTL on the ribbon panels makes me nervous I will find the sound too lean (for my comfort).

OTL's are great amplifiers when used in the adequate system. They are not neutral - but on the opposite side of your VTL's. I have owned several - copies of Futterman OTL3 and Tecnhics 20A, Graaf 20 and Atmasphere MA50, MA2 and MA2 Mk2.

The main drawback of OTL is supplying current - it is why I find risky using them with the Allex - these 6c33 will be short lived if they have to play the 1.5 -2 ohms Allex loud. They should play nice in your 6 ohm panels. OTLs sound great with the type of music you list in your listening tests, but are sometimes less happy with Shostakovitch symphonies or very complex music with high bass content.

I have considered the Einstein in the past (they are made in Germany), but as both ECC88 and 6C33 are known for being critical and I moved away. I can not listen to everything, but would love to re-listen to my ex-MA2's with the XLF's - they were the only OTL that I tried that had real power.
 

LL21

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OTL's are great amplifiers when used in the adequate system. They are not neutral - but on the opposite side of your VTL's. I have owned several - copies of Futterman OTL3 and Tecnhics 20A, Graaf 20 and Atmasphere MA50, MA2 and MA2 Mk2.

The main drawback of OTL is supplying current - it is why I find risky using them with the Allex - these 6c33 will be short lived if they have to play the 1.5 -2 ohms Allex loud. They should play nice in your 6 ohm panels. OTLs sound great with the type of music you list in your listening tests, but are sometimes less happy with Shostakovitch symphonies or very complex music with high bass content.

I have considered the Einstein in the past (they are made in Germany), but as both ECC88 and 6C33 are known for being critical and I moved away. I can not listen to everything, but would love to re-listen to my ex-MA2's with the XLF's - they were the only OTL that I tried that had real power.

Most interesting Micro...you surely have enormous experience which I appreciate your sharing...fantastic.
 

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