Viola

[bonzo75]

Who has experience with the Viola pre and power, and what have you preferred it to, or preferred to the Viola?

Can't find a demo

 

[JackD201]

IMO one of the best SS amps I've ever heard are the Bravos.

 

[garylkoh]

IMO one of the best SS amps I've ever heard are the Bravos.

+1

We did a great comparison between two of the best (IMHO) recently. As I said at that time (posted elsewhere on the Internet),

The Viola was organic, sweet and powerful; the Gryphon was engaging, rich and detailed. Both were supremely musical and you could listen to this system for hours and hours on end. We had to eventually drag ourselves away for dinner. Wonderful fellowship.

The Viola Bravos were in parallel (high-current) monoblock mode. They could also have been configured in bridged high-power monoblock mode, but we thought that the parallel sounded better in the context of this system. I could have been happy with either. The customer eventually went up a model on both the speakers and the amps - electing for Mephisto Solos (the monoblock version).

 

[JackD201]

Funny. I've never been a fan of bridged mode either.

 

[ack]

Gary, what's your opinion on the ThermalTrak transistors in the Viola (and others like, allegedly, some Ayre)? There are conflicting/unsubstantiated reports of manufacturing problems and/or being entirely discontinued by OnSemi?!?

 

[garylkoh]

Haven't heard of any problems from Viola about the transistors that they use - but they did say that yield was low. As far as I know, their finished product reliability is also excellent.

 

[es347]

The MC601 monoblocks and the MC452 stereo amp utilize the ThermalTrak transistors and I'm not aware of problems posted by owners..

 

[LL21]

+1

We did a great comparison between two of the best (IMHO) recently. As I said at that time (posted elsewhere on the Internet),



The Viola Bravos were in parallel (high-current) monoblock mode. They could also have been configured in bridged high-power monoblock mode, but we thought that the parallel sounded better in the context of this system. I could have been happy with either. The customer eventually went up a model on both the speakers and the amps - electing for Mephisto Solos (the monoblock version).

View attachment 19047

Fantastic photo...and btw, this is one of the reasons i really like WBF...tremendous experience in the uber high end. This (for me) is great because Gryphon is something i know and can calibrate...and so this gives me a very good idea (particularly given it's Gary saying it) of Viola.

That said, does the 2.2Jr really benefit from Mephisto monos...i thought the bass was self-powered?

 

[garylkoh]

I don't know if the G2.2Jr would benefit from the Mephisto monos - but I do know that they benefit from one Bravo vs monoblocked. Even though the bass is self-powered, and it's pretty efficient, more power gives an ease and effortlessness with the music that low-power amps and highly efficient speakers never seem to achieve. Unfortunately, some extremely powerful amps are effortless but slow. Neither the Mephisto nor the Bravos are slow.

 

[rnsa2000]

Hello guys,

I had the Viola Forte monos, I thought the very refined, transparent and with good speed, but I thought it lacked strength. My loudspeakers at the time were the Dynaudio 25th. I could also hear the Viola Forte with the Amati Anniversary and the Dynaudio Prestige.

I had another experience with Viola Symphony, the loudspeakers were Dynaudio Temptation, this combination was very impressive. The power had excellent control of the loudspeakers.

Currently my experiences have been with the Gryphon, I initially had the Gryphon Diablo, and at this time I'm with double Mirage + Colosseum.


Best regards,
Ricardo.

 

[LL21]

Hello guys,

I had the Viola Forte monos, I thought the very refined, transparent and with good speed, but I thought it lacked strength. My loudspeakers at the time were the Dynaudio 25th. I could also hear the Viola Forte with the Amati Anniversary and the Dynaudio Prestige.

I had another experience with Viola Symphony, the loudspeakers were Dynaudio Temptation, this combination was very impressive. The power had excellent control of the loudspeakers.

Currently my experiences have been with the Gryphon, I initially had the Gryphon Diablo, and at this time I'm with double Mirage + Colosseum.


Best regards,
Ricardo.

Fantastic...thanks for the insights. I am CJ GAT/Gryphon Colosseum. Enjoy, from a fellow Gryphon owner!!!

 

[bonzo75]

Thanks. Based on Ricardo's comment, can anyone opine on how good Symphony is, compared to the Bravos?

 

[rnsa2000]

Fantastic...thanks for the insights. I am CJ GAT/Gryphon Colosseum. Enjoy, from a fellow Gryphon owner!!!

Thank you!!!

 

[wizard]

Crescendo preamp.

Concerto amp.

The pics are from Hifistatement.