High efficiency horn speaker amp question

[Addicted to hifi]

Well, I would expect that to happen. Optimistic 99dB/w/m sensitivity so your 5w SET will tap out at 105dB max before clipping, less at the listening chair. As mentioned elsewhere, if optimal sound is your goal, a SET amp needs to run low at most 20% of max power for the peaks, so that amp should not really use more than 1w to sound "good"...which is not loud enough. It would probably work ok on 110dB sensitivity speakers though.

Something like a 15w SET may have worked ok on your Westminsters, but probably not.

It was at a hifi show when it happened on that system. A person in the crowd asked why the voice cracked up and the guy said the amplifier run out of juice.

 

[acg]

It sure sounds like it did. A poor amp/speaker match that should have been easily predicted.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

It was at a hifi show when it happened on that system. A person in the crowd asked why the voice cracked up and the guy said the amplifier run out of juice.

some amateurs!

 

[Atmasphere]

But you also mentioned a number of reasons why SET amps help horns, so the relationship is somewhat symbiotic.

Yes- but no more so than with a variety of other amplifiers.

tannoy westminister horns. 5 watt set.it distorted on the vocals on medium volume.

Something like a 15w SET may have worked ok on your Westminsters, but probably not.

5 watts? You need more like 60 on Westminsters, and a 15 watt SET will likely have less bandwidth than the speakers, making it a poor choice!

some amateurs!

Yeah- I would have vetted that system prior to the show. Having an amp run out of power at a show is really inexcusable. You don't want it to do anything but loaf

 

[Ron Resnick]

5 watts? You need more like 60 on Westminsters, and a 15 watt SET will likely have less bandwidth than the speakers, making it a poor choice!

Big +1

I like Jim Ford's ARC 160 monos and now big Canary Class A 200+ watt monos on his Westminsters.

 

[jeff1225]

Big +1

I like Jim Ford's ARC 160 monos and now big Canary Class A 200+ watt monos on his Westminsters.

The more tube power he throws at those speakers the better they sound.

 

[Tave5]

When you want go SS amp read this..review i can not better describe

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Category: Amplifiers Well, how to begin?I am not mad about reviews. It is always the same. A little bit more of that here and less of that there. And a...

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This small Class A mono amps destroy many expensive power amplifiers. they are quick and never sound unpleasant. my recommendation they are noiseless over -120dB perfect for horns.
View attachment 74892 View attachment 74893

I have the Omtec CA-25V3 Monoblocks. All my Speakers are very efficient except for my ESL Solutions Refurbished Quad 57s which the Omtecs Drive perfectly. I’ve always been more of a Tube Amp guy until I heard and bought my first Pure Class A SE 10W/pc John Wesley Hood designed Power Amp. My other speakers at present are Rethm Bhaava’s/ Custom made Tonians ( Tony Minisian ) is an artist if u have never heard Tonians / Viking Acoustic Briton Hybrid Monitors / John Kalinowski Back Loaded Horns / and I use both Tube Preamps and Solid state Pre’s as well as the Lightspeed Passive Preamp. I’m going to be putting a new system together if anyone has interest in My Omtec CA-25V3 or just want to talk HiFi

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I have the Omtec CA-25V3 Monoblocks. All my Speakers are very efficient except for my ESL Solutions Refurbished Quad 57s which the Omtecs Drive perfectly. I’ve always been more of a Tube Amp guy until I heard and bought my first Pure Class A SE 10W/pc John Wesley Hood designed Power Amp. My other speakers at present are Rethm Bhaava’s/ Custom made Tonians ( Tony Minisian ) is an artist if u have never heard Tonians / Viking Acoustic Briton Hybrid Monitors / John Kalinowski Back Loaded Horns / and I use both Tube Preamps and Solid state Pre’s as well as the Lightspeed Passive Preamp. I’m going to be putting a new system together if anyone has interest in My Omtec CA-25V3 or just want to talk HiFi View attachment 79852 View attachment 79851 View attachment 79852 View attachment 79853 View attachment 79854

Beautiful amplifiers and speaker system

 

[manisandher]

I tried biamping my all out hornsystem with Neurochrome Class D...

The Neurochrome Modulus range of amps are not class D - they're class AB. They sound superb IMO - better than any other amps I've ever had/tried here with my horns.

(Neurochrome do sell an input buffer for Hypex class D amps though.)

Mani.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

whatever, they seemed fine till I went back to my all out 300Bs , then I got the midbass harmonics and rhytm back
now I used Powersoft modules and they integrate superbly with the 300Bs

 

[manisandher]

To my ears, the Neurochromes are as near to perfect amps as I've ever managed to find. They have the harmonic richness of my old Thoress/Elrog 300B monos and the clarity and speed of my old First Watt F5 monos. You can put your ear next to the mouth of the 109dB/W@1m tweeter and hear just the faintest of hiss. The Neurochromes are superb IMO. I am left wanting for absolutely nothing.

But everyone to their own .

Being DIY modules, perhaps the implemenation of the Neurochromes is as important as the modules themselves? My amp builder took extreme care in putting them together, including builiding massively over-sized linear supplies for them.

Hopefully, @bonzo75 will make a visit to my place in the near future. He heard my Animas when they were passive and being driven by the F5 monos. Being driven actively with multiple Neurochromes (one amp per driver) has taken their performance to a whole new level. Will be interesting to hear Ked's thoughts on how they compare with the best that he's heard.

Mani.

 

[Solypsa]

now I used Powersoft modules and they integrate superbly with the 300Bs

At what frequency does the powersoft hand over to 300b?

Also, if you care to share, are you using powersoft dsp at all?

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

700 and yes, 3 ch
1 for sub and 1 for each of JBL 2220B in midbasshorns, individual setting for upper and lover horn

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

To my ears, the Neurochromes are as near to perfect amps as I've ever managed to find. They have the harmonic richness of my old Thoress/Elrog 300B monos and the clarity and speed of my old First Watt F5 monos. You can put your ear next to the mouth of the 109dB/W@1m tweeter and hear just the faintest of hiss. The Neurochromes are superb IMO. I am left wanting for absolutely nothing.

But everyone to their own .

Being DIY modules, perhaps the implemenation of the Neurochromes is as important as the modules themselves? My amp builder took extreme care in putting them together, including builiding massively over-sized linear supplies for them.

Hopefully, @bonzo75 will make a visit to my place in the near future. He heard my Animas when they were passive and being driven by the F5 monos. Being driven actively with multiple Neurochromes (one amp per driver) has taken their performance to a whole new level. Will be interesting to hear Ked's thoughts on how they compare with the best that he's heard.

Mani.

My Neurochromes had linear supplies. Also had with switch and same signature.
Elrog is not a 300B

 

[bonzo75]

My Neurochromes had linear supplies. Also had with switch and same signature.
Elrog is not a 300B

You mean it has different measurements to original 300b?

But you should try the valves, they have very nice neutrality and transparency

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

I've had them for several years.
I prefer Living Voice, Takatsuki and WE
No wonder Neurochromes compares favourably/same as those anemic Elrog
Compare to proper 300Bs IMO

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

The F5 are not particularly clear either.
I built a pair with choke input power and that was a different animal reg resolution and harmonics. Still have them

 

[manisandher]

@christensenleif@msn.com , it seems you're happy with your setup. I certainly am with mine. As I said, everyone to their own.

I only posted here to correct your blatant mistake that the Neurochromes are class D. If you can't even get that right, then I'll take everything else you say with a pinch of salt.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

yes that was a mistake but not really significant for the performance of the neurochrome, whether linear or sm supplied
if you cannot hear the difference between a well designed and executed 300B amp and the neurochrome , you´re either deaf or need to work on the resolution of your system
probably the latter when I read your signature
I´ve heard them twice and wasn´t very impressed..cheap drivers and not particularly well integrated...
why is it that some people argument that they can turn granite into gold?
there are no such shortcuts in audio, unless my 50 years of audio ignorance misled me totally
I´ll buy you a kilo of salt.....

 

[manisandher]

yes that was a mistake but not really significant for the performance of the neurochrome, whether linear or sm supplied
if you cannot hear the difference between a well designed and executed 300B amp and the neurochrome , you´re eather deaf or need to work on the resolution of your system
probably the latter when I read your signature
why is it that some people argument that they can turn granite into gold?
there are no such shortcuts in audio, unless my 50 years of audio ignorance misled me totally
I´ll buy you a kilo of salt.....

I'd go with 50 years of audio ignorance.