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Post by boomzilla on Jan 29, 2020 17:35:38 GMT -5
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Post by lehighvalleyjeff on Jan 29, 2020 20:12:48 GMT -5
One of the finest audio reviews I’ve ever read. Very insightful and well written.
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Post by audiobill on Jan 29, 2020 20:48:00 GMT -5
Nice job, Glenn!
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Post by boomzilla on Jan 29, 2020 20:56:11 GMT -5
Thanks, gents. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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Post by Ex_Vintage on Jan 29, 2020 21:35:23 GMT -5
Very thought provoking review. Certainly a big issue is that all recorded music has "coloration" due to the use of electronic amplification. Some is good, some not so much. A purist sitting in front of that cello will never get the same experience in his or her home audio system. Electronics and room effects guarantee that. Interesting pics of the general schematic and the packaging. Much of their focus is on the purity of the power supply and the separation of power and signal. Many forum members have echoed the same thing with the power sources they are using for their streaming devices.
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Post by garbulky on Jan 29, 2020 23:21:01 GMT -5
Having heard this beautiful preamp, I can concur that this is probably the best most honest reviews I've read. He nailed everything about this preamp. In speakers, it conveys an extremely natural sounding reproduction of whatever you are listening to. There's so much sound and emotion it can bring out in his system. As he mentioned, it isn't necessarily a 100% fidelity. But when you listen to it, you don't think that you are losing anything but "gaining" an appreciation for the music. Imo this is the solid state version of tubes.
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Post by mgbpuff on Jan 30, 2020 8:51:48 GMT -5
This preamp is a Chinese knockoff of Krell Cast technology. As usual the intellectual property was stolen without proper licensing. The current mode approach is undoubtedly responsible for the unit's uniquely good (or different) performance. If however the unit can not be left on continuously, then the design is not thermodynamically stable. How one can buy such a design is beyond me!
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Post by drtrey3 on Jan 30, 2020 9:06:45 GMT -5
Outstanding. I appreciate the time you took to discuss preamp theory. Really well done pal.
Trey
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Post by brutiarti on Jan 30, 2020 9:55:57 GMT -5
As the original owner of the reviewed HE-1 I can assure to anybody that is on the fence about this preamp to just pull the trigger. You will be very happy and any desire to upgrade on the preamp side will disappear. |
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Post by garbulky on Jan 30, 2020 11:23:54 GMT -5
This preamp is a Chinese knockoff of Krell Cast technology. As usual the intellectual property was stolen without proper licensing. The current mode approach is undoubtedly responsible for the unit's uniquely good (or different) performance. If however the unit can not be left on continuously, then the design is not thermodynamically stable. How one can buy such a design is beyond me! You can leave it on. But it won’t last many years |
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Post by boomzilla on Jan 30, 2020 12:41:52 GMT -5
This preamp is a Chinese knockoff of Krell Cast technology. As usual the intellectual property was stolen without proper licensing... News to me. You sure? ...The current mode approach is undoubtedly responsible for the unit's uniquely good (or different) performance... Actually, not having any Krell equipment myself, I've never used the preamp in current mode. ...If however the unit can not be left on continuously, then the design is not thermodynamically stable... We can agree on this one! ...How one can buy such a design is beyond me! Have you HEARD it? |
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KeithL
Administrator 
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Post by KeithL on Jan 30, 2020 12:49:21 GMT -5
I'm inclined to agree - that "only being able to run for ten hours at a time" seems like a bit of a design flaw. However, I would disagree in attributing anything about how it sounds to the "Cast technology". Using a current-mode link between components is nothing new... and generally shouldn't contribute to any sort of sound signature. (It is more resistant to picking up certain types of noise, and less resistant to others, but there is no reason why it should alter the sound.)
I would be more inclined to attribute a distinctive sound to their choice to avoid feedback... combined with things like "single ended FET input buffers".
(Feedback is generally used to ensure a more accurate signal and avoid coloration by cancelling out errors and distortion.)
This preamp is a Chinese knockoff of Krell Cast technology. As usual the intellectual property was stolen without proper licensing. The current mode approach is undoubtedly responsible for the unit's uniquely good (or different) performance. If however the unit can not be left on continuously, then the design is not thermodynamically stable. How one can buy such a design is beyond me! You can leave it on. But it won’t last many years |
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Post by brutiarti on Jan 30, 2020 12:56:36 GMT -5
The newer version can be left on now.
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Post by mgbpuff on Jan 30, 2020 13:02:26 GMT -5
This preamp is a Chinese knockoff of Krell Cast technology. As usual the intellectual property was stolen without proper licensing... News to me. You sure? ...The current mode approach is undoubtedly responsible for the unit's uniquely good (or different) performance... Actually, not having any Krell equipment myself, I've never used the preamp in current mode. ...If however the unit can not be left on continuously, then the design is not thermodynamically stable... We can agree on this one! ...How one can buy such a design is beyond me! Have you HEARD it? 1. Other sources say so - I am retired in Georgia, what the hell do I know! 2.There is internal current mode circuitry in addition to the current external circuit which requires a special input circuit on the receiving amplifier. 3. O.K. glad we agree. 4. I have not heard it and I am sure it sounds great because I trust you on your judgement. I based this statement on the overheating and the warning not to leave it on indefinitely (or unattended?). That doesn't sound good to me. |
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Post by mgbpuff on Jan 30, 2020 13:05:13 GMT -5
The newer version can be left on now. Glad to hear that. What did they change? |
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Post by brutiarti on Jan 30, 2020 13:16:02 GMT -5
The newer version can be left on now. Glad to hear that. What did they change? Kingwa mentions updated transformers. Remember that this design has the regenerative power supply. www.audio-gd.com/HE/HE-12017/HE-12017EN.htm |
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Post by mgbpuff on Jan 30, 2020 13:48:25 GMT -5
O.K. new transformers have eliminated the over heating problem. Good! And as to the regenerative power supply, they must be 'regenerating' 50hz/60hz to the higher 400hz (is it 400hz for both 50 and 60hz systems?) for the audio amplifier power supplies. Seems like a lot of power supply antics! |
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Jan 30, 2020 14:06:41 GMT -5
Audio G*D has a "thing" for really complicated power supplies with a lot of parts. And, yes, I would agree that they've moved well past the point of "needless complication" there.
O.K. new transformers have eliminated the over heating problem. Good! And as to the regenerative power supply, they must be 'regenerating' 50hz/60hz to the higher 400hz (is it 400hz for both 50 and 60hz systems?) for the audio amplifier power supplies. Seems like a lot of power supply antics! |
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Post by ttocs on Jan 30, 2020 15:00:11 GMT -5
Firstly, question for Keith: What's the realm after "needless" called?
I noticed on their web site that they can supply cables to connect to Krell CAST amps, so it would appear that they "do" have a thing for Krell design. And based on the talk of too many therms, maybe they were using some of the firebreathing (literally) designs from Krell's past.
edit: and yes, thoroughly enjoyed the review! I had some questions at the point where I needed to pause, but those were answered as I read to the end. Would love to hear about it if/when you figure out why the sound stage is so glorious with this preamp!
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Jan 30, 2020 16:35:38 GMT -5
"Superfluous" maybe...?
Audio G*D is an interesting company. For example, unlike most other companies, they do seem to believe that "you can be everything to everyone". For example, rather than choosing what they believe to be the best DAC topology or DAC chip, they offer lots of DAC models, encompassing a wide variety of choices.
They do sometimes, shall we say, tend to stray rather far afield from accepted design practices. (I've owned several of their DACs and headphone amps in the past... and all seemed to perform pretty well... and pretty much as I expected... so no complaints there.)
Firstly, question for Keith: What's the realm after "needless" called? I noticed on their web site that they can supply cables to connect to Krell CAST amps, so it would appear that they "do" have a thing for Krell design. And based on the talk of too many therms, maybe they were using some of the firebreathing (literally) designs from Krell's past. edit: and yes, thoroughly enjoyed the review! I had some questions at the point where I needed to pause, but those were answered as I read to the end. Would love to hear about it if/when you figure out why the sound stage is so glorious with this preamp! |
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