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Older news - April and May, 2003
May 16, 2003
We will ship the ACA 2b starting next week and I also hope we will start shipping the Le Amp IIs out later in the week. We hope to have photographs up.
We have finished testing the SE 18 and the ACA 2b. Here are the specifications:
Price (including shipping) $795.00
Price (includes shipping) $395.00
May 1, 2003
This month, we will update the webpage frequently as new information becomes available. I hope to have photos of the final Le Amp II on this page very soon. You can see a prototype if you scan down.
The new ACA 2b is just about ready to ship. I am very proud of this product. The ACA 2b is a joint effort between nOrh and our partner TS Audio. While the SE 9 and SE 18 are OEM 'd products, the ACA 2b is the result of a joint collaboration where nOrh and TS Audio worked together to create one of the best values in high-end audio ever.
The ACA is nOrh's second preamp. Our first preamp, the ACA (Audio Control Amplifier), received rave reviews. The ACA 2b continues the tradition but does so in a dramatically new way.
The ACA 2b is a CLASS A triode design. CLASS A is the purest form of amplification. Many audiophiles believe that no form of amplification can match CLASS A triodes. The ACA 2b features a soft start system that will insure that the ACA 2b's 6922 tubes last as long as possible.
We are getting many questions about the ACA 2b so I will try to answer these questions here:
How often will I need to change the tubes?
Low power tubes should last a very long time. The estimated life is about 10,000 hours or five years of continuous use. The 6922 tubes are inexpensive and easy to replace -- much easier than replacing aging capacitors or solid state components.
Won't the ACA 2b use a lot of electricity?
The ACA 2b only uses about 35 watts of electricity. The integrated soft start will allow you to turn the ACA 2b on and off without degrading the life expectancy of the tubes.
Can I use the ACA 2b with a solid state amplifier?
Absolutely. In fact, some people will find that their amplifiers sound much smoother and more refined after the signal has passed through the CLASS A triodes. Some people think that the combination of tube preamp and solid state amplifier is the best of both worlds.
Won't I get better specs with a solid state preamp?
Not necessarily. Remember, we are not talking high output. We are talking low output. Low output tubes exhibit very good performance. The ACA 2b has bandwidth from 10 Hz to 100,000 Hz. The ACA 2b has a THD of about .07%. Every audiophile knows that you can not judge how an audio product will sound based only on its specifications.
The ACA 2b is an outstanding sounding preamplifier. It is one of the least expensive preamplifiers available in any format. The ACA 2b features three inputs and two outputs (as well as a record output).
The ACA 2b uses the 6922 tubes. These have more drive than the 12AX7s so it is possible to run longer wires. In fact, the ACA 2b can output up to 67 volts.
I put the ACA 2b into my reference system. I have been listening to it for two weeks. I believe the sound is better than the reference system I had been using in every aspect. Bass is better. There are more dynamics.
The ACA 2b opens up the opportunity for some tweaking as well. The volume control can be replaced with a DACT C2 or other high quality volume control. There are a varsity of tubes on the market that allows the user to custom tune for the sound they like best.
April 28, 2003
It was a real pleasure seeing everyone at the Midwest Audio Show. A very special thanks to Mike Baker for putting on this event. The Midwest Audio Show has been our only opportunity to meet with customers and give them a chance to listen to our products in an open environment. The show is quite small but for us, this is ideal. It gives us a chance to spend more time with each person and it gives people a chance to carefully listen to our products.
This year, we took double the number of nOrh 3.0s that we took the year before. The previous year, we sold every pair we brought. Last year's show lasted three days and this year's show only lasted two days. I was quite surprised that in two days we should out double the number that we sold the previous year. We also sold every SE 9 and SE 18 we brought to the show. We had several people wanting to buy our prototype Le Amp II and ACA 2b.
Norh attended the Midwest Audio Fest this year
We brought the NorhTec Silent Server. This is a small energy efficient silent PC. We used the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 card. This card is available for about $99.00. I believe that this audio card has sound that equals very high-end CD players. We used a loss less compression called FLAC to store a library of about 100 CDs onto our hard drive. We had a prototype of our PC preamp. Our PC preamp increases the output from the sound card so that it can properly drive either a preamp or an amplifier. The PC preamp also features an integrated subwoofer crossover and a headphone amplifier. The PC preamp will be available in about a month for $99.95. The PC Preamp is the ideal device for matching the output of computers and portable audio devices so that they more accurately drive high-end audio equipment.
We used our new ACA 2b as our preamp. The ACA 2b got a lot of rave comments for its looks and its sound. We got many requests from potential customers to add a second output. We are happy to announce that the ACA 2b will have two main outputs and one record outputs. This will make it very easy for our customers to integrate the ACA with a subwoofer.
The ACA 2b is one of the most affordable preamps available. Despite its low cost, the ACA 2b is a true high-end product. The look is beautiful. The sound is excellent. Many customers at the audio show asked if it was okay to use the ACA 2b with a solid state amplifier. I pointed to the Le Amp IIs we were using.
Le Amp IIs will be shipping very soon. I hope to have photos of the final product here the first week of May. We expect Le Amp II to be our most successful product ever. People who attended the Midwest Audio show were quite surprised at the sound. Le Amp II is everything anyone can want from an amplifier. There simply is no reason to spend any more.
Le Amp IIs will even feature a balanced input circuit.
After the show, we read some comments on www.audiocircle.com and we were pleased to read that some posters said that we had among the best sound at the show. What pleased us most was that we were showing the least expensive systems and we were using a computer as our audio source.
Many people watched as we switched from track to track, album to album and marveled at how easy it was to put an entire CD library onto a computer. Adding a computer into an audio system by no means restricts you from also adding a CD player. However, I believe that computer sound has reached a point where there is little advantage (if any), using a dedicated CD player.
The Midwest Audio show gave us an opportunity to demonstrate first hand that high-end audio doesn't have to cost a fortune. We try to deliver this message over the web but reading about it isn't the same as actually listening.
Our 2.1 Multimedia System is almost finished. We took our prototype to show some potential large customers. The response we received was that we had created by far, the finest multimedia system ever built. In fact, the look, sound and quality of our multimedia system is so superior to anything we have seen or heard that it is simply unbelievable.
April 7 2003
This month's newsletter will evolve to show the progress we are making on our new products. I hope you will drop by and check to see what news we have. We have been busy trying to get everything ready for the Ohio trip. Ohio is a long way from Thailand so we want to make sure we have some interesting things to show. These products will all be ready in May and June.
One of the products we are proud to show is our new ACA 2b (pronounced ACA tube). The new ACA is deigned to offer the best preamplifier possible, yet at a very reasonable price.
The ACA 2b is a pure CLASS A design. We use Sovtek tubes -- either the 6922 or the 6DJ8. These tubes are used in many very expensive preamplifier designs. The sound is fast, beefy and transparent. The ACA 2b features three inputs. It also has a record output and a main output. The ACA 2b is very high quality. We use platinum coated switches and ceramic sockets. The case is made from the same high quality chrome plated case as our SE 9 and SE 18.
The ACA 2b accepts up to 6 volts in and outputs up to 60 volts. This is enough power to fully drive just about any amplifier. The ACA 2b is an excellent way to upgrade the SE 9. The SE 9 and ACA 2b combination sounds fuller, more detailed with better bass and imaging.
Introducing the ACA 2b
The ACA 2b is being introduced at the unbelievable price of $399.95 (shipped). nOrh believes that the ACA 2b will become another classic. Demand will certainly be very strong as it has been for all our tube products.
nOrh has been working on several products for multimedia. This is a very ambitious product where we are going to try to bring high-end sound to computers at the same price as other charge for very bad sounding multi-media systems. Our system uses drivers very similar to the drivers in our nOrh 3.0. We selected drivers with better power handling and better midrange balance as we are only driving the sound from 150 Hz up. The picture below is our prototype. The finished product will have a beautiful black gloss finished with a light gray grill. No low-cost system has ever looked or sounded better.
The frequency response is 150hz to 20,000 Hz +/- 3dB
Part of the nOrh Multimedia 2.1 system
Our subwoofer is far better than any subwoofer we have ever seen for a system of this class. The driver we have selected is designed specifically as a subwoofer. It features a 540g magnet with a double roll rubber surround. The -3dB point is 50 hz. This means that the nOrh Multimedia 2.1 system can produce the same range of audio as loudspeakers costing $1000.00 per pair (without amplifiers).
The Multimedia 2.1 subwoofer
The nOrh Multimedia System comes with a integrated amplifier that has 30 watts RMS for left and right and 80 watts for the subwoofer. It has its own electronic crossover built in. The complete nOrh multimedia system is going to be introduced for $219.95 (not including shipping). We believe that the sound of this system is clearly high fidelity and that this is the best low priced system on the market. The nOrh 2.1 Multimedia System is unlike any other low cost multimedia system you have seen. The sound is rich and detailed.
We just finished testing a new Electro Harmonix tube in the SE 9. The tube is the big bottle 6CA7. The 6CA7 is compatible with the EL34. Many people think that the 6CA7 is a smoother, rounder sounding tube. In the case of the Electro Harmonix version, it sounded great. The bass response seemed to be better and the overall sound smoother. The 6CA7 tubes cost from $20 to $30 USD in matched pairs. We aren't suggesting anyone needs to go out and replace their existing EL34s. However, this might be a good replacement tube or a tube you might want to try before spending big bucks on NOS tubes.
"This amp does precisely what nOrh wanted it to do: it combines
very good sound with surprisingly high
quality construction into a package that is aesthetically pleasing and easy
to use."
A new classic, the SE 9 Single Ended Tube Integrated Amplifier
"I'm one of the fortunate ones who have the SE-9. What a wonderful amp... at its price it is practically a gift! Certainly one of the best bargains in the world of hi-fi." (using the handle toobwacky on www.harmonicdiscord.com)
"WOW. I truly believe we have a classic value here." (using the handle Bixby--read his complete review here)
Hi Michael, I am one of your recent customers here in Bangkok. I just received a pair of ceramic Norh 4.0s and SE9. I started using the speakers with my CD player system last Friday night. I only got to setup the SE9 last Saturday night. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm really impressed with the SE9/Norh 4.0 setup. I can say that there is a BIG difference between my Denon UDM30 setup that I have. Thanks for offering great products at reasonable prices. - Tong Aguzar
I received may letters about my article on "living legends of rock and roll". I will leave that part up this month so that more people can see what I wrote. One of my favorite letters last month came from Roger Ledina. Roger has been showing off nOrh loudspeakers to his friends and helping us sell them in the California area. Here is the letter:
Hello Mike/Namphung,
Just wanted to pass this along to you.
The attached picture is one of my customer's black 3.0
drum/SE9 setup. Actually the customer bought this for his teenage son's bedroom.
The father started out with the 4.0s in his living room. He was so amazed by
the 4.0s that he decided to immediately buy the SM6.1. He's only had them for
about 2 weeks and the sound just blew him away. He has sold the SM6.1s and now
has ordered a SM9.0. He could only imagine how much better the sound would
be as he moved up the line. However he wouldn't be satisfied until he had the
top of the line so he decided to go for the 9.0s. This guy has been
working on both home and car audio for over 25 years.
He wanted to share this passion with his son. So after hearing the astonishing sound that the 3.0s could deliver in such a small package and great value, he decided to buy a pair along with an SE9 for his son's bedroom. As you have suggested this system is ideal for a high quality, value bedroom system. And it definitely does not disappoint. He says it sounds great in his room and everybody who has heard it can't believe the sound that those little 3.0s put out. If you notice on the picture he has the Norhs on top of Yamaha bookshelf's. The Yamahas have been relegated to just speaker stands for the Norhs. He says that people initially think that both the Norhs and Yamahas are on when they hear it. When they find out that its just the 3.0s, they are simply amazed.
However, the great part of this story is that it goes beyond a customer that is totally satisfied with sound quality of the Norh products. Ever since this was installed, the son is now learning to appreciate the same music that his father listens to. The son use to listen mostly to the latest Rap, Hip Hop, and Pop music, but now he prefers to listen to Classic Rock, Jazz, Classic R&B, 70s, Eagles, Queen, Santana, Simon & Garfunkle, etc. Anything "Old School" or music released before he was born. The son use to spend a lot of time outside of the house especially nights and weekends. Now he has his friends coming over to his house instead and just "hanging out" to listen to music on his Norh system. His friends are bringing over their CDs to test the recorded sound quality and also bringing over their parent's collection of music for "Old School" music sessions.
As a parent, I think this is awesome. For a "small" investment the father not only gets a high quality and high value audio system but also an increased bond with his son, a son with a broader appreciation for music, and the greatest part according to the father- a voluntary way to keep his son safe at home on nights and weekends.
They are definitely "enjoying the music"
- Roger
I came across one of the most enjoyable DVD videos last month. The DVD is a live concert featuring Eric Clapton, filmed at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, August 18, 2001. The title of the video is "One More Car One More Rider". Eric Clapton has been on the forefront of rock and roll since the mid 1960s. Eric Clapton was with the Yardbirds when they recorded "For Your Love". When I was in high-school, "For Your Love" and "Heartful of Soul" were played by every local rock band. Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds to join with John Mayall's Blues Breakers. Eric Clapton then joined with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce to form Cream.
I remember reading a magazine that compared Cream mania to Beatlemania and Monkee Mania. Cream was one of the big hits of the late 1960s and and very early 1970s. Cream came closest to capturing the style of rock originated by Jimmi Hendrix. I saw an interview once that said that Jimmi Hendrix celebrated after hearing the news that Cream had disbanded. Unfortunately, Jimmi Hendrix is no longer with us. We are fortunate that Eric Clapton is.
Some people will argue that Eric Clapton has played it safe and never realized his potential. Personally, I believe that the contrary is true. I believe that the album Slowhand was ground breaking. Much of Eric Clapton's early music was experimental. Because it was experimental, much of it is dated. Eric Clapton's later work shows maturity and remains pleasant to listen to despite its age. I believe that the album Slowhand is a classic.
Slowhand
"One More Car One more Driver" is not at all what I expected. This is a performance not of a has been but rather a master in his prime. Eric Clapton's voice is strong and his guitar playing is fantastic. This is a performance for both fans and critics. Eric Clapton's One More Car One More Rider is Eric Clapton at his best.
 |
1. Key to the Highway [3:37] 2. Reptile [5:44] 3. Got You On My Mind [4:05] 4. Tears In Heaven [4:26] 5. Bell Bottom Blues [4:55] 6. Change the World [6:22] 7. My Father's Eyes [8:34] 8. River of Tears [8:53] 9. Goin' Down Slow [5:36] 10. She's Gone [7:01] |
11. I Want a Little Girl [4:10] |
Ever since I became interested in high-end sound, I found myself listening more to female vocalists. Among my favorite singers are, Linda Ronstadt, Emily Lu Harris, Crystal Gayle, Amanda McBroom, Janis Ian, Mary Beck, the late Nicolette Larson, Diana Krall, and Jennifer Warnes. I highly recommend anyone interested in getting the most from their audio system to consider the artists above. One additional artist that I would like to draw attention to is Lori Lieberman.
I recently got a surprise package in the mail. It was the latest CD from Lori Lieberman - Monterey. Inside was a hand written note from Lori thanking me for the nice things I had said about her on the nOrh web site. There was a form letter that explained that Lori had a new recording company as Pope Music had gone out of business. I believe that the Lori Lieberman recording on Pope are among the finest sounding digital recordings I have ever heard.
Lorie Lieberman
My wife heard the CD Home of Whispers playing while she was shopping. My wife brought the CD home and asked me to listen to it. I was absolutely stunned. My wife is not an audiophile. She listens to most of her music in the car. She bought the CD because she liked the music. I also liked the music but the recording was simply unbelievable. I have used this CD as one of my test CDs for many years.
All of the Lori Lieberman recordings on Pope were both musically strong and recorded to the highest standards. The new recording Monterey is absolutely superb. The recording is unbelievably lifelike. Not all of the material is new but all of it is fresh. Given the high cost of audio equipment, I suggest that you buy the entire collection of Lori Lieberman recordings before they are no longer available. You will not regret it.
I get many letters asking about the CD 1. The CD 1 has been highly reviewed and is now a highly sought after product. Every month, we have letters from people who are asking for an opportunity to buy a CD 1. The CD 1 was built by Q Labs here in Bangkok. Q Labs builds CD players and other products for Adcom and California Audio Labs. California Audio Lab brand is now not available. Even the domain name is now available for sale. The CD 1 was essentially the same product that was sold as the combination of the Alpha and Delta transport and DAC.
The transports were manufactured by Matsushita. Matsushita decided to stop making high-end transports and shift production to DVD. We sold about 300 CD 1s and suddenly, there was no more supply. Initially, we thought about producing a DAC. After studying the situation, we came up with a different strategy.
Do you have an old laptop? If so, you might recycle it to be a high quality CD player. This is possible with desktops but many desktops are too big and too noisy to be easily used as a CD player. It is possible to recycle your older computer and use it as a high quality CD player.
To date, the very best solution that I have personally tested is the M-Audio Sonica Theater. The M-Audio Sonica is available in both a PCI and a USB solution. I tested the USB version. Both versions work with either PCs or MacIntosh computers. I used a fairly current laptop running Microsoft XP Professional to test the solution. The Sonica Theater has outputs for 7.1 channels. Even if you are using only audio, this can be very useful. You can configure the subwoofer channel separately and there is a crossover built into the driver.
I played several CDs through my laptop hooked into my main audio system. The sound was absolutely superb. There is only one characteristic that detracted from the sound. I have seen this in many computer based solutions and almost all portable systems. The problem is that there was just not enough drive. The specs claim that the Sonica Theater outputs 1 volt peak-to-peak. This is about half the drive that would be considered the standard to drive a preamp. You would need 4 volts peak-to-peak to drive an amplifier properly.
While the detail and sonic performance was excellent, more gain would make the sound more dynamic and lifelike. It would give the sound more weight and more guts.
nOrh is working on a new product that we will describe later in this newsletter that will take care of this problem.
LCD screens are now only about $300 for a 15 inch screen. You could put a computer on the top shelf of your audio rack and hang a 15 inch monitor on your wall. All you would need is a mouse to control the action. There are also a variety of IR and Bluetooth solutions that allow you to use remote controls. If you have existing OS' such as Windows 98, it can be recycled for this purpose. If you are starting out with a new OS, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition will do fine.
M-Audio Sonica Theater USB version
M-Audio Sonica Theater PCI version
The M-Audio Sonica Theater is a fantastic product. I was able to have it working in about five minutes. There are many sound processing features available with the system. It also adds a digital output so you can connect the system to a AC3/DTS processor or receiver. This means that you could use the left and right for playing CDs and then process movies through a separate receiver or digital processor. Many software DVD players will include AC3 decoding. The Sonica Theater supports SRS Circle Sound II. Circle Sound II is a matrix based decoding system that is able to decode from two sources using different phases and steering circuits create anywhere from 2 to 7.1 channels.
M-Audio Sonica Theater USB connected to Laptop
While I did not evaluate the multi channel abilities of the M-Audio Sonica Theater, I believe that both the USB and PCI products are very good values and a great alternative to an expensive high-end CD player.
Last year, nOrh introduced 14 new products. Many customers have written us and asked us if we had stopped making new products or not. This is far from the case. We are working very hard on a series of new products.
Since the world economy has been down, we have focused on value products. While sales of expensive loudspeakers are down, sales of the nOrh 3.0s, nOrh 4.0s, Real Teak Loudspeakers, SM 6.1s and SM 5.1s is quite brisk. We are also selling lots of SE 9s. March has turned out to be one of the best months we have had in three years.
In addition to nOrh, I am also president of NorhTec. NorhTec is a separate company from nOrh but we are sharing some resources. As we find customers for NorhTec products, it is also opening up opportunities for nOrh. Many of the opportunities we are finding are for music distribution systems and other applications that require amplifiers, loudspeakers and other audio products.
Smallest Board used by NorhTec
NorhTec manufactures small, energy efficient, x86 compatible computers. The small computer you see above is a Pentium class computer with all the I/O of a large computer yet it is smaller than a pack of cards. Computers such as these can be used to build Karaoke machines, car stereo systems or music distribution systems.
NorhTec Silent Server and Panda PC, energy efficient, fanless semi rugged desktops
NorhTec now has our web site up at www.norhtec.com. We will be updating and improving the web site. over time. We will also provide updates through this newsletter about our progress. The NorhTec factory is now up and running. In addition to the Silent Server Desktop, we have the Panda PC and the Multi Client.
The Panda PC is a multi-media workstation that features very high quality DVD playback and high quality six channel sound. Like the Silent Server, it is small, energy efficient and silent.
nOrh is going to build several new products that will enhance the performance of NorhTec and other multi-media computers. The first product is a device that plugs into either your sound card or into a portable disk player or Walkman. This device buffers the audio output and uses a high quality op amp to provide 6 volt "peak-to-peak" output. This means that the signal will be sufficient to properly drive either a preamp or drive an amplifier directly. Should you choose to use a computer as your DVD and CD player, you do not need a preamp. This device also includes a headphone amplifier so that you can use either your loudspeaker or headphones from a single sound card or portable device.
We have not come up with a name for this device yet so we are interested in your ideas. The device will upgrade the signal quality from any sound card and make the signal more compatible with high quality audio preamps and amplifiers.
Silent Server
We are also working on what we believe will be the world's finest multi-media loudspeaker system. The system starts with an integrator amplifier called the 2.1. The 2.1 starts with a 400 V/A switching power supply. 400 V/A is the largest power supply of any system in its class.
Switching Power supplies will become the most important innovation for audio. It allows designers to build equipment that is much lighter, more energy efficient and better performance. Conventional power supplies are heavy and bulky. More importantly, switching power supplies are better at regulating operation of the high-frequency transistors to compensate for variations in the AC voltage and load currents.
Switching Power supplies require more parts and are more difficult to design but they offer tremendous opportunities to build smaller and lighter systems that are more efficient.
400 V/A Switching Power Supply in the 2.1 Integrated Amplifier
For the left and right channel, we will use a high quality 30 watt per channel RMS CLASS AB discrete amplifier. In addition, we will have an integrated subwoofer amplifier with its own electronic crossover. The subwoofer is an 80 watt RMS switching amplifier (some people refer to these as digital).
Subwoofer Amplifier, part of the 2.1 Integrated Amplifier
The 2.1 Integrated Amplifier will have sonic performance unlike any integrated amplifier in its class. The 2.1 Integrated will be quite small. The size will be comparable to a mini component system but the sound will be much higher quality than any mini component system we know of. Despite it high quality, we will price the 2.1 Integrated Amplifier at $150.00 USD (not including shipping). We are looking for dealers for the 2.1 as well as all of our new multimedia products.
In addition to the 2.1, we will also have a matching unit that provides 3 x 30 Watts RMS. We will call this device the +3. The 2.1 and +3 provide a total of 2.1 channels of amplification. The price of the 2.1 will also be $150.00 USD (not including shipping).
Prototype of 2.1 speakers, 2.1 integrated, and subwoofer for 2.1 Multimedia System (under development)
The left and right loudspeakers will be based on drivers from the same supplier as the drivers we use in the nOrh 3.0. The major difference is that we have selected drivers that will work in a smaller cabinets and give us better power handling. The subwoofer driver is a brand new 6.5 inch subwoofer driver that gives us the deepest bass in the smallest volume we have ever found. The 2.1 Multimedia System includes a IA 2.1 (integrated amplifier) left and right loudspeakers and a small subwoofer.
We are also working small subwoofer. The small subwoofer is designed to add to any loudspeaker that rolls off at 65 Hz or so. This will work very well with the nOrh 4.0s or nOrh 3.0s. The new subwoofer will have a -3dB point at 42 hz. The new subwoofer is also affordable enough to add to existing mini systems, or multi-media computers. The new subwoofer will have its own 100 watt RMS amplifier and electronic crossover. We haven't named this new subwoofer but our target price is $199.95.
The new subwoofer is also a great way to add more impact to people who are using the SE 9 with efficient but bass shy loudspeakers. We will have more details soon.
Le Amp prototype
We got a request from a customer interested in using NorhTec computers to create a 150 wpc amplifier with a "full-bit" switching power supply. "Full-bit power supplies are more efficient and deliver a higher percentage of their available power to the amplifiers output stage. In order to bid on this project, we needed to develop a switching power supply and we needed to use a design other than the TDA7294 that is the heart of the nOrh Multiamp and Le Amp. The opportunity was a bid opportunity where we had to develop a prototype prior to award. We decided to use this new design as the foundation for our new products.
The Multiamp was introduced almost five years ago. The Multiamp was one of the first high-end amplifier that used an Op Amplifier. In its power range, the Multiamp sounded as good as many much more expensive amplifiers. Curt Wishman of IRD designed Le Amp and the IRD Audio mb100 using the same device. The new amplifier improved bass performance and squeezed even more power out of the TDA 7294. In order to get to 150 watts RMS, we needed a new design.
All great amplifiers require sufficient power. Le Amp II uses a full-bit 800 V/A switching power supply. This means there is a 1600 V/A capacity for two channels. Le Amp's switching power supply is very advanced. While this power supply could have built three years ago, it would have cost ten times what it now costs us. Although the cost to build a high powered switching power supply is much lower, the know how to build one is as rare as it was three years ago.
The reason we are now able to offer a switching power supply is because NorhTec is contracting to build thousands of fanless switching power supplies for their computers.
Conventional power supplies use transformers. Nelson Pass says that the typical power supply in a 200 wpc system should weigh 200 pounds.
I have a 15 year old Bedini 250 watt per channel amplifier. The unit comes with a 600 V/A IE Core transformer. I have been using the Bedini with a step down transformer as it was designed for 120 volts while we have 240 volts here in Thailand.
I had the power supply in my Bedini replaced with our own 800 V/A power switching power supply. The sound was faster, more dynamic and more detailed. What was most impressive was that the amplifier was now much lighter than before.
Le Amp II's 800 V/A Switching Power Supply
Le Amp has a CLASS A gain JFET gain stage. Many high-end amplifiers that claim to be CLASS A or Pure CLASS A only use CLASS A for their gain stage. Even amplifiers that have CLASS A for their output stage only operate in CLASS A up to a small amount of power. We believe that the Le Amp II design can compete head-to-head with some of the best amplifiers available. We are using Toshiba devices as these are among the most linear available. Many of the most expensive amplifiers in the world use the same parts. The output stage is based on a CLASS A/B bipolar devices by Toshiba.
Toshiba 817 / 1047 devices
We have tested Le Amp II at 200 watts RMS into 8 ohms with .05% THD, 400 watts RMS into 4 ohms and 800 watts into 2 ohms. We are now claiming that Le Amp II is a 180 wpc amplifier. The actual rating will depend on the operating temperature once we have our custom heatsinks finished.
Le Amp II uses no negative feedback. We use a DC Servo circuit so there are no capacitors in the signal path and no DC offset. Le Amp II will put itself into standby if there is no input signal. Le Amp with then turn itself on when it senses an input signal. Le Amp will be completely protected from thermal and shorts. There is a relay that disconnects the loudspeakers as soon as Le Amp II is turned off and doesn't connect the loudspeakers until the power comes up to full.
Le Amp is designed so that the power board and power supply boards can be easily swapped out. This means that repairs can be made by swapping out any failed board. We plan to put a diagnostic system into Le Amp that will show what board has failed.
Think about it. 180 watts, CLASS A JFET input, Bipolar Output, 800 V/A switching power supply, DC Servo, and no negative feedback. How much would a Stereo amplifier with 1600 V/A power supply cost? We are talking very high-end territory here.
Le Amp II will retail for $300.00 USD each. For a very limited time, we are introducing Le Amp II at $195.00 each (shipping not included).
Don't let the low price fool you. This is a very high-end amplifier. We invite people to put Le Amp II up against any amplifier and write about the results on www.harmonicdiscord.com, www.audioasylum.com, or www.audiocircle.com.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Barnes
nOrh Loudspeaker Company, Ltd.