• Phono Section: 12AX7 x 2
• Line Stage: 12AX7 x 2
• Driver Tubes: 12AX7 x 4
• Output Tubes: EL34 x 4
• Input Impedance - Line Stage 100K
• Phono Stage 47K (Moving Magnet or High Output Moving Coil): Output Voltage 4 ohm - 8.5V, 8 ohm - 12V
• Frequency Response at 1 watt: 10 - 50,000 Hz
• Sensitivity at Maximum Output: Phono 20 mV, Line 150 mV
• Power Consumption: 200 watts
• Price (including shipping): $795.00

The major differences between the SE 9 and the SE 18 are:

• The SE 18 has an integrated phono preamplifier.
• The SE 18 has twice the power of the SE 9.
• The SE 18 has an active preamp rather than a passive preamp.

The SE 9 is the ideal amplifier where space is a concern. The SE 9 has surprised many of our customers just how loud it can play -- even without special loudspeakers. The SE 18 provides even more power and more high-end performance. The SE 18 might be the ideal living room system while the SE 9 is the ideal bedroom system.

Here is what one of our customers said about SE 9 and SE 18:

Hello Michael,

The SE18 sound is very seductive, certainly more dynamic than the SE9, I would say across the spectrum it really seems to have few weaknesses. I think SE designs really have to have to have gain input sections, in fact I think the best combinations are very high gain preamps into SE monos. One of my problems in evaluating it is that it was purchased for my father to run 1976 Klipsch Cornwalls which are not my favorite (I am trying to talk him out of them) Two weeks ago I put it in my system with some Proac 1sc's with modified crossovers and Bybee filters and it performed very nicely, not quite up to the level of my 9W Billie monblocks but that certainly is a tough comparison being the Billies are 300B and sound as such. I think highly of all of your products that I have owned and the SE18 is no exception, unbeatable anywhere near its price for and integrated with phono and quality tubes.

Regards,

Paul Petelin

Live at the Apollo -- Roxy Music

I asked my wife who was the most influential rock group of the 1970s. I asked my wife. I was very worried she would say it was The Captain and Tennille. Instead she answered "The Carpenters". Both of these groups were important for a time but I don't think that either group passed on their style and influenced another generation of artists. If we look at the 1960s we will see a lot of groups that were doing new things and influencing a new generation. The 1970s was a time of transition. The war in Vietnam was winding down. People were cutting their long hair and many of the young people who had adopted a hippie lifestyle decided it was time to get a job.

Roxy Music recorded their first album in 1972. Their look was very different from other early 1970s rock groups. Roxy music was both advantguard and nostalgic at the same time. Their music was more textured and better layered than most rock artists who came before them. Unlike much experimental music, Roxy Music was very listenable.

I picked up the DVD Roxy Music -- Live at the Apollo. This was the first time that the main founders Bryan Ferry, saxophonist Andy Mackay and guitarist Phil Manzanera had performed together as Roxy Music in 18 years. This video was recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo on 1st October 2001 and marked the closure of the tour.

I read several reviews of this DVD. Most reviews were very positive. Some of the reviews felt that the editing and filming was too hectic. Other people thought that Roxy Music was not nearly as good as they were at their prime.

This DVD sounds as good as any rock recording I have ever heard. The musicians playing with Roxy Music were superb. The backup singers were also exceptional. The sound of the recording is very realistic. Even if Live at the Apollo is not Roxy Music at its peak, it is one of the best examples of how good a DVD can sound. The bass and drums were as good as I have ever heard recorded.

Not many of of Roxy Music's recordings are that well known. I played the entire performance for my wife and she said she had never heard any of these songs. She pointed out that it wasn't that she didn't like it, it was that she hadn't heard it before. I could not believe she had not heard Avalon or Love is the Drug.

As for the critics who said that the filming was to hectic, they might have a point. I didn't notice that as a problem until I read the comment. As for Roxy Music not being at their prime, that might also be true. Even so, I don't believe I have seen many better rock concerts on DVD. The songs sound fresh and amazingly contemporary.

Re-make/Re-model Street Life Ladytron While My Heart Is Still Beating Out of The Blue Song For Europe My Only Love In Every Dream Home A Heartache Oh Yeah! Both Ends Burning Tara Mother Of Pearl Avalon Dance Away Jealous Guy Editions Of You Virginia Plain Love Is The Drug Do The Strand For Your Pleasure

• Tubes 2 - 6922 Sovtek (SRPP)
• 90 second delay warm up (soft start)
• Frequency Response at 2 Volts RMS 10 - 100,000 Hz
• Gain 11dB
• Input Impedance 100,000
• Output Impedance 50,000
• Power Consumption 30 watts
• Price (includes shipping) $395.00

Sound great, looks great and very affordable, nOrh ACA 2b

ACA 2b FAQ

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.

nOrh 9.0s and Le Amps as part of a great audio system

Customer Comments:

nOrh SM 5.1

Hello Namphung, Michael,

I chose the "road less traveled" and ordered speakers, unheard, over the internet from halfway round the world, the nOrh 5.1 wood drums. They arrived safely Monday, and they are beyond beautiful. The sound is stunning, the fit with my system is perfect. My thanks to your designer, artists, and shipping department. Your communication and the sales transaction were better than the
stereo store up the street.

Thank you.

Barry McCarthy

The 5.1s have received perfect reviews on Audioreview for four years. The nOrh 5.1s surprise most of our customers because they simply did not believe they would be able to get loudspeakers at this quality for only $500.00 per pair. Some have commented that the 5.1s are among the best audio video loudspeakers available. The 5.1s use the same drivers as the nOrh 4.0s but in a larger cabinet. The SM 5.1s and ceramic 4.0s are color coordinated so that you can mix and match.

While our drum shaped (inverted horn) speakers continue to be out best selling loudspeakers, some people are unable to accommodate the drum shape. We offer the same great sound as the nOrh 5.1 in a beautiful real teak floor standing Prism loudspeaker. Teak is considered by many to be one of the finest woods in the world. It certainly is one of the most expensive. Our Real Teak Prism loudspeakers are hand crafted here in Thailand. You will not find a better looking loudspeaker at this price. You won't found a better sounding loudspeaker for the price than any of our nOrh 3.0s, 4.0s and 5.1s or 5.2s.

Real Teak Prism Loudspeakers. Left to right, Prism 3.0, Prisms 4.1 and Prism 5.2

When I was young, I had very inexpensive furniture. My 19 inch TV was on a rolling painted metal stand that I bought at K-Mart. My department store loudspeakers were placed on my $7.00 plastic parsons tables. I sat on a bean bag chair and I had a table that I made from an old spool of wire. At the time, it didn't seem like such a bad way to live. At 49 years old, I don't have any more bean bag chairs (my daughter does). My wife has forced me into paying as much for my audio furniture as I paid for the equipment. I sit on Lazy Boy recliners and my working desk is real rosewood. I have carpets from India, China, Pakistan and Iran. My wife has lots of ceramics and handicrafts we acquired on our world travels.

Boom showing off our Real Teak 4.1. The 4.1 can be hung upside down or placed on top of a TV.

The 4.1 comes with a stand so you can be angle it to work from just about any height.

My wife generally have veto authority over anything larger than a loaf of bread that I bring into the house. One of our first arguments occurred because I bought a microwave oven she thought was too big. Although, she didn't have to ask me when she brought home a pet cat, I needed to clear the microwave with her.

One of the founding principles of nOrh Loudspeaker is that we must build products that look beautiful. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, quality is not. All of our products look like the high quality products they are. We don't make plastic covered chipboard loudspeakers. We don't make cheap looking amplifiers. Our products are designed to complement your environment -- not detract from it.

The system you might put in a basement for the kids doesn't have the be the same system you put in your bedroom or living room. The SE 9 and a pair of Real Teak Prism 5.2s or SM 5.1s will look and sound great.

One of the world's most beautiful loudspeakers, the marble nOrh 4.0

This Month's Specials

Original Prisms 5.2 on sale for $400.00 -- quantities limited

The beautiful loudspeaker above is the Prism 5.2. We now have the Real Teak Prism 5.2. This is the original. The difference is that instead of being made from solid teak boards, the original Prism 5.2 is made from MDF and covered with 3mm of teak veneer. The look is superb and it is available in teak, rosewood or black. We will offer the original Prism 5.2 for a limited time for only $400.00 USD shipped. The SE 9 and a pair of these beautiful loudspeakers is an unbelievable value.

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.

Using a computer for your CD player or Jukebox

When I was young, I had what we called a record player. It only played singles or 45 RPM. I used to buy used records from juke boxes and arrange the music I wanted to listen to in stacks. If I really liked a song, the player would play the very last song on the the stack over and over.

I never had anything that played two channel until I was much older. My parents bought a Silvertone stereo from Sears. I remember that my parents were very proud of their system. It cost about $199.95 in those days. It was a fairly large cabinet. One the controls was proudly displayed "Solid State".

My friend had a Sylvania system. His system cost much more. Back in those days, they used to say that the Sylvania systems were among the best. My parent used to listen to really boring music and I was not allowed to touch their system. My friends family let him play whatever he wanted and we would spend hours listening to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who and later Cream, Jimmi Hendrix and Steppenwolf. All our favorite albums were stacked on top of one another and they would play for hours.

Back in those days, everything sounded so good to me. In my mind, I can still hear the sound of my favorite music from those years and in my mind, the sound is definitely high-end. I don't know what the Sylvania system would sound like to me today. What I do know was that what made listening to music so special was that we could play what we wanted to and arrange our music how we wanted.

I wrote many articles about MP3 when if first came out. Many articles blasted MP3 for having bad sound. Other articles saw MP3 as only a means to distribute pirated music. I believe that both criticism are unfair. MP3 does degrade the music from the music but certainly not the the extent of copying the music to cassette. The advantages of being able to play whatever songs you like -- in the order that you like outweighs its sonic shortcomings.

I also believe that few people who are evaluating MP3s are evaluating pristine MP3s that they recorded from original sources. When I encoded my own disks and listened to them, I can say I was more impressed with how good they were than how bad they were.

None-the-less, I certainly can understand why MP3 might not ever become the primary storage format for music. Building up a collection of music, I want the best format I can get. The best format means that the compression is lossless. MP3 is what is called a lossy format. That means that some of the data is thrown out. The formula that MP3 uses is to throw out the bits of data that are masked by other bits of data. In theory, because the bits are masked, they won't be missed.

Lossless compression saves space without throwing away bits. I have had people say that is not possible. Suppose I had a binary number 00001111. I could represent that is 4041. Instead of taking up eight spaces, I have taken up four. Lossless compression works this way

There are two very good lossless compression standards that I have worked with. One is called Monkey's Audio. The other is is FLAC. At the Midwest Audio Show, we used FLAC. A company that makes interesting systems for automobiles, PhatNoise, has a program that will do encoding and decoding of CDs into FLAC format. You can play FLAC files back on the same program or you can download a plug-in for WinAMP or XMMS (for Linux users). The PhatNoise program can be downloaded at here. You can use it to do encoding for free for 30 days. After that, there is a nominal fee of $14.95. The software will play MP3s and FLAC files. Once you encode your music, you can set up a server that will allow you to play the songs on networked computers, anywhere in the house. With a 120 GB hard disk, you can store about 400 albums.

NorhTec makes a product called the Digital Filing Cabinet (DFC). It is a small, silent, RAID based server. One of the options with RAID is to combine two hard drives into one. That would mean that with two 120 GB hard disks, you could store about 800 albums -- all using lossless compression. The DFC looks to any computer on a Microsoft Windows network (although it can also support NFS) as a volume on the Network Neighborhood. You would simply another computer on the network to encode the files directly onto the DFC. To play your music, you simply play the files through your Network Neighborhood.

If you have a 802.11b access point/router, you can connect the DFC to it and provide wireless access. So long as your computer can work with either NFS or Microsoft Windows Network Neighborhood, you will be able to access files on the DFC.

The Digital Filing Cabinet is a small, silent, and energy efficient file server that provides data center reliability for the home or office

High End CD Player on the Cheap

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.

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

Customer Service

At nOrh, we believe customer service is the foundation of our business. We believe that there are three parts to any successful company. These are the customers, employees and suppliers. It amazes me whenever I encounter companies that don't seem to understand this. Usually it is on my trips to the US that I encounter the worst examples of customer service.

It never fails that no sooner do I try to exercise my rights as a customer does the person I am dealing with start talking about getting their lawyers involved. I wrote about our trip to Las Vegas where the Tropicana Hotel. One of our employees had her purse stolen from her hotel room. Not only did the hotel not offer any assistance, they threatened to sue me when I told them I would write about it on my website. So far, I have not been sued.

As bad as I felt about the Tropicana's Customer Service, I have never encountered a company that has been more a nightmare than America Online. I have had an America Online account for several years. I live in Thailand and never use the account. I have the account so that when I do go to the US, I am able to pick up e-mail. In the past six months, I have been to the US twice.

After my first trip, I started getting double billed. At first I thought that perhaps this was a one-time charge or some sort of extra fee because I had actually used the service. I then started getting three bills per month.

I wrote AOL. They wrote back that I had to call their billing office. Calling the US from Thailand is very expensive. I just hate being on hold for 20 minutes when I am calling from Thailand. I also resent the fact that a company that makes all its money online, can't deal with a customer online.

I explained the situation to the AOL operator. She asked me to give her my address. I explained that I lived in Thailand. She said that I needed to give her my US address. I gave her the address of our home in Springfield, Virginia. The operator said that wasn't right. I then gave her the address of Sun Microsystems who was my employer when I was in Virginia. The operator said that wasn't it either. I then gave her the address of my oldest daughter. That address was not correct either. I asked the operator for a hint and she gave me a city name. I drew a blank. I had never worked or lived in the city she mentioned.

I told her I really couldn't guess what address she had. She told me that unless I gave her that address, she could not fix my bill. I told her I wanted to cancel. She said I couldn't. I then asked if she really meant that unless I could guess what address she had for me, I would continue to be over billed and could not cancel the account. She said that was correct.

I asked what if someone had started up the account under fraud, how would I be able to fix this. She told me I could deal with my credit card company and report credit card fraud but that in order to cancel my account, I would need to give her the address she had.

I then asked if I could fax my passport or driver's license or a bank statement showing my current address. I also told her I could fax her copies of the credit card bill that I received showing that it could not be anyone else who was trying to fix their billing problems. The operator told me that none of that would help. They used the address as verification of identity.

I asked "So what you saying is that even though I am being billed by AOL for charges that I never authorized and I can prove who I am, you are not interested in helping me resolve this problem? What if I to Virginia consumer fraud or write about this on my website"? The operator told me that I was being recorded and that if I was making any threats that I could be subject to legal action.

Here it goes once again. The customer has suffered what is most likely an innocent mistake in over billing. The person on the other end is not interested in the fact the customer is being over charged. The operator says that AOL is satisfied with the situation. I am in a catch 22 situation and I can not get out of it.

I called my credit card company. My credit card company is Citi Cards, a division of Citi Bank. I love this company. Citi Cards knows how to support its customers. They don't put you on hold. They offer to pay for calls collect. They are sincerely interested in helping their customers. AOL could learn a lot from Citi Cards.

The operator at Citi Cards told me that they have this problem with AOL and they know how to deal with it. The operator called up my account. As soon as he saw it, he said "you were doubled billed in January, triple billed in February, double billed in March and double billed in April. We will dispute the extra charges and we will credit your account. He said we will try to explain your situation to AOL that you want to cancel. He said that this usually doesn't do any good so if AOL tries to continue to charge, they would dispute both charges, credit my account for both and they would then change the number of my credit card so AOL could not continue billing my account.

Bill showing overcharges credited back to me and showing that I am still getting double billed

NorhTec (www.norhtec.com)

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

Microserver GP+ with integrated video and sound

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.

Microserver High Performance, small, rugged, silent and energy efficient

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 have also designed a small, energy efficient, silent network storage device we call the Digital File Server (DFC). The DFC houses two disk drives that can either mirror image your data (providing more protection) or make two drives behave like one large disk drive. The DFC is automatically recognized by any Microsoft based PC or Linux/Unix server. You simply use the DFC to store you data and the files are copied to two drives at once. Should either drive fail, the data is still safe.

The DFC can also be set up as a streaming audio system or as a jukebox to store all your music CDs.

Introducing Le Amp II

More New Photos will be posted very Soon.

I got my June 2003 issue of Stereophile. I was surprised because the front page had a photo of a Perreux R200i integrated amplifier. The reason I was surprised was that the heatsinks looked a lot like the heatsinks we had custom ordered for our unit. From the photo, the heatsinks looked smaller but they looked very similar. Even more striking wsa that they were using an aluminum faceplate with a screen. This was ironic because we were also going after the same look.

I opened up the issue and started reading about the 200i. The article said that the amplifier is rated at 200 watts per channel. Our amplifier is also rated at 200 watts. Then I read that the 200i used six Toshiba MOSFETs per channel. We use six Toshiba devices per channel. We use three Toshiba JFETS for the gain stage and three Toshiba bipolar for the output. Like us, they also have an XLR connector.

The 200i looks like an outstanding integrated amplifier. The price includes a preamplifier. I am not trying to compare Le Amp 2 to the Perreux unit. I have not hear it but I do know Perreux builds outstanding products. The point is that just because Le Amp 2 is inexpensive ($300 each), doesn't mean that it sacrafices anything. We have built Le Amp 2 to be as good an amplifier as we can -- not just to build a high powered/low cost amplifier.

Le Amp 2 has turned out to cost us more than we expected. The large custom heatsinks have turned out to be very expensive. We have added the balanced inputs, upgrade the unit to 200 watts and improved the overall look. It turns out that at the introductory price, we will loose money on each unit -- about $10.00 each. We will honor this original price through June. After June, the price will go to $300.00. We expect the amplifiers to ship in three weeks. As nice as the case looks, I want it to be even better. We want the switch to be recessed. We want the front to have a brushed finish and we want to use stainless steel screws. We need three more weeks to make these modifications and we will be ready to ship.

I believe everyone will agree that these features and this look is completely unexpected at this price. We want Le Amp 2 to be our flagship solid state amplifier for a long time. We belive that Le Amp 2 completely redefines what is possible for a low cost amplifier. We believe that Le Amp 2 is a stunning achievement.

Le Amp 2 has massive heatsinks to allow it to operate at 200 watts RMS into 8 ohms

This is a preview of Le Amp 2. We just got the case in today (1st June, 2003). The boards are done. The case is always the last part. The case turned out to be more than double the cost we expected. The main reason is that Le Amp 2 uses very heavy heatsinks. The heatsinks are custom designed and extruded for Le Amp 2.

Le Amp 2 will feature several enhancements. Le Amp 2 will have standard and balanced inputs. We will also offer a profession jack for industrial or professional applications. We believe that Le Amp 2 will find duble duty as a commercial amplifier and as an audiophile amplifier. You might notice the very expensive heatsinks. Le Amp produces 200 RMS and features a CLASS A gain stage. These large heatsinks are expensive but required for high powered amplifiers such as Le Amp 2.

Le Amp 2 will not have a power LED. Instead it will have a backlit screen. The screen will read "Le Amp 2 200 watts RMS CLASS A/AB". Below the screen will be a small nOrh logo.

We will be working very hard to get Le Amp 2 out as soon as possible. As you can see, we are providing many features we didn't even advertise. Le Amp 2s will have more power than we originally stated. They will come with balanced inputs and the quality of the case is far better than you would expect from an amplifier even far more expensive than Le Amp 2.

Le Amp II will begins shipping the first week of June. June is the last month to get Le Amp IIs at the the introductory price. I need to submit these pages to our webmaster (Shaf) about a week before the end of the month. We did not get the photos ready. I will therefore had to wait until the pages are posted and then put up the photos of Le Amp II. I will also post the test results once the production units are done.

Please drop back and you will have more information on the new 2.1 integrated, the +3 three channel amplifier, the PC Preamplifier and Le Amp IIs. All of these products are in development and there will be even more exciting products soon.

Many people have asked me to describe the look we want for Le Amp II. I have not seen the final case. What I can say is that we have designed an amplifier with a backlit screen. The backlit screen will simply display Le Amp II and the power rating. I wanted a backlit screen rather than a blue LED.

The color was asked for is a tungsten color. The idea we have in mind is the same color as the Palm Pilot 515 or the newer Tungsten W.

Le Amp 2 side view

We took two prototype Le Amp IIs to the Midwest Audio Show. We used the ACA 2b, the PC Preamp and a Silent Server with the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card. We played both CDs and played songs off of our hard disk using FLAC lossless compression. We used a custom version of the Mini 9.0s as our main speakers. The response was fantastic. Most people thought that we were among the best sounding vendors. The Midwest Audio Show had many very good systems. Most of these were far more expensive than what we offered.

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.

Le Amp 2 has a balanced input

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 (from prototype)

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 (from prototype)

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 heat sinks 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.

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