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Amptastic Mini and speakers.

marktr

marktr

Registered User
I’m wondering what stand mounted speakers folks are using with their Amptastic Mini. Thanks.
 
Not really standmounted but I am currently using Celestion Ditton 33s (late 70s vintage) with my Amptastic Mini 1. I have also tried a pair of original Rega Elas (definitely not stand mounted ! )
 
Audio Note AX2s, ProAc Tab Ref 8s or Zu Druids (not stand mount, but they serve as stands for the Genelecs).
 
Yes, and it’s easy to flip the dip switches (just remember where you kept them).

Then it’s better again with a linear PSU (or a battery) but probably not by enough to justify the cost. I already had the supply but would just keep it simple and cheap and enjoy it for what it is.

Speaker matching is important, hence the OP’s question I presume.
 
Harbeth Compact 7ES2 when l had the Amptastic- in many ways the best l had heard them sound :eek:

Now listening to a Fosi V3 48V 5A PSU and this too sounds utterly superb into ProAc Tablette 10 or Audionote K/LX.
 
I'm using Icon Audio MFV 6 speakers and when I use the amptastic ( which isn't very often ) I use the amptastic in power amp mode..I collect tiny amps and my most recent purchase is a Schiit Rekkr which is a similar price to the amptastic and is in my opinion a better amp.
 
I've still to try mine in power amp mode as I don't have a preamp at hand... but I do have a Marantz NR-1504 AVR which has preouts and my Mojo 2 has volume control so I guess I could try using either of them with the Ampastic in power mode. I reckon it'll be easier to set everything up with the Mojo 2 so I'll try that first and see how it goes.
 
I just had a try at using the Amptastic in power mode in my bedroom system: Bluesound Node (N130) > Chord Mojo 2 > Amptastic > Tannoy Eaton Legacy speakers. In a word, it's definitely a viable option. It sounded pretty good and, with my bedroom system being more of a near-field setup, the Amptastic seemed to have enough power on tap for sure.

In practice, it would require changes to make it work as I'd either need to go all-digital, or add a preamp and a phono stage as the phono stage that's in there already is inside my Brio! If I didn't have any records I reckon it would be an easy decision to come to on how I'd proceed. But I do have records and I like playing them...

I've heard it said that passive preamps aren't suitable in every circumstance. Would connecting one, such as the Tisbury passive preamp, to an Amptastic in poweramp mode be one of the circumstances best avoided? Or would it be fine?
 
Mine is boxed as a spare amp, but the best/most enjoyable I heard it was I guess unsurprisingly with Klipsch Heresys. Good enough to make one question system budget allocation, e.g. this £100 amp is a great match with these £2k+ (or whatever the current version cost) speakers. The old 1980s front-end-first ideology works with turntables to a large degree, but an amp should be viewed as part of the speaker it is being asked to drive. Efficient easy to drive speakers remove the need to pay for power.
 
My suspicion is the Amptastic could probably do with an active preamp. I’m using a passive with it now since it’s standing in for the Leak temporarily.
 
Alex S said:
My suspicion is the Amptastic could probably do with an active preamp. I’m using a passive with it now since it’s standing in for the Leak temporarily.
Click to expand...

I'd heard that Maim amps don't like being connected to passive preamps (the technical reasons are beyond me) and I did wonder whether a Tripath amp would be similar. Thanks Alex, I'll happily learn from your experience and consider an active preamp instead. Which one that turns out to be is far too soon to say. I used to own a Sugden Bijou Headmaster... but like I say, used to.

I suppose the next thing I should try is my Marantz NR-1504 AVR that's sitting in a cupboard. Although considering the amount of electronics inside it, my hopes aren't too high on the sound quality front, even if it has the preamp functionality I'm after.
 
Thanks for all your responses.
I tried The Fosi V3 in the Audio Note system in which we’re currently using The Amptastic.The V3 was swapped out pretty quickly, not sounding as smooth as The Amptastic. As always, it’s all about system synergy.
 
Alex S said:
Yes, and it’s easy to flip the dip switches (just remember where you kept them).

Then it’s better again with a linear PSU (or a battery) but probably not by enough to justify the cost. I already had the supply but would just keep it simple and cheap and enjoy it for what it is.

Speaker matching is important, hence the OP’s question I presume.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. Mine is set as an integrated amp (driving cheapo Monitor Audio Bronze 50's which I think are not ideal sensitivity-wise but sound OK in the kitchen) but it's fed from a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming pre-amp (set in transport-only mode). Maybe I'd be better swapping pre-amp duties back to the Yamaha? The Yam has a lovely, knurled metal volume knob with nice detents too.
 
I have tried both active & passive attenuation. Fed from a digital source, in my circumstance, the Amptastic is a bit "lively" and doesn't allow much range on the volume control. A set of Rothwell 10db attenuators soon solved that.
 
wulbert said:
Hmmm. Mine is set as an integrated amp (driving cheapo Monitor Audio Bronze 50's which I think are not ideal sensitivity-wise but sound OK in the kitchen) but it's fed from a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming pre-amp (set in transport-only mode). Maybe I'd be better swapping pre-amp duties back to the Yamaha? The Yam has a lovely, knurled metal volume knob with nice detents too.
Click to expand...
I’d definitely try the Yamaha for preamp duties.
 
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