Downsizing to a Solid State Integrated amp

[boegelund]

and Teddy Pardo SP2-V.

Were these ever making it to the market ?
Or just a handfull of non released prototypes.

I remember somewhere a guy explaining how satisfied he was with these, maybe a few only owners out there ?
Were they sealed cabinets if I may ask ?

 

[david99]

My understanding from Yair at TP is that they made 3-4 pairs, before realising that the cost of production was ridiculous and that there was no profit for them.

Musically though, they are a wonderful, if almost unavailable, set of speakers - 2.5 way vented at the rear, they are better placed away from walls (unlike SL-2s or SBLs).

I was lucky enough to buy them from their original purchaser in perfect condition.

 

[Miss Ariel]

wow , read so much about the aethos and had no idea it could be used as a power amp. thats brilliant . means there is a way of upgrading it if you want . i use an integrated as a power amp and using a separate pre hugely improves its performance

Yeah you can also use it's pre out to a poweramp so all configerations are covered

 

[Pjs]

we are all so different and of course each amp will sound different with a different speaker . personally i found the sugden a21se to be hard and clinical with p3esr . arcam was warm , emotional and involving and 5 times better

I can absolutely see what you mean. To me it sounds more articulated than clinical, but I can see how it can be perceived that way.

I 'm really curious to hear the a21se with the KLH5 reissues, but I haven't had a chance to hook those up yet.

 

[hifinutt]

I should add the a21se sounded utterly stunning with my tannoy eaton legacy .what a fab match .if it had a decent remote it would still be here !! I get the same performance now from an eix pre with f5 monos which is a superb remote .this combo costs 3 times what a single a21se achieves

This combo is better than the a21se but at a price !

 

[Pjs]

I should add the a21se sounded utterly stunning with my tannoy eaton legacy .what a fab match .if it had a decent remote it would still be here !! I get the same performance now from an eix pre with f5 monos which is a superb remote .this combo costs 3 times what a single a21se achieves

This combo is better than the a21se but at a price !

I've no means of hearing Tannoy in person, but I'm so curious about them. How would you describe that combination?

 

[gavreid]

The a21se is supposed to pair nicely with the Fyne Vintage Cassics too

 

[Pkay]

I'm currently waiting for the A21SE to come into Australia and I'll audition it with my Graham LS 5/9s. It will be interesting to compare it with my Sonneteer Alabaster which is sounding great since I have had the bias tweaked to a setting that suits my musical taste.

 

[ryder]

I'm currently waiting for the A21SE to come into Australia and I'll audition it with my Graham LS 5/9s. It will be interesting to compare it with my Sonneteer Alabaster which is sounding great since I have had the bias tweaked to a setting that suits my musical taste.

Would appreciate if you can post your impressions once you've tried the A21SE with your Graham LS5/9. Apart from the Sonneteer Alabaster, may I ask what other amps were used with the LS5/9? My Graham LS5/9 sounds good with both Sonneteer Orton and Luxman L-590AXII. I haven't tried the LS5/9 with Naim 282/250DR (limited placement options in the room) but suspect the Graham will sound better with the Naim than the Luxman or Sonneteer for my listening preferences. There are few LS5/9 users who match the speakers with Naim amps.

 

[boegelund]

wow , read so much about the aethos and had no idea it could be used as a power amp. thats brilliant

Brilliant, yes maybe
I'd question pairing pre/power of two different brands without screwing the sound balance somehow.
No experience with the mentioned Audio Research in try, but I'd never guessed it would better Aethos playing as integrated amp.

 

[wainwj]

My understanding from Yair at TP is that they made 3-4 pairs, before realising that the cost of production was ridiculous and that there was no profit for them.

Musically though, they are a wonderful, if almost unavailable, set of speakers - 2.5 way vented at the rear, they are better placed away from walls (unlike SL-2s or SBLs).

I was lucky enough to buy them from their original purchaser in perfect condition.

Don't suppose yours are in a bumpy white finish, which you had delivered to your robot lawn mower owning Dad somewhere in Shropshire?

 

[david99]

Don't suppose yours are in a bumpy white finish, which you had delivered to your robot lawn mower owning Dad somewhere in Shropshire?

Indeed - those are they! I guess you were the person who kindly delivered them there when I was living in Sweden?

 

[wainwj]

I was indeed.
Drove all the way across the country rather than hand them over to a courier. To ensure they remained perfect for you.
A lovely drive it was to, although it doesn't take much of an excuse to get me to visit South Shrops tbh.
Really pleased to hear that you are still enjoying them.
A real bargain I think for the sound quality on offer. You need only look at the caliber of the drivers used, and compare the price that other speaker manufacturers charge for offerings with the same drivers. Some of them well into five figures!

 

[hifinutt]

Would appreciate if you can post your impressions once you've tried the A21SE with your Graham LS5/9. Apart from the Sonneteer Alabaster, may I ask what other amps were used with the LS5/9? My Graham LS5/9 sounds good with both Sonneteer Orton and Luxman L-590AXII. I haven't tried the LS5/9 with Naim 282/250DR (limited placement options in the room) but suspect the Graham will sound better with the Naim than the Luxman or Sonneteer for my listening preferences. There are few LS5/9 users who match the speakers with Naim amps.

moonriver have been cited as being very good with graham

 

[hifinutt]

Brilliant, yes maybe
I'd question pairing pre/power of two different brands without screwing the sound balance somehow.
No experience with the mentioned Audio Research in try, but I'd never guessed it would better Aethos playing as integrated amp.

been using bel canto pre amps and many others with different brands for years . The arcam a85 is reasonable as an integrated but way better with a decent pre like the BC pre 5 i use . lovely emotional , liquid and involving sound . in fact might just change it to an a38 as a power amp

 

[david99]

I was indeed.
Drove all the way across the country rather than hand them over to a courier. To ensure they remained perfect for you.
A lovely drive it was to, although it doesn't take much of an excuse to get me to visit South Shrops tbh.
Really pleased to hear that you are still enjoying them.
A real bargain I think for the sound quality on offer. You need only look at the caliber of the drivers used, and compare the price that other speaker manufacturers charge for offerings with the same drivers. Some of them well into five figures!

Yes, the SQ is very good indeed and also runs the SL-2s very close - not sure which ones are really ‘better’. In many ways it’s a moot point as neither pairs of speakers are easily purchased by anyone, regardless of the depth of their pockets.

 

[Pjs]

In case this is useful to anyone: I tried the a21se with the KLH 5s this weekend. It's a really fun match, especially with analogue, but it doesn't have as much weight as I'd like. I ended up switching back to the P3s pretty quickly.