|
|
|
IDEAL INNOVATIONS - COMMENTS & FEEDBACK
|
Date:2009-10-03
|
| Name: Tom Sutliff |
| Email: copperlink@yahoo.com |
| Comments: I've had the Elite 80 hooked up for about 2 weeks now and have spent a considerable amount of time listening and all I can say is I am very impressed. The sound quality is excellent, but the build quality and attention to detail on this amp is also outstanding. Syd has been great to deal with during the order and build process answering my (many) questions promptly and with patience. I have tried several configurations with the 80 amp. 1.) Running my CDP (Cambridge Audio 840C) directly to the amp inputs 2.) Running a preamp and AVR (Emotiva USP-1 and Onkyo TX-SR875). While both sound nice I actually prefer the direct ("flat"); connection directly from the CDP to the 80 amp. It just has that 'sound' I'm looking for from a tube amp. It's clear, the separation of instruments is there, it's warm but it's also articulate and the bass is excellent (nice and tight). I hear things in this configuration I don't hear running solid state, which is what I hoped for when I acquired the 80. I run Klipsch RF-83 speakers and the amp really makes them sing. I use Signal Cable Analog II interconnects between the amp and CDP by the way. This is a very clean sounding amp, and not just when I am playing music (very nice). The Klipsch are extremely efficient at a sensitivity of 100 dB and you cannot hear any hiss or transient noise coming from the horn when the 80 is powered up to the CDP. Dead quiet. That is very impressive to me, as I've had solid state and several tube amps hooked up before and was able to hear some hiss (albeit you had to get your ear close with a couple of them ' some you could hear hiss 5' away). The signal path is obviously important to noise transients, but you can attribute the majority of that quietness to the amp's design and build quality imho. The Elite80 has more than enough power to push the Klipsch's also (which is to be expected with their sensitivity). I rarely have to go past the 3 o'clock position on the volume pots (I have a big listening room 32' x 26' and sit / listen 13' feet away from the Klipsch fronts). The amp sounds phenomenal with Jazz; I listened today to 'Red Clay' from Freddie Hubbard, 'Ballads' from John Coltrane and Benny Golson's 'The Other Side of Benny Golson'. But they work well beyond Jazz as I also listened to Neil Young's 'Harvest Moon', Springsteen's 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', The Black Keys 'Thickfreakness' and Robin Trower's 'Bridge of Sighs' and the sound was EXCEPTIONAL. Final thoughts; Nothing wrong with audio components coming from China like we've seen the past several years (some are quite good), but I'm very happy (and will go out of my way) to buy a quality, well designed and handmade product produced in North America. You can't go wrong with the sound quality, the build quality, the price and the communication from Syd. |
|
Date:2009-03-19
|
| Name: Danilo Jasmin |
| Email: dsjneee48@yahoo.com |
Comments: Hi! Syd,
I've just received my Elite 70i+ amp and I was really elated with the unit. It's well packed and I should say a near fail-proof packing. As advised, I read the manuals carefully before I ran the amp and I was surprised with the performance of the amp, excitingly very clean sounding unit and at last I found what I'm looking for in this wonderful piece of product. You'd really done your homework!
Thanks for everything,
Danilo |
|
Date:2009-03-16
|
| Name: Dave Wojo |
| Email: dwojo69@msn.com |
| Url: http://home.earthlink.net/~dwojo/index.html |
Comments: I liked the Elite80+ tube amp I bought late in the summer of 2008 so much that I bought another one during the fall time. These amps are super quiet, in fact they're so quiet that I have to shut off my computer because the computers cooling fans are annoying during low volume music passages. Since I have a pair of amps, I'm bi-amping my Altec 604-8H's, I have to say, they never sounded better, the imaging and tonal balance is incredible. These amps are a super bargain, Syd is a fine gentleman to deal with, the personal phone calls during the buying decision process was a very nice touch, the care after purchase can't be beat. I feel you can't go wrong with these amps, I'm amazed at the power they're capable of, keep up the good work!! Dave.
[IMG]http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k98/dgwojo/Elite-80_Amps_Pair_01.jpg[/IMG] |
|
|
|
