General HIFI > Amplification (Pre/Power)
OTL amplifiers
Tuyen:
Hello fellow gear heads,
What do you guys know about OTL amps? What have been your experiences with them? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses?
I would like to learn more.
Cheers!
Tuyen:
This 300B OTL amp by Transcendent Sound looks cool. More than enough power to run my mids and tweeters.
http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent/300B_OTL_Tube_Amp.html
from my reading online, building a reliable/stable OTL amp is quite difficult though. Is this true? I'm thinking if our resident tube amp guru Paul could build one :D :D
vitavoxdude:
Good day Mr. T. The amp looks really good and IMO exceptional VFM too, thanks for bringing it to my attention. ;) I have only ever had the chance to listen to a couple of OTL amps and in each case they left a lasting impression. Best used with high efficiency high impedance speakers they have very little in the way of an audio signature. Output transformers in comparison tends to 'sit on the sound' adding some smear and additional weight that when its gone, becomes obvious. :-X Very fast response and an increased sense of openess and air are all things my brain told me at the time. Glen Croft (UK) made some good examples for reasonable money. Using 300b's is expensive but once that palpable sense of realness is heard its not easily forgotten. Detail also appears in a much more natural way. IS there any downside, well apart from avoid low impedance loads and keep them ventilated no, particularly with a great tube like the 300B.
With the right speaker match its like comparing a ballerina dressed correctly or dressed in work boots and trenchcoat preforming a elegant fast dance, chalk and cheese. Not for head bangers who want slow ploddy boom boom and zing zing treble, they do not impress in hifi terms but in musical communication, well they excel along with Decca cartriges and horn speakers. :P
On a side note, I am really keen to get round Steve M's to listen to the direct drive electrostatics as this has a similar trait of no damn output transformers mucking up the sound.
V
Tuyen:
Interesting....
Now I think about it, Bryan's stat setup I heard last year and was really impressed with, was using a Tram2 DHT preamp which is an OTL design. Then plugged into the custom OTL power amp. The system had a very raw, powerful, dynamic, 'direct' type sound. I did like it.
Low powered SE OTL amp to drive some horn loaded drivers could be interesting. Might be too much of a 'good' thing though.
Tuyen:
I now have a pair of 40W@8ohm OTL monoblock amps that I will try run my whole 3-way horn system from.
The challenge being the creation of a suitable 3-way passive crossover network circuit! Anyone on here that has experience and can advise?
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