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Post by steveeb on Apr 5, 2018 20:24:26 GMT
Double happy today, managed to secure a pre-loved Alabaster. They don't surface often.
A German gentleman bought a pair of my speakers to replace the LS5/9 he'd used for the last 2-3 years (and prior to that Altec Lansing). He set about trying quite a few amps to pair with them and compare to his Leiben Pre/power, including Class D, Quad and the new Technics. He's an experienced and knowledgeable guy, having been involved with the BBC project to convert their analogue recording to digital. He felt the Sonneteer was 100% successful and he's enjoying the best sound he's achieved in his room to date. I can see the theoretical synergy, so I'm rather excited to hear the results in mine.
I know there are a couple of other Alabaster users here and I'll post my experiences in the coming weeks...
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Post by MartinT on Apr 5, 2018 20:47:34 GMT
How does it work with the Blackwoods, Steve?
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Post by steveeb on Apr 5, 2018 21:26:08 GMT
It was the Blackwoods he bought Martin. I won't have the amp myself until end of next week, it's in Helsinki and being warmed up to UK temperature.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2018 2:49:49 GMT
The Alabaster is a grown up Naim sound, fast, punchy yet subtle and musical good fun with no edges. They do run quite warm. Well built and British, made in Guildford. A great musical amplifier for sensible money
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Post by steveeb on Apr 26, 2018 8:10:19 GMT
Well, he arrived yesterday I think this is going to be a love affair, the synergy with my speakers is obvious immediately. I'll give it a while to adjust and understand the character. I say 'he' because the amp was on it's best behaviour from the beginning - but even women can keep the crazy in check for the first 3 months. One initial impression regarding the volume control. I considered it a potential issue that I'm used to a remote volume control and my kit sits on the other side of the room. As my speakers actively use the room to give a delayed, reflected ambient output, there is a volume sweet spot where this is balanced with the direct output to complete the suspension of disbelief in an eerily realistic way, with some adjustment needed to allow for the varying recording levels and frequency balance. This is usually noticed most obviously as a tendency to either bass bloom or high frequency aggression. I played straight through some 20 reference tracks in a playlist as if a volume leveller had been introduced, such was the bass control and purity of the upper registers. Shame really, because the liquid action of the volume control gives the amp the impression of quality every time you operate it. First arrow to the heart. Sonneteer have a philosophy regarding usable volume control range (read about this on their website) and leads to my second question/ concern: Alabaster's 50w compared to the 150w Sheng Ya it replaces. No problem at all, house filling volume at only 11 o'clock on the dial running 6 round to 4. And true to Sonneteer's comments, the Sheng Ya operates from 6 up to around 10, then nothing really happens turning up to 1 o'clock, where the volume starts to increase again and the distortion kicks in. Plus the steps seem too great and it's difficult to get just the right level if you're sailing close to the wind. Second direct hit. Final surprise. The Alabaster showed me just what a bloody good amp the Sheng Ya is. They are a similar price new and Sheng Ya is the local branding and the manufacturers of the respected German Vincent amps. There are similarities to the sound, the Sheng Ya being more dramatic and theatrical, huge soundstage and confident. The Sonneteer is more controlled and refined, seeming like it's not trying to impress so desperately by being balanced throughout. Final disappointment. I missed the matching Sonneteer Byron CD player on eBay for £280. Bugger.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 26, 2018 9:43:46 GMT
Is your main disappoint just the lack of a remote volume control, Steve? It sounds like it's doing a great job otherwise?
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Post by steveeb on Apr 26, 2018 10:41:02 GMT
Actually what I'm trying to convey is that although I would have liked a remote (though not at the expense of this sound), the bass and treble control from this amp is resulting in volume adjustment being is far less necessary, minimising the inconvenience issue. The main balancing act I have with tuning the Blackwoods is 1/ to get the bass definition and articulation without compromising the free projection and 2/ to have liquid treble without compromising detail and attack. With the Alabaster these considerations are not even there to address, which is an indicator of the synergy for me. Another thing I notice, I thought I had realistic vocals and speech already but there is a naturalness now that I hadn't realised was even missing. Band members talking to each other was a bit scary to be honest
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Post by MartinT on Apr 26, 2018 11:13:08 GMT
It sounds like a great combination.
Not on the same scale but I was amazed at what a good combination the Blackwoods made with the little SMSL Q5. The all-important midrange really sang with a quality that belied its overall cost.
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Post by Barrington on Apr 26, 2018 11:37:12 GMT
Lack of remote for me is only an issue when I change format , all my digital media is played via my Oppo so I use its volume control , playing vinyl is when I have to move occasionally .
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Post by Barrington on Apr 26, 2018 11:42:12 GMT
Well, he arrived yesterday With/without MM stage ?
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Post by steveeb on Apr 26, 2018 12:01:59 GMT
Lack of remote for me is only an issue when I change format , all my digital media is played via my Oppo so I use its volume control , playing vinyl is when I have to move occasionally . Without M/M - I have no black stuff. I think you have an Oppo 105? I have the 103 and use an off-board dac, which means fixed digital output. I have tried using the 103 directly in the past, exactly for the volume control option but without the Sabre inside it's a step down too far for me. I will either move my kit location or live with the exercise, I'm not giving up the sound
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Post by Barrington on Apr 26, 2018 12:09:44 GMT
Lack of remote for me is only an issue when I change format , all my digital media is played via my Oppo so I use its volume control , playing vinyl is when I have to move occasionally . Without M/M - I have no black stuff. I think you have an Oppo 105? I have the 103 and use an off-board dac, which means fixed digital output. I have tried using the 103 directly in the past, exactly for the volume control option but without the Sabre inside it's a step down too far for me. I will either move my kit location or live with the exercise, I'm not giving up the sound They only added the MM to take advantage of the vinyl revival , its a good one of course , no other change was made. I have the 205 with the Dual ESS ES9038PRO Sabre Pro DACs . Unlucky on the CDp great price that .
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Post by steveeb on Apr 26, 2018 12:20:19 GMT
It sounds like a great combination. Not on the same scale but I was amazed at what a good combination the Blackwoods made with the little SMSL Q5. The all-important midrange really sang with a quality that belied its overall cost. Yes it was a good result, I was only frustrated because I know what can be - bloody perfectionist, it really is a curse you know. I'm sure the transparency and detail was strangled by the room, but it didn't matter where I moved the speakers or what I did to them, the brave little SMSL didn't control the bass. In fairness it would be tuned to partner smaller speakers and to provide fuller, warmer bass from them I expect. The Alabaster manages the difficult balancing act of so much definition and animation at the bottom to drive the music and sound like stringed instruments without any effort, while maintaining an organic richness of tone without rolling off the high frequencies.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2018 22:01:54 GMT
It sounds like a great combination. Not on the same scale but I was amazed at what a good combination the Blackwoods made with the little SMSL Q5. The all-important midrange really sang with a quality that belied its overall cost. That was more to do with the wonderful QED speaker cable used, Martin
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Post by MartinT on Apr 27, 2018 5:03:40 GMT
Best I've heard Silver Anniversary sound
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Post by dsjr on Apr 27, 2018 8:12:34 GMT
That QED SA cable was the absolute pits whatever direction it was placed trouble is, Sevenoaks shops promoted it by the kilometre as it was an easy sale for them and 'everyone else' needed to stock it as we were asked for it specifically due to the 5* awards it kept getting. I remember the groans around the room at a WTF awards dinner I attended when it won yet again... I only heard the Alabaster once a couple of years ago, but I thought it very good indeed in a lean-n-clean kind of way.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2018 8:14:14 GMT
Glad you like the Alabaster Steve is a nice amplifier with many great traits.
We enjoy them regularly, we distribute Sonneteer in the UK great sounding product.
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