2. amps-preamps
  3. 1270037845

Atma Sphere S30 amp

I got my S30 amp yesterday and got in 12 hrs. of listening time with it.

Having started off on this audio journey with tubes I got lost somewhere down the road with SS amps. A friend of mine sent me a demo AA PX25 to try out with my Zu speakers and I was in shock on how organic sounding this little 6W amp sounded and I soon realized ( in 5 min.) I screwed up big time. My amps sounded plastic/fake and after reading a review about the AS S30 being a better all around amp than the PX25 and with more power I bought the amp new.

Even with stock 6sn7 tubes this amp is a keeper for me. I could have had listening to a OTL all this time and feel I wasted alot of $$$ and time on my SS amps. You never know until you buy and try.

This amp is not for everyone but for Zu owners I would encourage you to try this guy out.

Thanks to all you OTL owners who have posted here in the forms and for Pubul57 whose knowledge of these amps made my purchase an easy decision.

Hiphiphorray I am back with tubes and loving it.



128x128glory

Showing 10 responses by pubul57

pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Don't sell the RM10, you'll only buy it again later. Anthony, are you light loading the RM10? Using the 4ohm tap? Try it, you'll like it.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Maybe, but the M60s are better yet. I've not yet heard an amp that sounds better with the VSMs, and I've been trying a lot of them.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Anthony, you are light loading, you might want to discuss with Roger, but I suspect if you us the 4ohm tap you will get even less distortion, more current, and tubes will run much cooler and last even more than the expected 10,000 hours. I also suspect that the slight reduction in power would not be noticeable with your speakers. And best of all, those amps are really designed to by run with a passive preamp:) I know what you mean about the VACs, but if you stay on your high efficiency kick, you may never need more than those 30 watts!
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
When you get a chance, e-mail me details about your passive and your thoughts behind it.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I would love to hear your impressions of the S30, as you know I was listening to the CAT JL2 and Music Reference RM9 Special Editon (neither chopped liver)when I finally came into the Atma-sphere fold. My sense still is that of your speakers can work with an OTL, there is no better "type" of amplifier.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Dpe, you might want to try the Music Reference RM10 MKII for a little more "tone". I think you can get them for $1,000 or so, PLEASE don't let the low price fool you.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
The RM10 will never break and it will give you 10,000 hours of tube life. Try it, if you don't like it will take you 4-5 hours to sell back on Audiogon. $20K is an awful lot of music:)
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Very close to the RM9 Special Edition that costs $9,500 - just a little less sense of scale, to expected with its 162 watts, but they are certainly cut from the same cloth. Now if I were choosing an amp for the VSMs and could only have one, it would be Atma M60s for sound, but that does come at a price of tube maintenance and heat, but it is the best I've heard the VSMs sound, I prefer them to the Joule amps, but others will prefer the Joule - they both mate well with the VSMs. I would think the S30 is not ideal for the VSMs, I think you really need the M60s if you go in that direction.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Dpe, I think all the amps under consideration are going to be good. What did the Ars do that wasn't your cup of tea? By the way the Music Reference gear, both RM10 and 9 is neutral, even though the RM9 uses EL34s. I have all three, Atma and the two Music References - I love them all. But I guess if I had to only have one I would go with the Atma-sphere. If you love the S30, I can't imagine you won't head towards the M60s down the road, though they too run hot as to be expected from Class A Triode with all those tubes.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Not that I'm changing, but there is a possibilty that some of this thread would have some opinions on the differences between Atma-sphere and Joule OTL amplfiers (I do own a Joule and Atma-sphere preamp).
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