Best Digital Amps

I also heard the Acoustic Reality EAR II amp was about to receive a good review. I can't see how StereoTimes
could give it more of a "rave review," then they already gave the MII and Tact 2150, but hey, that was last month.

I've heard the MII and Tact 2150 and they're both excellent. The MII excels at dynamics, the Tact is more detailed. The Tact also allows you to eliminate a preamp & dac from your system.

Muralman1 -"The ICE module has greater potential than the TacT and TRI Path modules" What potential?

And how do you compare the Tact which needs no premap or
dac to the eAR which needs both?

Muralman1- "I use my hearing to compare the two."

You must have remarkable hearing to filter out/factor in the combined effect of a diferent preamp,dac,and different sytems(no dealer I'm aware handles the all these digital amps and eAR has no dealers), but hey, to each his own.

For a grand, maybe I'll pick on up as a back-up amp.

I look forward to reading the rave review on StereoTimes.

1953- You use a TacT RCS 2.2X, has its' power supply been upgrade? If not you're missing out on a very large performance improvement. Have you tried the TacT
2150 amps? I have a friend who also uses Apogee speakers
with a 2.2X. His lightly modified 2150 drives the Apogee without any problems. He has heard the H20 prototype on his system and preferred the 2150. TacT is also working on a more powerful version of their all digital amp.

I agree with you that this new crop of amps represents the future direction of audio.

Muralman1- You're corect about TacT users. They know that the MII and 2150s, unlike other so-called digital amplifiers, have no analog feedback or analog signal processing or amplification involved at any stage. The system is a high-power DAC device that translates digital information directly into sound.

The these units allow you to eliminate a preamp, DAC and
speaker crossovers with their programable digital crossover filters.

They recent won a StereoTimes.com award,and TacT just lowered their pricing.

"I have owned a number of great amps, and have heard far more. The H2O is unmistakingly the finest I have ever heard."

High praise, but I looked at your list of amps in the “Personal amp evolution” thread and don’t see any of classic great ones(I posted my short list there also).

Good luck with your ICED H2O. Hope I get a chance to give it stir somtime. A hui hou.

Loudandclear- I've been to CP's home and heard his TacT gear. He stopped using the Zanden tube DAC months ago after some cable/power supply improvements.

He does use a Apogee Big Ben processor to reduce jitter from his transport.

Once you get noise under control, a TacT system doesn't need any tubes in the circuit path. If you have a moment,
take a look at my ST article on digital tweaking. ;-)

1953- I agree with you, for $2K the H2O sounds very interesting. I just think, for someone who running a two channel rig, the TacT's ability to eliminate the preamp,
DAC and extra cables are worth the extra $900.

Muralman1- first, I said the amp our friend heard was a prototype, and it was our same friend that suggested the
use of high speed diodes and better parts to Henry, after
he heard what these improvement did in his TacT system.

I know you're excited about the H20, but with the mods I've done on the TacT amps, they're not "dry and analytical."

You know my friend, but you don't know me. I'm told you're a really great guy, but please don't made unsupported statement like "unapproachable by TacT, even with a thousand dollars upgrades," unless you've heard a tweaked out TacT system like mine or Mr.Perry's.

The mods don't cost "thousand dollars," try a $100.
worth of parts applied in the right area, some electronics knowledge and skill.

I'm not your enemy man. I want to see other digital amps come to market and push the development process of this new technolgy into high gear.

As I told you, I'd be happy to lend an ear and my mana'o
to the H2O's development process.

Contact me off line, or get my number from our friend and give me a call.

Aloha,

Dan