Forte Model 55 Amp

Update...Jon Soderberg's latest email says the 55 was the LAST thing they made at Forte', and it was a run of maybe 100 amps. Explains the lack of info.

Sold to me actually. No clue if it's as good as the Class A but if it was any better my head would explode with excess happiness. Like I said...there are NO REVIEWS or comparisons I can find anywhere. It's built like a tank and Soderberg, at least in his inital response to me regarding mods, says it's the last if the Forte' amps and doesn't use the IBGT transistors. That is supposedly a good thing. It's also not in the standard Forte' size...weirdly...it's tall and shallow (like me) and not short and deep (like Paul Simon). I'll have to find somebody near me who has a Forte' Class A in similar (near perfect) shape as this amp and do a comparison so I don't continue to perhaps mistakenly enjoy this thing so much...

I have found plenty of general info on the Threshold/Forte' connection...Forte's were a LOT less expensive than Threshold amps. I just can't find anything specific to this model such as a list of specs. ANYTHING!Also, I personally would not buy an older class A amp as it seems risky to use gear that has been baking in class A heat for years. A restored one maybe, but so many great class A/B amps are out there along with well regarded class D stuff that won't cook itself.

Yeah...I got another email from Soderberg verifying the "100 into 8" (170 or so into 4...the Bluebook here is vague, but I assumed amps are listed as "into 8 ohm"). Info is accumulating in dribs and drabs...bottom line is that in its current unmodified condition it is a monster amp...extremely high definition, sweet, uncluttered tone with plenty of cajones. Seems to match very well with my carefully selected inexpensive pile of electron manipulation devices. I suggest everyone run out and buy one of these amps..heh heh...

You have a Forte' Model 55? So that's 2 confirmed ownerships. All I've found online is the info here in the Bluebook, and some conversations about other Forte' models. Soderberg did say in an email that these are the last gasp before Forte' "moved and closed" ('97 or something). Maybe they only made 2! I hope to get more info as time "sniffs like a beagle into the future".

Cool...although "amp suett" sounds like bird food. I appreciate the addition to the miniscule amount of Model 55 info I can find...I'm looking forward to another 10 months between posts to the thread, and, by the way, the "55" just keeps sounding better and better as I upgrade all the other components around it.

I'd really like to see the manual for the "55"...if you can email it to me, thanks in advance! I plan to send mine to Soderberg if I ever think it needs to sound better. I hope he stays in business for a while...

I loved that amp, but it had to go to make way for a tube amp...a clean and musical powerhouse of an amp, and a really appealing look.

As mentioned earlier, the "55" was late in the Forte line and consequently may have more normal output transistors instead of whatever the IGBT things are. I also had little luck in tracking down info on these (hence the original post) , but suffice to say I enjoyed the amp while I owned it.