Recommended Speaker List for Atma-Sphere OTL Amplifiers.


OK, I am not sure how many times this has been disscused but the information is found all over the forum. I would possible love to compile a list here.

I personally own the Classic Audio Loudspeakers T1.5

I am now looking to build a second room with the M60 Mono Blocks and MP-3 Pre-amp.


Would love fellow audiogon memebers posting any feedback with speakers they have used with these Amazing OTL sounding Amplifiers.
dragon_vibe

Showing 5 responses by audition__audio

My concern with Klipsch speakers would be possible dips in the impedance curves of each speaker. Efficiency is only part of the issue.

When we compared the M-60s to several SETs the results were significant. The M-60s were like water while the SETs like chocolate milk. The other thing that we found is that even the 20 watt parallel single ended amp ran out of steam very quickly and started to distort in a very obvious, albeit pleasant way. 

Actually we used an Audio Note 300B, an Audio Note Kit 300B parallel single ended, a Mastersound 32B (crushed the other SETs). VAC Phi 200 and Atmasphere M-60s. Preamps used were Essence Jasper, CAT, Audio Note, Thor Audio and an older VTL. The preamps universally sang the praises of the M-60s. To understand the inherent limitations of SETs you need to compare them with an OTL. You will instantly hear the limitations of the transformers, the inherent problems with the lower power and the quick clipping which sounds like the amp is producing power but it is really a bunch of gunk. The push-pull VAC did very well , but lacked the texture of the Mastersound and was completely outclassed in every way by the Atmasphere. Most of the listening was done on a pair of DeVore 0/96s which is a very easy OTL friendly load. 
Schiit products are simply not in the same league as your M 60s. Kind of like putting low octane in a performance car. I think you would be better served by Ralph's entry level preamp (only single ended) than anything made by Schiit.
I think that the impedance curve is more important than the sensitivity. The DeVore 0/96s are a superb match and this comment is based on hours of actual listening experience. A friend and myself built a pair of M60s and have never heard a better amp on the DeVores. We compared the M60s to VAC, Audio Note and Mastersound.