I read this post years ago, and then I picke4d up the old stereoph8ile from November 1992 about the Model 4 and the 6. I bought the 6, it replaced an old Carver tfm-55. I liked the Carver more, the 6 sounded terrible to me. I had planned on buying the 6, and having it re-biased my Jon Soderberg who happens to live about ten miles from me. But, it sounded so bad, I begged Jon to take it ASAP, and he put in four conrad dublier (misspelled?) capacitors at 31,000 uf each, and Jon re-biased it. What a nice sounding amp, I am not sure what is sounds like in comparison to a 4a, but I am very happy with this amp. It is very detailed in the high end, and my BAT VK-D5 tamed the slightly metallic midrange......Now with a Van Alstine Transcendence 7ECR on the way, I will find out just how good it really sounds. I was using an audible ilusions Modulus and a FET-2 threshold before. I spent 1050 dollars for this amp with the upgrade, I am thinking about buying another to bi-amp...........
Review: Forte Model 4a Amplifier
Category: Amplifiers
The Forte Model 4a is clearly a gotta have amplifier. It is 50 Watts RMS per side in Pure Class A configuration.
The Forte Model 4a is clearly a gotta have amplifier. It is 50 Watts RMS per side in Pure Class A configuration.
Forte was the sister line to Threshold and with that being said much of the Threshold technology found it's way into the Forte product line. Such as the Forte 4a with its IGBT technology,which Threshold used in its T series of Power Amps.
The Forte 4a may only be 50 Watts per side,but what a glorious 50 per side it is. That is into 8 0hms,into 4 ohms it is 100 per side. During it's heyday the Forte 4a was compared against the Levinson 23.5,the VTL 225w, Muse Model 100 and other high end contenders of the day. In particular Corey Greenbery of Stereophile was more than duly impressed(Vol 15 No.11) as was Robert Hartley(Vol.16 No.7)
What was so impressive about this amp.,was its ability to deliver the music and without the slightest hint of strain. Always sounded much more powerful than the 50 per side it stated.
This amp clearly delivers the music with a transparency and detail that is hard to imagine unless you have heard it. Being Pure Class A the Forte has a sonic signature,that is agile,sweet and delicate,without a trace of the usual solid state forwardness,grain and glare were totally absent. Handles complex musical passages with a delicacy not often heard. No doubt the Forte 4a has in my opinion a damn near perfect balance of liquidity and resolution.
I listen to mostly Contemporary Rock N Roll,Jazz and Classical. This amp.,in short is just a dream to listen to. It's ability to retrieve the audio signal and pass it through to the speakers is very special indeed.
Being the jaded audiophile I am it is very hard to impress me with anything.Been in this hobby since 1957 and now 59,have just about heard and seen it all. The Forte Model 4a duly impresses. I was totally surprised by it's performance.
When new this amp had a retail of $1,790.00.They can be had in the secondary for about $400.00 to $600.00. Trust me,these prices on the Forte Model 4a wont stay this low for long. Once the word gets out on this amp.,the used prices will start moving up quite quickly. So if you have the need for a Pure Class A amp.,at what I now consider a giveaway price. Get one soon. At this point in time the Forte Model 4a is an outright steal at todays secondary market prices.
Make no mistake this amp.,can compete with any Pure Class A amp out there today.Like any Class A amp.,it runs hot and will need plenty of ventiliation. In my opinion it just doesn't get much better than this.
The difference between the Model 4 and Model 4a, is that the 4a has balanced inputs. Sonic signature is the same.
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