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Soundlab A3s and thoughts.

Hi all. i’ve sold my Oranutans and my Brinkmann TT and was going to give it a rest for a while while i renovate an old house we just bought. but.....i’ve just agreed to buy a pair of Soundlab a3s from a local chap.

They sounded nice nice with his n-core digital amp and an ayon cd/pre. i don’t know what generation they are and I don’t intend to upgrade them. i wasn’t looking to buy another system but i’m a sucker for interesting hi-fi.

Anyway, i’m looking for second hand amp recommendations for these. i was thinking Red Dragon S500 but they seem to be missing in action on their web site. What do you guys think would work well and is cheap. (1-2k second hand). this system is kind of an excersize in putting a decent system together for 5k ish.

Also general thoughts about how to get the best from them, from those with experience.

oh ! just one last thing.... if anyone has an email-able user instructions for them they could send me that would be a tremendous help.

Thanks all,  Wish me luck.

Myron.


borg7x9

Showing 3 responses by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,162 posts
 
Atma Sphere is very much still around and they are very popular with Soundlabs owners but they are very expensive even used. For ESLs the Soundlabs are very easy to drive. You want at least 100 watts/ch. Between 1-2 K is tough. A used Parasound amp might come in under 2K.
You will have to play the used market and see what is available. If you can find an AB amp that gives you the first 10 watts class A that would be great. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,162 posts
 
That may be with the old transformer. The newer toroids are more efficient. Myron’s set could be either but he can get them upgraded if need be. The newer PX panels are also more efficient.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,162 posts
 
jafox has it right. The setting depends entirely on humidity. You turn up the bias (diaphragm voltage) until you hear arching then back off until it stops. You might hear some arching when it rains! 
jafox you do not want to turn the speakers off. First of all they draw almost no current as there is no current flow you are just putting a charge on the diaphragm. It costs nothing to keep them on. There is a period of time for the charge on the diaphragm to settle down perhaps 10 minutes or so. Keeping the speakers on does not decrease the life of the speakers at all. Letting them arch continuously does not decrease the life span at all it just sounds snappy. In order to damage a Soundlabs panel you would have to take an ice pick to it.
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