Theta Dreadnaught amp is it just a HT amp or music


I would like to know from the owners of the dreadnaught
how they rate the amp with music? I also welcome any
information about the amp running hot.
csfred
excellent- on the warmer side of neutral. I even tried a vertical bi-amp with mine with great results. It is also very stable, and reliable. Mine is on 24/7 for the last year and a half with NO problems. You will not regret the choice.
Dreadnaught is a very musical amp. I have been using one for 20 months without any problem. It does run hot, especially with all five channels driven. If you put your hand on the top cover you will feel uncomfortably hot in about half a minute but it will not burn your hand. So make sure you give it a lot of room to breath. I use it to drive Martin Logan SL3 bi-amped and lately Vandersteen Model 5 bi-wired, two very different speakers with very different loads, both with great results.
Richard Hardesty, former equipment editor of Widescreen Review mag, and for many years the co-owner of one of the most successful high-end audio retailers in the LA area (Havens & Hardesty), has written absolutely rave comments about the Theta Dreadnaught. Infact, Hardesty replaced $25,000 of high-end amplification with the Dreadnaught, which he now uses for both music and home theater duties. Hardesty publishes an online audio journal called "The Audio Perfectionist", and in one of the issues he talked specifically about the Dreadnaught. Here is a short quote from Issue #4 that discussed the Dreadnaught:

"I have reviewed more than 50 amplifiers for Widescreen Review magazine and I recently stumbled on a real gem...The product I'm talking about is the Theta Dreadnaught...The Dreadnaught is a modular amp that can be configured with two to five channels, each capable of delivering more than 200 wpc into 8 ohms...It (the Dreadnaught) is, perhaps, the best solid state amplifier I've ever heard and it is, in my opinion, the best value in high-end amplifiers available today...This isn't a less expensive amplifier that offers performance rivalling the costly offerings from Krell, Levinson and others -- the Dreadnaught is a less expensive amplifier that simply embarrasses most higher priced products. I replaced the $25,000 worth of prestige amplification I was using with two Dreadnaught amplifiers that sell for a little over $5000 each and improved the sound of my system substantially."

Hardesty's online journal offers some excellent advice and insight into home theater, and you can subscribe to it for $30 a year. From personal experience, I can recommend it, for it offers blunt, honest, yet technically informed commentary that I have seen nowhere else. Hardesty accepts no advertising, and he isn't afraid to call things the way he sees them.

If you want to take an introductory look at "The Audio Perfectionist", here is the Web address:
http://www.audioperfectionist.com/

Best regards,

Scott C-
I've listened to the Dreadnaught, but not critically. But all that I've read and heard from other's is that it is a very musical amp with a music first design.

-John
I have 4 tube monoblocks for the 2-ch system, however, if $$ was tight, I would sell everything and STILL keep the Dreadnaught, as it is so musical, AND does double-duty in home theater as well (which, sadly, is all I am using it for right now).
Designed by Dave Reich, I'm not surprised it's musical. Dave was the original designer at Classe Audio, I spoke with him and he mentioned he was very pleased with the way the Dreadnaught turned out. If I was serious about HT or wanted an all-in-one system I'd buy one for sure.
The Dreadnaught is a great double-duty amp. The other theater amp that works well for both theater and 2ch is the Simaudio Titan.
David Reich also designed my McCormack DNA-2 LAE (Limited Aniversary Edition) amp. I believe David Reich used much the same technology in the Dreadnaught.

Which is a very good thing.

-John
I've owned the Drednaught for almost 2 years now and I can't say enough about it. I have it set up for home theater and 2 channel listening, and it does not dissapoint.
I own the DrednaughtII driving the magnepans 3.6
extremely musical and drive capability
You can imagin what this amp can do by introducing
biamping satup.
Technically, excelent engineering, not crazy staff.

stelios, MSc.EE., P.E.
I have only heard this amp with 2 channel music and I thought it was NICE!!!
Mike
Sidssp - Would you or others suggest a good preamp for the Dreadnaught II? Anywhere up to about $2,600 or so is what I have in mind. Thanks.