Accuphase amplifier choice

Good evening @lalitk 

Thank you. My ears are sending good things to my brain. Just getting used to the 300b vs. 2a3 differences. But the Whammer isn't just any 2a3. 

You know I saw a New Audio Frontiers 211 on US Audio mart from Colin, and I emailed about it, and I was close to pulling the trigger, and then I saw this Whammer. Very happy with the decision, it has the inner resolution and musical insight I have always dreamed of, and I knew "these" 4 watts would be plenty after playing around with my Yamamoto 45 at a whopping 1.5 wpc, so a 211 is not needed. 

But the 300B amp you would have heard at Gestalt's would have been of the same pedigree. NAF or Sw1x? And the crossover-less design of the Eufrodites add to the seamless musical insight. Yeah, you heard it and know it! Tommy Horning is a magician. 

In case anyone is wondering what track I was referring to above, check this one out: London Grammer - Rooting for you. Unique voice, she sounds like she has a cold, yet plenty of emotion, but the last few seconds of the song DEEP rumbling goin' on. 

@milpai 

I run the Accuphase amplifier at the lowest gain: 12db. 
This allows me to operate the  MSB Discrete DAC as my pre amp with volume near the top. The highest volume setting is 106. I run it mostly at 88 and on some hot pop recordings 80. That’s the lowest I set it. This combination gives me the best transparency and open soundstage. 

Very cool @jfrmusic . Yes, I do find that the volume sometimes drops according to the source. But lowest gain setting works in my system too. Though Spotify is not bit-perfect, it is lossless and I did find some songs for which I need to raise the volume on my preamp a bit, to match the SACD/HDCD levels. But that is good - because it tells me that there is a very nice DR on that song/album.

How much time did it take in your case, for your amplifier to sound it's best? I think you have had your amp for more than a year now.

@mclinnguy 

Yes, but I am currently more excited with my 2a3 amp. It brings a smile to my face when my walls are shaking from 2 watts, like a squad of F-16’s just flew over my roof. There are watts, and then there are watts. After knowing what my 4wpc amp can do 30 watts sounds huge!

I hope you realize that the specs are different for your loudspeakers Vs mine.

Is this something you have observed, or just going off of historical potentiometer-bearing pre amp religion? 

From my experience with the Rhumba (since Jan 2018), the volume between 7:30  to 10 o'clock positions sound very much "in your face". But once you cross 10 o'clock position, it sound a bit relaxed and natural. Andy did mention to me about the volume position too. But my experience has not been the same - at least in my system. YMMV.

I hope you realize that the specs are different for your loudspeakers Vs mine.

yes, of course. I do have a set of Maggies which require a little more oomph also.

From my experience with the Rhumba (since Jan 2018), the volume between 7:30  to 10 o'clock positions sound very much "in your face". But once you cross 10 o'clock position, it sound a bit relaxed and natural. Andy did mention to me about the volume position too. But my experience has not been the same - at least in my system. YMMV.

Okay interesting. I will do some experimenting.