Anyone every hear of Sumo pre and power amps?

dpowell
dpowell Posts: 3,068
edited October 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
Came across someone selling Sumo Diana preamp and 2 Sumo Polaris power amps. Never heard of them before but says he paid a bundle for them a good long time ago.

Found this informational page:

http://www.davidsaudio.com/html/gas_sumo.html

Can probably pick up the combo of 2 X 120watt power amps and a pre for <$200
____________________________________________________________

polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
Post edited by dpowell on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited October 2011
    Absolutely, "Bongo" Jim was/is a very good designer with a sharp sense of humor. I think the "Ampzilla" power amp was in Stereophile's list of 100 most influential products. For $200.00 you should break like the wind! Providing everything works okay.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited October 2011
    Didn't he have something to do with GAS also?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited October 2011
    Exactly so, George. The very man; James Bongiorno. He cut his teeth with Hafler/Dynaco and was involved in the design of the Dynaco 400.
    He is still active, last I knew (Ampzilla 2000), and still a man of a certain sartorial... elegance. Google him and see :-)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited October 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    and still a man of a certain sartorial... elegance. Google him and see :-)

    Nah, I don't like touching other guys. You google him.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited October 2011
    I've got a Sumo Polaris,,class A/B IIRC--sweet sweet amp..mint condition,,palys very nice,and apparently well built.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited October 2011
    I just got home from picking up the stack of stuff. Here's what I ended up with for $150:

    2 X Sumo Polaris III power amps. Each amp is 2 x 120wpc @ 8Ohms.
    1 X Sumo Diana preamp with balanced external power supply (this is two separate 1U units)
    1 X Parasound T/DQ-260II tuner

    He also threw in a Klipsch KSP-C6 center channel because his TV wouldn't power it. Aesthetically it is a 3/10 but still useable somewhere for the price....

    Going to get it all hooked up and take it for a spin.....of course after I check to make sure the amps are common ground.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited October 2011
    Man you did real good...you stole that stuff at that price!! Congratulations.

    Joe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited October 2011
    Finished testing everything. One channel is out on one of the power amps but everything else works great. I'm sure it'll be an easy fix. Seen that sort of issue before and it's probably a toasted cap. Still can't complain for the price.

    I have these swapped into my modded 1C rig and they sound very good. Kids are asleep so I can't crank anything tonight. One thing for certain, as much as good gear makes good speakers sound better, I'm finding that the SDA 1C's have sounded good on all the gear they've been played with. Certainly a testament to the quality of SDAs.

    What reviews I've found on the Polaris amps seem to indicate that these amps are stellar in the bass department. Now I'm toying with the idea of turning these into 350wpc monoblocks and doing a little project with the SRT subs......
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited October 2011
    George Grand wrote: »
    Nah, I don't like touching other guys. You google him.

    ahem...

    http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_2/images/son-of-ampzilla-amplifier-bongiorno-photo.jpg
    son-of-ampzilla-amplifier-bongiorno-photo.jpg

    http://www.ampzilla2000.com/James_Bongiorno.html
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited October 2011
    The Sumo amp sounds good but the Anthem Amp 1 blows the pants off of it in sheer force and soundstage. To give an idea, I get the same volume level out of the Anthem at 25% than I do with the Sumo at 75% volume.

    I am enjoying the Sumo Diana SS Pre. Very detailed highs. The quality of knobs, etc is very good. Still thinking the amps would be good as monoblocks driving a subwoofer but they won't find a place in either rig doing stereo duty simply because they don't have the headroom of the Parasounds or Anthem.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter