Whoe uses monoblocks?

PolknPepsi

Who uses monoblocks and how do you like them ?

pro's and con's ?

................................................Pat

sorry for the misspell on the title....(who)

TroyD

I use monoblocks.....

I can't see, other than cost, any downside to them inherent to the design of a true mono amp.

Some don't like using stereo amps bridged to mono as they claim that the amps sound harsh

BDT

PolknPepsi

Glad to hear that.........the only downside I could possibly see is that two electrical outlets are needed.
I have read that using monoblocks seperates the music left/right very well......
What gave me the idea to post this question is Russman put a picture of a tube monoblock here somewhere along with the possibility of me getting some sometime.

Interesting..........anyone else have a word or two.:)

gidrah

I'm also running bridged monoblocks. I even have to use a third outlet for the bridging adapter. I love it. Gobs of power and the Polks are eating it up and sounding the best they ever have.

Early B.

I use Outlaw monoblocks on my 2-channel system. Hooked up a Parasound HCA-1200 (essentially the same as the 1500 -- highly regarded on this forum) and the monos smoked it. More detail, cleaner sound. So I relegated the Parasound to HT duty.

PolknPepsi

Those Polks eat power so I have found out. My other speakers would probably benefit to should I do some speaker swapping.
There are some monos called CIA Audio w/ 40 watts......Outlaws have 200watts....and are affordable. Outlaws also put out little heat and are also very compact and black which is good too. (so I have read)

........................................Pat

venomclan

I used to use 5 Outlaw mono's for my system. The sound was very good. I now only use Outlaw mono for my center and stepped up to a 2 channel Krell for stereo. The only downside to using many mono's is space in your rack and many plugs.

Early B.

Venom -- how would you compare the sound of the Krell to the Outlaws?

venomclan

Hi Early,
In a word-Control.

The Outlaws are very nice. Plenty of clean power at a great price. It works great for my center channel, smooth dialogue. But for 2 channel, I just wanted a little more. I use B&W cdm7nt. They are a 2.5 way design and love power. They are rated to handle 150 watts. My Krell is 250w x 2 (8ohm) Many have reviewed this speaker as having a weakness in bass. With many amps, I can see how that is determined, but not with the Krell.

The Krell seems to grab a hold of any speaker and control it. Any muddy bass that was there before disappears. I hate muddy bass. That is why I sold my Polk RT16's. Great speaker, hits low, but bass was muddy. The B&W's are tight.

I have started to realize that with equipment synergy, it is always good to match opposites. A very knowledgable salesman at a local small stereo-only shop near me always recommends paring opposites. Meaning, get an amp that zigs for a speaker that zags.

My B&W's tend to be laid back, while the Krell is very forward sounding. Together thay mate well. I listened to some expensive Martin Logans hooked up to a 200 watt Krell, result= very bright. Fatigue city.

Krell's tend to be expensive. In that price range there are a lot of competitors. Less expensive, better amps are available. But if you can get a used Krell, I think they are worth it if you have the speakers that like power.
Venom

Dr. Spec

Three Outlaw M200's across the front stage. No complaints.

Early B.

I have started to realize that with equipment synergy, it is always good to match opposites. Meaning, get an amp that zigs for a speaker that zags.

Thanks for those comments. My friend has a Krell that he's paired with some Bolender Grabeners and after listening to his setup, I was wondering what all the hoopla is about with Krell. Those are bright speakers along with a badass amp.

I'll start a synergy thread to get more perspectives.

mhardy6647

ooh, I do, I do!

Bottlehead Paramour 2A3 single ended monoblocks. 3.5 watts each.



http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobespc/Paramour/paramour.htm

Not with my Polks, though...

PolknPepsi

Mr. hardy,

That is a fine looking amp......!

Oh, did I mention that is a FIIIIIIIINE looking amp!

................................................................Pat.......:D

mhardy6647

It sounds better than it looks (esp. at $500 a pair). THat's from "Doc Bottlehead's" site, but mine look identical except I didn't paint the output tranformers and chokes black. Some builders have built truly beautiful versions of this basic amp.

Take a look at: http://www.wardsweb.org/audio/index_audio.html

tryrrthg

WOW! :eek: those are DEAD SEXY!

mhardy6647

Yup... Mr. Ward did a nice, nice job on his. Just bear in mind that you've got to have speakers efficient enough for 3.5 watts (RMS) per channel. It sort of lets out most of the Polk line, past and present.

Something like Klipsch Cornwalls, or Altec VOT's, or Lowthers is a better match for fleapower amps like these. mmmmmmmm, mmmmmmm good.

(don't get me wrong, I still love my Polk Monitor 7A's)

Tour2ma

Originally posted by mhardy6647
Yup... Mr. Ward did a nice, nice job on his.

Yuppers... I was privledged to give Ward's tube and VOT rig a listen (as well as three other ones he had in various rooms). Very nice indeed.

Even my wife was impressed.

mhardy6647

Here are my modest pair o' Paramour monoblocks in their natural habitat. We now return you to the regularly scheduled thread topic...

Tour2ma

Linear tracker, eh? What model?

And is that an old Sherwood Tuna?

mhardy6647

Monoblocks, monoblocks, monoblocks... :-)

The linear tt is a bang & olufsen TX-2 that I got for $7. It works great IMO and became my main tt immediately after I got a cartridge for it (still available from b&o at the time I got it, a couple of years ago). No distortion even on the inside grooves... really is impressive for the $120 I have invested in it.

The tuna is indeed a Sherwood S-3000 mono and is by far the best sounding tuna in the house (e.g., eats my Sansui TU-717 for a snack). I have an MPX adaptor (OK, a couple), but in my deep fringe surburban location I am just as happy to listen in mono.

You didn't ask me about my little homemade preamp to the left of the tuner... :-)

Oh, and that's a TASCAM 22-4 R to R lurking to the right...

PolknPepsi

Those Paramours look pretty nice..................:D

Tour2ma

I actually was thinking B&O due to the platter being near level with the plinth, but did not remember them offering a linear tracker...

mhardy...
Never, ever, say I cannot take a hint...

Ahem...

Hey what about the little tuber to the left of the Sherwood? Is that a pre or what???

mhardy6647

b&o are way famous for their tangential tracking tt's and made many models over the years. Nice 'museum' of b&o equipment at:
http://www.beoworld.co.uk/

The preamp is a DIY hybrid line amp/headphone amp designed by Pete Millet and described in audioXpress magazine a few years ago (11/02). See also http://pmillett.addr.com/hybrid_head.htm
I built it for a headphone amp but tried it in place of my EICO HF-85 preamp one day and it sounded so much better than the EICO that I swapped 'em immediately! ...The EICO is badly in need of some restoration... The cool thing about Pete's little amp is that it uses low-voltage "space charge" tubes designed for car radios in the late 1950's (and an IC output buffer) so it uses no high voltage and indeed runs off a 30V wall wart transformer! Sounds good, too :-)

As I built it, the preamp has no signal switching facilities, so I added a cheap RadioShack A/V switch box (not shown) in front of it. BTW, the MM cartridge preamp is the Bottlehead Seduction seen at lower right.

mhardy6647

... I built this one for headphones only (no line-level inputs) in a black plastic Radio Shack project box for a charity auction. I like the blue LED :-)

PolknPepsi

Must agree...at night those lights glowing do look good. And I have only seen photographs of them.
So when are they going to start selling tube amps in the average stereo stores? Maybe everyone thinks they are old fashioned or something.......

Tour2ma

Doubt you will ever see anything but a picture tube (and even their days may be numbered) in a CC or BB.

Tubes are definitely a niche market, and skewed towards the "high-end", especially when it comes to models you can actually audition in a B&M outlet.

Primarily through internet offerings, affordable tube gear has expanded the tube market considerably. You just have to find sources you trust, as in our Club, to steer you in a decent direction.

mhardy6647

Music Direct had some of the ASL amps on-line/mail order. These have a reasonably good reputation and don't cost too much.

www.amusicdirect.com

... it's more fun to build your own, though :-)

Tour2ma

PnP,
Who you callin' a "ho"???

PolknPepsi

Hey tour .....what are you talking about...

..........yea.....I must have been excited about typing or something:D ........I can do a lot of things and my hand eye coordination have always been excellent but this typing stuff......wow:rolleyes: .....that has never been what I excelled at.

..........................................:D

danger boy

I use three Marantz MA500 monoblocks for my fronts and center. yeah, i just daisy chain the amps into one another.. or else I wouldn't have enough space to plug them all in. that works great.

My thinking was that each speaker would get it's own amp and it being high current. I had read that this way... it would not put much load on say like a two or three channel amp. Each speaker would have it's own power as needed.

audiobliss

Originally posted by Tour2ma

mhardy...
Never, ever, say I cannot take a hint...

Ahem...

Hey what about the little tuber to the left of the Sherwood? Is that a pre or what???

Hilarious, I'll be laughing all night.

Nice setup there, hardy. I'm glad we have a thread on monoblocks and some discussion of tube equipment. I've been thinking about them (for in the FAR away future), but don't know much about them.

Keep it up!