Comments on Ray Samuel's Stealth?

[markl]

Thanks Ray, at least now it's clear it's not like the whole circuit was re-designed or anything like that, it was just a minor error in a couple parts. It would still be interesting to know if John's comments related to the version with the wrong parts, and if so, if changing these little parts make any difference in the Stealth's performance with different cans (low and high-impedence).

[john_jcb]

Originally posted by markl
tuberoller,
Can you describe the differences you heard between the two samples? Audio is so subjective (not to mention system-dependent), I wonder if others would have preferred the changed version? Can you or Ray comment on why these changes were made? Maybe there were sound design reasons why the newer circuit was implemented that are lost by going back to the original? Is the unit that john_jcb commented on the revised version, or the original version? Are the production versions going to be based on the original circuit? This is confusing.

Mark

The sole difference between the unit Tuberoller has and the one I reviewed is one diode (used 2 places) has been changed. I was told there was an error made in ordering and the wrong value was ordered. There are no changes in the circuit topology. I have not heard the amp with the correct diode as yet but I would expect that there will be little change to the high impedance cans and that there will be a little more bass and the tubes should be able to drive the low impedance cans with more authority. I will confirm this with listening when I can get the diode switched.

[Ray Samuels]

Markl...
No design was changed, as brds were made & parts were installed, as I said wrong tolerance of two identical diods in series with the 12VDC power line that feeds the heater of the tubes was the cause of sound balance shifting, by removing the wrong diods & installing the correct, even higher tolence diods, the problem was solved.
There is no change of circuitry design or anything like that. The repair was 10 minutes time.
Ray Samuels

[arnaud]

Thanks for the relief note Ray

Arnaud

[Tuberoller]

I'm not trying to beat up on Ray in the least bit but I have to say that this amp in it's current circuit configuration drives low impedence phones much,much better than the first one I auditioned. The tonality has not changed any but it now has far better bass control at higher volumes driving low impedence phones. This may have been a small change in terms of the circuit but it made a huge sonic difference. This is how this amp sounded when I first heard it and this is certainly what everyone at the meets heard.

Again,I mentioned this because I wanted to clarify why John was experiencing some problems driving low impedence phones. I'll let Ray slide on this one but the next time I'll flog him for us all I did'nt mean to insult Ray or John in any way and I'm sure they both understand that.

So far the Stealth is doing extremely well with the R10,HP1000 and RS1 phones and I think this is important for the Stealth to be considered a world-class product. To be considered the best it needs to be able to work with the best and now it is worthy of this consideration.

[busaganashi]

I kinda wish this had been posted before midnight on the 14th. Otherwise, I would have ordered one.

[markl]

Yay! Looks like I'll be getting the first production Stealth here sometime around Monday of next week. Sadly, I can only keep her for 2 weeks before she's off to another web site for another review. I'll take my usual listening notes, post first impressions and then a formal write-up.

Damn, I just hope I can bare to pack it up and ship it off.

Mark

P.S. Oh, BTW, folks who pre-ordered got one hell of a sweet deal on the Stealth, Ray wasn't kiddding when he said he wasn't making anything on it at that price. Brace yourselves for final street price: $2495 USD.

[seefeel]

Woah, from the sound of it I thought the price increase would only be a few hundred dollars more then the pre-sale price and I'd maybe pick one up after reading some reviews of it if everyone raved. When I read the new price I got a physical sick feeling with a lump in my throat.
If I had known then the price would go up that high I would have ordered one at the pre-sale price. I'd still order one that the pre-sale price. But sorry to say, now I'll never be able to afford one. All they had to do was let us know what the actual price was going to be and they would have had another sale with me.
Maybe I'm lucky in the end though, even the pre-sale price would have had me sleeping out in the car! The couch would have been too good for me!

[Mastergill]

Originally posted by markl
Brace yourselves for final street price: $2495 USD.

WOW...are you sure?

Hey, Manley is not so expensive after all

[darkclouds]

Originally posted by markl
Brace yourselves for final street price: $2495 USD.

Yikes!!! I guess 25 of us got one hell of a deal.

[markl]

Straight from the horse's mouth. Sorry guys, I wish I could say it was a type-o. As I recall, the only reason Ray agreed to the initial sale price was due to him pulling a potential number off the top of his head some time ago before he really had a handle on what production costs would actually be, and he felt obliged to stick to that number for pre-orders even though he wasn't making any margin (he really didn't have to do that, either, as far as I know he never firmly committed to anyone any particular price). Look at it this way, the people in line now have purchased a pretty expensive piece of audio gear sound unheard, so they get some benefit for being the first kids on the block with the Stealth.

We'll know shortly how most people feel about the amp, there are 24 of them or so in the pipeline that will be shipped at pre-order prices. Maybe people who missed the sale should just avoid all the coming Stealth threads altogether.

[Kieran Comito]

wow, that price might put me out too. I wanted to wait for some reviews at least. I too was under the impression it would be just a couple of hundred dollars more. Granted, the amp might be worth every cent and then some, but it sure would have been nice to know the difference between the deal price and the new price. Oh well.

[gpalmer]

I'm another one that was considering buying one of the Stealths especially since my HR-2 is a great amplifer but put it off, mostly because of the mention of poor performance with the Grados and thnking it wouldn't be that much more expensive. Ah well, live and learn!

[busaganashi]

This is exactly my feeling. I was put off by what seemed like a very small window of synergy with the HD600's. Had I known at 11:59PM on the 14th that the amp in question was not the final version but one that had been "de-powered" accidently I would have ordered.

I guess I should have taken a leap of faith.

[Kieran Comito]

Well, it sounds like we have a couple of reviews coming down the pipe in the next couple of weeks. I can't wait to read them.