Red Wine Audio Sig 30.2 - Now Avaiable at ALO

[KB]

We are very excited to carry the new Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 stereo integrated amplifier. I have listened to many home audio amplifiers, but nothing has come close to what Red Wine Audio's designer Vinnie Rossi offers with his new SLA battery-powered Sig 30.2, especially at this price!

If your a fan of AKG-1000's or Stax Electrostatic headphones look no further, the Sig 30.2 will drive these like not other amp. The K-1000s connect directly to the speaker posts.

I also want to congratulate Vinnie Rossi on positive reviews surrounding this new product, a rare Lunar Eclipse award.

Ken @ ALO

Read the full quote here
"this amplifier has already sidelined $45,000/pr battery-powered monos, given $10,000/pr muscle amps the fly-bye finger and butts heads with first-rate tube amps. I'll tip my hand and reveal prior to the full review conclusion that the 30.2 will walk away with a Lunar Eclipse Award in the new year".....Srajan Ebaen 6Moons

New Sig 30.2 - 6Moons Audio preview Here

The Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier was created for music connoisseurs seeking a sublime listening experience, dependability, and value

Carefully designed to deliver a well-balanced musical presentation and long-term listening pleasure, the Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier combines the finest sonic attributes of classic tube amplification (midrange warmth, rich tonal character, and smooth high-frequency resolution) and solid-state amplification (rock-solid bass response, realistic dynamic range and clarity) to enhance the listener’s emotional involvement with the music.


As with all Red Wine Audio products, the Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier is powered by clean, high-current sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries that allow all the nuances of the music to emerge with remarkable coherence and integrity. By running on internal SLA battery power and isolating itself from the AC power grid, the Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier is free from the entire AC to DC conversion process and the associated electrical noise problems that hinder the performance of conventional AC-powered amplifiers.

On the inside of the Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier is a unique circuit design that demonstrates our beliefs in using premium parts, shorter signal paths, and SLA battery power. On the outside you will enjoy elegant aesthetics and superb build quality. Every Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier is proudly hand-made in the USA and carefully tested, inspected, and packaged before making its journey to our highly-valued and satisfied customers.


SMART module equipped

The Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier features a Red Wine Audio innovation… the SMART module SLA battery monitoring and Auto Recharge circuit. This is a custom-designed circuit board that continuously monitors the voltage of the internal SLA batteries. If the voltage drops too low, the SMART module automatically turns off the Signature 30.2 and begins the battery recharge process for you.

With the SMART module, any user concern of accidentally damaging the internal SLA batteries by forgetting to turn off the Signature 30.2 is eliminated.

Like a finely-tuned musical instrument…

The Signature 30.2 stereo amplifier s a highly refined and improved version of the award winning Signature 30. Listed below are the major refinements in its musical presentation:

a) A warmer, and more seductive sound signature
b) Greater dimensionality
c) Added bass weight
d) Sweeter top end
e) Richer tone, without sacrificing any pace, rhythm and timing

The amplifier board in the Signature 30.2 has been heavily modified in order to achieve the sonic enhancements listed above. Below are examples of such refinements:


1) A new output filter stage design that features all new, higher-quality components as well as all new filtering characteristics.

2) The new output filter components are now hard-wired together (point-to-point) and have the speaker output wiring directly connected to them to offer an even shorter, cleaner signal path.

3) A higher grade of PIO (paper-in-oil) input capacitor

4) Modified input stage design, which also features higher quality parts such as resistors, dc offset pots, etc.

For more information please visit www.ALOaudio.com

[KB]

I want to congratulate Red Wine Audio and Vinnie Rossi on the rare 6MOONS "Lunar eclipse Award" given to the Signature 30.2 amp.

Bravo Vinnie!
Ken

[Vinnie R.]

Thanks, Ken!

While that review covered the Signature 30.2 powering various home audio speakers, the Signature 30.2 is glorious sounding with the AKG K1000 headphones...

Why did they have to stop making K1000s?

-Vinnie

[KB]

Originally Posted by Vinnie R.

Thanks, Ken!

While that review covered the Signature 30.2 powering various home audio speakers, the Signature 30.2 is glorious sounding with the AKG K1000 headphones...

Why did they have to stop making K1000s?

-Vinnie

K2000s!

Would someone please sell me a pair of K1000s. My Sig30.2 is over here dying for a pair. I keep hearing how awesome the new Sig 30.2 is with the K1000, must hear K1000 with Sig 30.2!

WTB K1000s for $$ and or gear trade.

Ken

[Alwayswantmore]

I'm about 60 hours into burning in my 30.2 upgrade. I spent the first 10 hours listening, then put it in a back bedroom to cook for awhile. Even with zero hours, the sonic improvement over the Sig 30 is substantial.

I run mine with K1000s and Omega Compact Hemps + ACI Force XL sub woofer. The sound on both is amazing.

I've tried K1000s on Pass F1, Sig 30, Ayre V-3 and AKG’s original K1000 amp (AKG at a head-fi meet; the others for extended periods in my home). While the F1 has some very positive traits, IMO the Sig 30.2 produces the most natural and real sound I have heard in my home.

The .2 upgrade offers many benefits compared to the older Sig 30:

- Much better sound
- SMART (so you don't accidentally run down the batteries)
- A thicker, and IMO better looking faceplate (1/2" brushed aluminum)
- Better looking knob (nicer lines, with a matte finish)
- Improved backside, with Vampire binding posts (I never cared for the original binding posts)
- A slick on/off switch, based on some kind of piezoelectric technology.* It feels like a capacitance switch, but is something new made in Israel.
- The switch is now on the front of the amp; before it was a plain toggle on the back
- Much, much faster recharge (I ran the K1000s for 12 hours last night -- the amp was fully charged in about an hour this morning -- If I recall, Vinnie states the new system is 4x faster than the old)
- The charging system is much nicer, using a beefy 3-prong XLR-type connector to the amp, a beefy power cord to the wall, and a well constructed (small) power brick (the original was a wall-wart with a very light-weight connector)

IMO Vinnie hit a home run on this amp.

* Piezoelectricity -- From Wikipedia...

Piezoelectricity is the ability of some materials (notably crystals and certain ceramics) to generate an electric potential[1] in response to applied mechanical stress. This may take the form of a separation of electric charge across the crystal lattice. If the material is not short-circuited, the applied charge induces a voltage across the material. The word is derived from the Greek piezein, which means to squeeze or press.

The piezoelectric effect is reversible in that materials exhibiting the direct piezoelectric effect (the production of electricity when stress is applied) also exhibit the converse piezoelectric effect (the production of stress and/or strain when an electric field is applied). For example, lead zirconate titanate crystals will exhibit a maximum shape change of about 0.1% of the original dimension.

[Alwayswantmore]

I'm 150+ hours into my Signature 30.2 with K1000s (also use it with Omega Compact Hemps). Running ACI Force XL sub too (even with K1000s). I'm very pleased with the amp, and consider it to be an excellent value -- especially for anyone interested in dual use K1000s + relatively efficient speakers.

The amp has enough body and perceived warmth that currently I've removed my Oritek IC and replaced with 6-wire silver Hudson. I'm also running Moon Audio Silver Dragon hardwire on the K1000s. The sound is very detailed and airy, yet smooth and easy to listen to.

[Alwayswantmore]

Originally Posted by KB

K2000s!

Would someone please sell me a pair of K1000s. My Sig30.2 is over here dying for a pair. I keep hearing how awesome the new Sig 30.2 is with the K1000, must hear K1000 with Sig 30.2!

WTB K1000s for $$ and or gear trade.

Ken

As good as the K1000s sound on the Sig 30.2, Omega Hemps bring you even closer to the illusion of a real performance. Hearing Louis' latest generation of single driver speakers should be on every music lovers "bucket list".

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Kent,

Thank you for posting your impressions now that you have some good burn-in time on your Sig 30.2!

At CanJam08, we'll have a pair of K1000s modded with ALO cabling (incredible sounding!!!) and terminated with silver banana plugs, connected to a Signature 30.2 (and 30.2 fed by the upcoming Isabella SLA battery powered tubed preamp!):
Red Wine Audio Isabella

Thanks again!

Vinnie

[tyrion]

Originally Posted by Vinnie R.

Hi Kent,

Thank you for posting your impressions now that you have some good burn-in time on your Sig 30.2!

At CanJam08, we'll have a pair of K1000s modded with ALO cabling (incredible sounding!!!) and terminated with silver banana plugs, connected to a Signature 30.2 (and 30.2 fed by the upcoming Isabella SLA battery powered tubed preamp!):
Red Wine Audio Isabella

Thanks again!

Vinnie

Vinnie,

I hope the Isabella you're bringing to CanJam has a dac in it. We are hoping to have a computer as a source room and it would be great to be able to compare the Isabella to some of the other dacs that will be present.

[Vinnie R.]

Originally Posted by tyrion

Vinnie,

I hope the Isabella you're bringing to CanJam has a dac in it. We are hoping to have a computer as a source room and it would be great to be able to compare the Isabella to some of the other dacs that will be present.

Hi tyrion,

Yes, I'm bringing the Isabella with the built-in non-oversampling dac (with USB input). I'll also have my Macbook feeding it with WAV files. The dac converts the USB direct to I2S (no intermediate spdif conversions).. and the output of the dac feeds the tube preamp stage. Everything runs on SLA battery power!

See you there!

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

Originally Posted by Vinnie R.

Hi tyrion,

Yes, I'm bringing the Isabella with the built-in non-oversampling dac (with USB input). I'll also have my Macbook feeding it with WAV files. The dac converts the USB direct to I2S (no intermediate spdif conversions).. and the output of the dac feeds the tube preamp stage. Everything runs on SLA battery power!

See you there!

Vinnie

Isabella is finally available!

Red Wine Audio Isabella

[BigEat]

Wow, it really looks great and I'm sure sounds great too. Do the tubes power the headphone stage? Also, what are the DAC specs?

[krmathis]

Wow! The Isabella looks really nice.
I just wonder. Will we ever see a standalone DAC unit, based on the Isabella DAC module?

Thanks to 'Alwayswantmore' for your impressions. I have just acquired a pair of K1000 and am currently looking for a suitable amplifier. After reading your impressions the Signature 30.2 stand as an even stronger candidate.

[NoPants]

only 6000 for what's basically an all-in-one solution? That actually doesn't sound too bad...

Better get around to selling my kidneys

[Lornecherry]

Question for Vinnie or ALO:

"If your a fan of AKG-1000's or Stax Electrostatic headphones look no further, the Sig 30.2 will drive these like not other amp" -- from ALO's discription of the 30.2

How could I possibly run an electrostatic headphone unless there is custom jack for Stax in model with the volume pot? Or, is this something Vinnie can do? ...and has it been tried/tested? Seems like with the Isebella up front this might be an intersting alternative to a KGBH if it indeed works.