[AryaHD]

Pendant might use a lower amperage fuse. The amperage should be marked on the fuse.

 

[timeslip]

Ok. I replaced the fuse, but it still won’t power on. Any other suggestions?

 

[me2621a]

New Rectifier tube or try a new power cord (just to check the obvious things).

 

[nwavesailor]

New Rectifier tube or try a new power cord (just to check the obvious things).

Or that the outlet is energized! I worked at an audio mod company and you'd be surprised how many times it was something simple........ Bad power cord, bad interconnect, tripped breaker or blown fuse but you checked or changed that.

 

[ampsandsound]

its 750ma Slow Blow.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bel-Fuse/5TT-750-R?qs=MvPYbBWWJyv%2BqEEMSvNsMw==
Hope this helps

 

[MLPhoenix]

Hello everyone, don’t usually post about purchases but I received my Nautilus about 2 months ago and have had a few requests to share my thoughts.

First off, I am not a reviewer and certainly don’t have a broad enough understanding of the market to provide reasonable comparisons. My aim is to share my experiences as a Nautilus owner for anyone that is interested. You might think of this as more testimonial than review.

For reference my system is:

POWER - PS Audio P12
TRANSPORT - Ifi Zen Stream
DAC - Holo Audio May DAC KTE
AMP - Ampsandsound Nautilus
OPEN HEADPHONES - ZMF Verite Open
CLOSED HEADPHONES - Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed
SPEAKERS - Klipsch r-51m (hilariously out of place I know)


THE AMPSANDSOUND EXPERIENCE

My time purchasing audio equipment has been almost universally positive but doing business with Justin has been a truly exceptional experience. I have had the pleasure of dealing with many interesting people that care about their products and their customers however even in this context Justin easily sets himself apart as one of the best. Buying this amp reminded me of buying tailored clothing or good meals at restaurants where you know the owner. Personal and wonderful.


USER EXPERIENCE AND USE CASE

When it comes to using the Nautilus two themes dominate, simplicity and versatility. There are many amplifiers that have the ability to drive both speakers and headphones but I have never used one that does so without feeling like a compromise on one or the other. So long as you understand the limitations of speaker/headphone sensitivity (more on that in the next section) the Nautilus can easily fulfil all your amplifier needs and it accomplishes this feat with only two switches and a volume knob.


SYSTEM MATCHING AND TUBE SELECTION

While the Nautilus is impressively versatile it is still a SET amp and that requires consideration for the sensitivity of speakers/headphones. In brief, headphones that are too sensitive for the tubes being used are subject to excessive tube noise and speakers that are not sensitive enough will be too quiet or sound weak/thin.

In my time with the Nautilus I have tried several combinations of tubes including the following:

INPUT - 12au7, 12ax7 and 5751
POWER - 7581a, kt66, kt88

Generally speaking this is a very quiet amp (very little in the way of hum or hiss) even with kt88s and sensitive headphones. I found that kt88s are too much power for the Verites because ANY flaw in the tube (ringing, rattling, etc.) came through loud and clear so I gravitated toward the 7581a and kt66 when listening with them. For speaker listening I was consistently surprised at how much volume I could get even with lower power tubes but I have a small room and speaker listening has not been my focus so far.

In the next two sections I will try to focus on the sound of the Nautilus irrespective of the tubes being used but that isn’t to say the tubes don’t matter. My general impressions of these tubes are below. Please note that the groupings (i.e. 12au7/7581a) do not necessarily refer to using the listed input and power tubes as a pair, these tubes just have similar effects on sound.

12au7/7581a - Softer/looser, increased romance and intimacy
12ax7/kt88 - Stiffer/tighter, increased linearity and space
5751 - Between 12au7 and 12ax7 but closer to 12au7
kt66 - Between 7581a and kt88 but closer to kt88


SOUND STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

This section is as close to proper review territory as I will get. I have chosen what I perceive to be the top and bottom two performance characteristics of the Nautilus. There are a couple things that I ask you to keep in mind here. The first is my lack of exposure to true competition at the price point. The second is that the overall performance of this amp is extremely strong. The weaknesses I list here are relative to the strengths. In actual use I have NEVER come away wanting more.

The greatest strengths of the Nautilus are:

- Vocal realism - Vocal timber sounds as close to real life as I have ever heard.​

- Presence - Sounds have a weight to them that makes it seem like the sources are in the room.​

The greatest weaknesses of the Nautilus are:

- Space - Spaces that should feel boundless (think Solar Fields) sometimes sound a bit enclosed​

- Bass Speed/control - In music where bass is supposed to start and stop on a dime (mostly electronic) it sometimes sounds a little softer than would be ideal​

LISTENING EXPERIENCE

For me there is one word to describe the Nautilus, emotional. In my time listening to music I have had many emotional responses but nothing quite like the Nautilus. This amp brings a unique combination of intimacy and realism to voices that gives a powerful sense that not only is the singer here, but that they are singing specifically to me. The music creating an emotional bridge between me and the artist is simply breathtaking and I'm not ashamed to say I was brought to tears more than once.

I don’t want to give the impression that the amp is only good for sentimental genres. The feeling invoked depends on the type of music but I am consistently drawn to experiencing the music rather than analyzing it. I suppose you could say that where some gear fools my head, the Nautilus fools my heart.


CONCLUSION

This amplifier is not cheap, it weighs a ton and dominates the space it occupies. This cannot be mistaken for a lifestyle product but is a statement piece. It is a lifetime purchase that has already had a profound impact on how I engage with music and I look forward to hearing what it can do in a two channel setup when I have space for a proper listening room.

 

[barbz127]

Can anyone make a recommendation for input tubes for the kenzie encore that will be silent with the verite (100db/mw) on the high-z output?

So far Ive tried 3 different Raytheon 2c52's, a couple of Sylvania 12sl7's and a Raytheon 5751 windmill getter but all are noisy with the above combination.

The amp with the verite and high-z output is silent if I swap in either a RCA 5814 or TungSol 12AU7WA/6189

 

[mfgillia]

Hello everyone, don’t usually post about purchases but I received my Nautilus about 2 months ago and have had a few requests to share my thoughts.

First off, I am not a reviewer and certainly don’t have a broad enough understanding of the market to provide reasonable comparisons. My aim is to share my experiences as a Nautilus owner for anyone that is interested. You might think of this as more testimonial than review.

For reference my system is:

POWER - PS Audio P12
TRANSPORT - Ifi Zen Stream
DAC - Holo Audio May DAC KTE
AMP - Ampsandsound Nautilus
OPEN HEADPHONES - ZMF Verite Open
CLOSED HEADPHONES - Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed
SPEAKERS - Klipsch r-51m (hilariously out of place I know)


THE AMPSANDSOUND EXPERIENCE

My time purchasing audio equipment has been almost universally positive but doing business with Justin has been a truly exceptional experience. I have had the pleasure of dealing with many interesting people that care about their products and their customers however even in this context Justin easily sets himself apart as one of the best. Buying this amp reminded me of buying tailored clothing or good meals at restaurants where you know the owner. Personal and wonderful.


USER EXPERIENCE AND USE CASE

When it comes to using the Nautilus two themes dominate, simplicity and versatility. There are many amplifiers that have the ability to drive both speakers and headphones but I have never used one that does so without feeling like a compromise on one or the other. So long as you understand the limitations of speaker/headphone sensitivity (more on that in the next section) the Nautilus can easily fulfil all your amplifier needs and it accomplishes this feat with only two switches and a volume knob.


SYSTEM MATCHING AND TUBE SELECTION

While the Nautilus is impressively versatile it is still a SET amp and that requires consideration for the sensitivity of speakers/headphones. In brief, headphones that are too sensitive for the tubes being used are subject to excessive tube noise and speakers that are not sensitive enough will be too quiet or sound weak/thin.

In my time with the Nautilus I have tried several combinations of tubes including the following:

INPUT - 12au7, 12ax7 and 5751
POWER - 7581a, kt66, kt88

Generally speaking this is a very quiet amp (very little in the way of hum or hiss) even with kt88s and sensitive headphones. I found that kt88s are too much power for the Verites because ANY flaw in the tube (ringing, rattling, etc.) came through loud and clear so I gravitated toward the 7581a and kt66 when listening with them. For speaker listening I was consistently surprised at how much volume I could get even with lower power tubes but I have a small room and speaker listening has not been my focus so far.

In the next two sections I will try to focus on the sound of the Nautilus irrespective of the tubes being used but that isn’t to say the tubes don’t matter. My general impressions of these tubes are below. Please note that the groupings (i.e. 12au7/7581a) do not necessarily refer to using the listed input and power tubes as a pair, these tubes just have similar effects on sound.

12au7/7581a - Softer/looser, increased romance and intimacy
12ax7/kt88 - Stiffer/tighter, increased linearity and space
5751 - Between 12au7 and 12ax7 but closer to 12au7
kt66 - Between 7581a and kt88 but closer to kt88


SOUND STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

This section is as close to proper review territory as I will get. I have chosen what I perceive to be the top and bottom two performance characteristics of the Nautilus. There are a couple things that I ask you to keep in mind here. The first is my lack of exposure to true competition at the price point. The second is that the overall performance of this amp is extremely strong. The weaknesses I list here are relative to the strengths. In actual use I have NEVER come away wanting more.

The greatest strengths of the Nautilus are:

- Vocal realism - Vocal timber sounds as close to real life as I have ever heard.​

- Presence - Sounds have a weight to them that makes it seem like the sources are in the room.​

The greatest weaknesses of the Nautilus are:

- Space - Spaces that should feel boundless (think Solar Fields) sometimes sound a bit enclosed​

- Bass Speed/control - In music where bass is supposed to start and stop on a dime (mostly electronic) it sometimes sounds a little softer than would be ideal​

LISTENING EXPERIENCE

For me there is one word to describe the Nautilus, emotional. In my time listening to music I have had many emotional responses but nothing quite like the Nautilus. This amp brings a unique combination of intimacy and realism to voices that gives a powerful sense that not only is the singer here, but that they are singing specifically to me. The music creating an emotional bridge between me and the artist is simply breathtaking and I'm not ashamed to say I was brought to tears more than once.

I don’t want to give the impression that the amp is only good for sentimental genres. The feeling invoked depends on the type of music but I am consistently drawn to experiencing the music rather than analyzing it. I suppose you could say that where some gear fools my head, the Nautilus fools my heart.


CONCLUSION

This amplifier is not cheap, it weighs a ton and dominates the space it occupies. This cannot be mistaken for a lifestyle product but is a statement piece. It is a lifetime purchase that has already had a profound impact on how I engage with music and I look forward to hearing what it can do in a two channel setup when I have space for a proper listening room.

Truly fantastic review - thanks for sharing. I keep contemplating whether to pickup a tube amp to complement by Verite Closed and often come back to looking at different products by AmpsandSound. Happy to hear you've had a very positive experience with the company.

 

[smodtactical]

Hello everyone, don’t usually post about purchases but I received my Nautilus about 2 months ago and have had a few requests to share my thoughts.

First off, I am not a reviewer and certainly don’t have a broad enough understanding of the market to provide reasonable comparisons. My aim is to share my experiences as a Nautilus owner for anyone that is interested. You might think of this as more testimonial than review.

For reference my system is:

POWER - PS Audio P12
TRANSPORT - Ifi Zen Stream
DAC - Holo Audio May DAC KTE
AMP - Ampsandsound Nautilus
OPEN HEADPHONES - ZMF Verite Open
CLOSED HEADPHONES - Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed
SPEAKERS - Klipsch r-51m (hilariously out of place I know)


THE AMPSANDSOUND EXPERIENCE

My time purchasing audio equipment has been almost universally positive but doing business with Justin has been a truly exceptional experience. I have had the pleasure of dealing with many interesting people that care about their products and their customers however even in this context Justin easily sets himself apart as one of the best. Buying this amp reminded me of buying tailored clothing or good meals at restaurants where you know the owner. Personal and wonderful.


USER EXPERIENCE AND USE CASE

When it comes to using the Nautilus two themes dominate, simplicity and versatility. There are many amplifiers that have the ability to drive both speakers and headphones but I have never used one that does so without feeling like a compromise on one or the other. So long as you understand the limitations of speaker/headphone sensitivity (more on that in the next section) the Nautilus can easily fulfil all your amplifier needs and it accomplishes this feat with only two switches and a volume knob.


SYSTEM MATCHING AND TUBE SELECTION

While the Nautilus is impressively versatile it is still a SET amp and that requires consideration for the sensitivity of speakers/headphones. In brief, headphones that are too sensitive for the tubes being used are subject to excessive tube noise and speakers that are not sensitive enough will be too quiet or sound weak/thin.

In my time with the Nautilus I have tried several combinations of tubes including the following:

INPUT - 12au7, 12ax7 and 5751
POWER - 7581a, kt66, kt88

Generally speaking this is a very quiet amp (very little in the way of hum or hiss) even with kt88s and sensitive headphones. I found that kt88s are too much power for the Verites because ANY flaw in the tube (ringing, rattling, etc.) came through loud and clear so I gravitated toward the 7581a and kt66 when listening with them. For speaker listening I was consistently surprised at how much volume I could get even with lower power tubes but I have a small room and speaker listening has not been my focus so far.

In the next two sections I will try to focus on the sound of the Nautilus irrespective of the tubes being used but that isn’t to say the tubes don’t matter. My general impressions of these tubes are below. Please note that the groupings (i.e. 12au7/7581a) do not necessarily refer to using the listed input and power tubes as a pair, these tubes just have similar effects on sound.

12au7/7581a - Softer/looser, increased romance and intimacy
12ax7/kt88 - Stiffer/tighter, increased linearity and space
5751 - Between 12au7 and 12ax7 but closer to 12au7
kt66 - Between 7581a and kt88 but closer to kt88


SOUND STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

This section is as close to proper review territory as I will get. I have chosen what I perceive to be the top and bottom two performance characteristics of the Nautilus. There are a couple things that I ask you to keep in mind here. The first is my lack of exposure to true competition at the price point. The second is that the overall performance of this amp is extremely strong. The weaknesses I list here are relative to the strengths. In actual use I have NEVER come away wanting more.

The greatest strengths of the Nautilus are:

- Vocal realism - Vocal timber sounds as close to real life as I have ever heard.​

- Presence - Sounds have a weight to them that makes it seem like the sources are in the room.​

The greatest weaknesses of the Nautilus are:

- Space - Spaces that should feel boundless (think Solar Fields) sometimes sound a bit enclosed​

- Bass Speed/control - In music where bass is supposed to start and stop on a dime (mostly electronic) it sometimes sounds a little softer than would be ideal​

LISTENING EXPERIENCE

For me there is one word to describe the Nautilus, emotional. In my time listening to music I have had many emotional responses but nothing quite like the Nautilus. This amp brings a unique combination of intimacy and realism to voices that gives a powerful sense that not only is the singer here, but that they are singing specifically to me. The music creating an emotional bridge between me and the artist is simply breathtaking and I'm not ashamed to say I was brought to tears more than once.

I don’t want to give the impression that the amp is only good for sentimental genres. The feeling invoked depends on the type of music but I am consistently drawn to experiencing the music rather than analyzing it. I suppose you could say that where some gear fools my head, the Nautilus fools my heart.


CONCLUSION

This amplifier is not cheap, it weighs a ton and dominates the space it occupies. This cannot be mistaken for a lifestyle product but is a statement piece. It is a lifetime purchase that has already had a profound impact on how I engage with music and I look forward to hearing what it can do in a two channel setup when I have space for a proper listening room.

Have you gotten a chance to compare it to any other high end tube amps ?

 

[robyzfi]

I can now report the repairs are complete from my misalignment of the 6SL7 tube. Justin was very helpful, and yes just a simple replacement of a capacitor and two resistors. Ouch, but now working and working well. Dead silent noise floor on the bigger Ben with the utopias, and very impressive sound.

I wasn't as lucky as you. Unfortunately, in my BB the power transformer (230v) was buzzing from the first power on. DC blocker (Isotek EVO3 Synchro Uni) and power bar cleaner (Gemini) didn't help.

I liked the BB very much, but mechanical noise (which I could hear also in the headphones) made me send it back to Justin. Given that shipping costs so much money, I will try to sell it in US.

 

[MLPhoenix]

Have you gotten a chance to compare it to any other high end tube amps ?

Not yet. There is a chance I will get my hands on something from Woo Audio sometime this year but that isn't settled. If that materializes and I have anything useful to share I will give an update.

 

[barbz127]

I wasn't as lucky as you. Unfortunately, in my BB the power transformer (230v) was buzzing from the first power on. DC blocker (Isotek EVO3 Synchro Uni) and power bar cleaner (Gemini) didn't help.

I liked the BB very much, but mechanical noise (which I could hear also in the headphones) made me send it back to Justin. Given that shipping costs so much money, I will try to sell it in US.

One other thing to try is to make a lead that will allow you to ground the amplifier from the outside (ground connection) of an rca.

I have a 230v Kenzie encore that would hum through the headphone and physically when powered on; by running a lead from any of the spare rca grounds to the ground terminal in a spare iec lead (obviously electrical disclaimer here, make sure you know what wire is.what etc) all physical noise was gone and 70% of the noise through the headphone socket.

I had to drop down with adaptors from the stock input tube to a 12au7 to reduce the gain thereby removing all noise.

 

[robyzfi]

One other thing to try is to make a lead that will allow you to ground the amplifier from the outside (ground connection) of an rca.

Thanks! Unfortunately, I don't have the BB anymore to try.

 

[DenverW]

Hey all! I will soon be the owner of a bigger ben Rev one and very excited! Can’t wait to discuss tube rolling with you all. I have quite a few totl tubes from my crack, including some 12au7 and 6sn7. I already have a 6sn7 to 12au7 adapter that I had used back in the day with an old dark voice 336se. All suggestions welcome!

 

[ThanatosVI]

Hey all! I will soon be the owner of a bigger ben Rev one and very excited! Can’t wait to discuss tube rolling with you all. I have quite a few totl tubes from my crack, including some 12au7 and 6sn7. I already have a 6sn7 to 12au7 adapter that I had used back in the day with an old dark voice 336se. All suggestions welcome!

Which totl 12au7 do you have?