ampsandsound (aka Amps & Sound)
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TDinCali
500+ Head-Fier
Just had some arrive from Amazon. Will try it tonight.
daddyo1973
100+ Head-Fier
I received my new Mogwai SE Rev 2 a few weeks ago. While I am still getting used to it in my system I can safely state that everything about it has exceeded my expectations. Overall sonics are very very good, and this is with stock tubes which in my case are JJ 6L6GC, 5U4GB and 5751. Sound is lovely with my ZMFs and it has an absolute iron grip on my LCDs.
I am really looking forward to enjoying more listening sessions with this amp and eventually reaching into my stash and rolling some tubes. Anyone here tried EL34s in their Mogwai?
I am really looking forward to enjoying more listening sessions with this amp and eventually reaching into my stash and rolling some tubes. Anyone here tried EL34s in their Mogwai?
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Hi all, here is my review of the ampsandsound Nautilus after seven months (Updated 11/1/2023). The most resolving amplifier I've heard.
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When first heard the ampsandsound Nautilus at CanJam 2021, I remember it made a striking impression. I had turned on Frank Sinatra and Hoobastank songs and recall the sound being highly resolving with strong tonal density, control, and having a ballroom-like air; a very lively amplifier with an energetic expression.
I obtained the ampsandsound Nautilus after selling the Bigger Ben Rev 2 and Agartha 2021. I decided to get the Nautilus after a suggestion by Justin, who helped me navigate the ampsandsound brand and other product recommendations. I opted to get one of the best offerings at ampsandsound and down-sizing from the amps I once had to own only one amp; however, I've now decided to keep the Kenzie and Nautilus and power them along with a preamp, the Garage 1217 Project Sunrise III, which increases the detail in the notes.
Many reviews on this website have been from my experience with ampsandsound. So far, I’ve reviewed the Kenzie OG Rev 2, Bigger Ben Rev 2, and Agartha 2021. I’ve enjoyed my experience with the products at ampsandsound, and this time, I have the Nautilus, a flagship offering.
I first saw Nautilus on the ampsandsound website around 2019 when I became interested in the Kenzie. It hadn't even crossed my mind to own one because of the price range and my situation at the time; it was more like something I might own as I "progressed" further in life.
Keeping in mind that the sound is source-dependent, I've listed USB audio bridges or pre-amps which both help to enhance the detail in the notes. With a USB audio bridge like the Matrix X-SPDIF 2 or Singxer SU-6 and a pre-amp, such as the Garage 1217 Project Sunrise III, the sound makes a definitive step towards greater note detail and clarity. For this review, I used the Singxer SU-6, Audio-GD HE-7, and Topping D90SE.
Paired with the warmer HE-7, there is a bloom to the soundstage sound, giving the sound a still-much-nuanced depth. With the D90SE alone, there is still much more detail to be discovered when paired with the Singxer SU-6; with the Audio-GD HE-7 Amanero 384 (stock option), the sound is still quite muddy to my ears without a USB audio bridge, and a pre-amp only helps.
For my second listen with the Nautilus, I chose the Tung Sol 6L6GC, 5AR4's, and 5751 to pair with the Sennheiser HD 650, and listened to the Blu Swing & Shade - Jazzyster album. I was very impressed with the separation, impact, and detail.
The Nautilus uses Tetra tubes which have a thicker midrange, tonal density, and impact; and they kind of complement DHT or Direct Heated Triodes, which pull some of the mid-range back to allow the other ranges to have more presence. The Red October is the DHT equivalent of the Nautilus. I find both to be enjoyable to listen to, but I've yet to try the Red October.
I wasn’t surprised by how good the Nautilus sounded when listening again. From the looks of the Nautilus alone, you can tell its packing power. Everything sounded very clean, thorough, and impactful. The decay is very good, alongside the resolution.
One thing that set the Nautilus apart for me was how spacious and fully resolving all the details are. The scenery is very lush which is a characteristic of romantic ampsandsound house sound, but the completely resolving nature of the sound, possibly due to the huge transformer of the Nautilus, makes all the difference. Owing to both amps being of the Tetra family, the Nautilus sound is similar Bigger Ben, but the Nautilus is even more comprehensive. It is even more expressive through the powerful, well-controlled, tonal density that is detailed and rich in nuance. There is more extension, and the resolution is top-notch; it is a truly masterful sound.
The tonal density paired with the nuanced detail seems to be perfected in the Nautilus, and it’s like a smooth crescendo of music that fully extends and gives a certain magic to each note. The soundscape is rich, vast, and full of character provided by the details and ambiance. Paired with a neutral DAC like the Topping D90SE, you get to hear every bit of detail. This is noticeable in other amps with the D90SE too, but the sheer power that allows the details to follow through when paired with the Nautilus is highly satisfying. There is much more space and thoroughness in micro and macro detail and the atmosphere. Adding a pre-amp with the Nautilus turned to max volume added another dimension of micro-detail that honestly surprised me. It adds such depth and layering to the sound that makes it more engaging through the detail. I feel like I will never go without a pre-amp when listening to an amplifier again. It's truly amazing the level of detail and jump in clarity and quality that a pre-amp provides.
Depending on the rectifiers you use, the Nautilus can be a neutral amp; the 5AR4 makes the sound more neutral and fast to me, but with 5U4G, there's more ambiance and musicality, and the 5U4G could be described to be neutral "where it matters". I like the 5U4G because it gives the Nautilus a liquid, musical sound; it's backed with a rich macro ambiance where the details play with grace. The experience could be described as a lush and full listening experience. It's natural and controlled as the notes extend; giving it a robust character and adding more life to the music.
The power behind the Nautilus is felt through the presence of the notes. Detail is given the power to give grace to the sound behind the flow of the sound. The Nautilus adds onto aspects of what makes the Bigger Ben unique but gives it more power to give it more resolution to boot. That being said, the Bigger Ben has its unique sound as well, it could be said that the Nautilus has more power to dig into the music with even more power and stage to give it more richness. I must add that I didn't really try the Bigger Ben Rev 2 with the KT 88 very much when I owned it, and I wonder what the Bigger Ben sounds like powered with the tube that, I've read is kind the optimal tube for the Bigger Ben.
So far, one of my favorite tube combinations is with the KT88, 5751, and 5AR4s. The combination provides a clean, slight bloom to the music that I found very enjoyable. It's like a perfect, neutral sound that has great energy and detail. The 5U4G with the KT88 and 5751 is an excellent alternative for a more laid-back sound.
With the equipment that I have, I felt like all my headphones were more than adequately powered. The Sennheiser HD 600, 650, HIFIMAN HE 560, HE6SE V2, HE1000SE, and ZMF Verite all played with a beautiful, full richness, timbre, and dynamics.
Something about an amplifier like the Nautilus and the reason I’d recommend it is that it’s the end-game of the Tetra tube family for personal use that provides a fun sound that is deep, rich, and with full resolution. It’s a commanding sound that shines in precision, depth, and nuance in the notes with tube options to adjust the speed and attack.
The Nautilus has a lot of power, and this allows any source you have to have strong control and expression of the sound.
It should be noted that it's possible you may enjoy the DHT sound of the 300B better and may opt for the flagship equivalent, the Red October.
I’m still discovering how different tubes sound, but so far, with the JJ KT88, TungSol 6L6GC, TungSol EL34, JJ 12AX7, TungSol 5AR4, and PSVane 5U4G, and available source components, I’ve been able to gather some impressions. The EL34 with the 5U4G has tight, lean bass, and accurate, sparkly highs. Paired with the KT 88, the sound is more full and thorough with more presence and energy.
I remember having expressed that the timbre on the Agartha was one of the best I’ve heard from an amplifier. I’ve found that the Nautilus is of the highest quality and enjoyable, and in some respects, may be preferred.
For some reason, I thought that the TungSol EL34, not having Coke bottle shape, would not have enjoyable bass; but it’s a great, quality bass that meshes with the more nimble nature of the EL34. The Nautilus, regardless, gives shapes to notes and through its power, and again, we get to experience the magic of tubes at their fullest potential.
The Nautilus sound provides a thoroughly grand listening experience that is hard for me to describe at times; perhaps I could call it perfect. It is so very precise, alive, and graceful. Being the most resolving amplifiers I've ever listened to, there is no way that I could not recommend it. To me, it is a perfect companion for personal audio and can be quite shocking to listen to as you hear just how rich, nuanced, and consummately expressive it renders the sound.
Product link: Nautilus Rev 2 - ampsandsound
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 600, Sennheiser HD 650, HiFiMan HE6SE V2, HiFiMan HE560 V4, HiFiMan HE1000se, ZMF Vérité Open Stabilized
Sources: Audio-GD HE-7 MK I, Schiit Modi Multibit, Yulong D18, Topping D90SE
Cables: Worlds Best Cables
USB: Singxer SU-6
--------------
When first heard the ampsandsound Nautilus at CanJam 2021, I remember it made a striking impression. I had turned on Frank Sinatra and Hoobastank songs and recall the sound being highly resolving with strong tonal density, control, and having a ballroom-like air; a very lively amplifier with an energetic expression.
I obtained the ampsandsound Nautilus after selling the Bigger Ben Rev 2 and Agartha 2021. I decided to get the Nautilus after a suggestion by Justin, who helped me navigate the ampsandsound brand and other product recommendations. I opted to get one of the best offerings at ampsandsound and down-sizing from the amps I once had to own only one amp; however, I've now decided to keep the Kenzie and Nautilus and power them along with a preamp, the Garage 1217 Project Sunrise III, which increases the detail in the notes.
Many reviews on this website have been from my experience with ampsandsound. So far, I’ve reviewed the Kenzie OG Rev 2, Bigger Ben Rev 2, and Agartha 2021. I’ve enjoyed my experience with the products at ampsandsound, and this time, I have the Nautilus, a flagship offering.
I first saw Nautilus on the ampsandsound website around 2019 when I became interested in the Kenzie. It hadn't even crossed my mind to own one because of the price range and my situation at the time; it was more like something I might own as I "progressed" further in life.
Keeping in mind that the sound is source-dependent, I've listed USB audio bridges or pre-amps which both help to enhance the detail in the notes. With a USB audio bridge like the Matrix X-SPDIF 2 or Singxer SU-6 and a pre-amp, such as the Garage 1217 Project Sunrise III, the sound makes a definitive step towards greater note detail and clarity. For this review, I used the Singxer SU-6, Audio-GD HE-7, and Topping D90SE.
Paired with the warmer HE-7, there is a bloom to the soundstage sound, giving the sound a still-much-nuanced depth. With the D90SE alone, there is still much more detail to be discovered when paired with the Singxer SU-6; with the Audio-GD HE-7 Amanero 384 (stock option), the sound is still quite muddy to my ears without a USB audio bridge, and a pre-amp only helps.
For my second listen with the Nautilus, I chose the Tung Sol 6L6GC, 5AR4's, and 5751 to pair with the Sennheiser HD 650, and listened to the Blu Swing & Shade - Jazzyster album. I was very impressed with the separation, impact, and detail.
The Nautilus uses Tetra tubes which have a thicker midrange, tonal density, and impact; and they kind of complement DHT or Direct Heated Triodes, which pull some of the mid-range back to allow the other ranges to have more presence. The Red October is the DHT equivalent of the Nautilus. I find both to be enjoyable to listen to, but I've yet to try the Red October.
I wasn’t surprised by how good the Nautilus sounded when listening again. From the looks of the Nautilus alone, you can tell its packing power. Everything sounded very clean, thorough, and impactful. The decay is very good, alongside the resolution.
One thing that set the Nautilus apart for me was how spacious and fully resolving all the details are. The scenery is very lush which is a characteristic of romantic ampsandsound house sound, but the completely resolving nature of the sound, possibly due to the huge transformer of the Nautilus, makes all the difference. Owing to both amps being of the Tetra family, the Nautilus sound is similar Bigger Ben, but the Nautilus is even more comprehensive. It is even more expressive through the powerful, well-controlled, tonal density that is detailed and rich in nuance. There is more extension, and the resolution is top-notch; it is a truly masterful sound.
The tonal density paired with the nuanced detail seems to be perfected in the Nautilus, and it’s like a smooth crescendo of music that fully extends and gives a certain magic to each note. The soundscape is rich, vast, and full of character provided by the details and ambiance. Paired with a neutral DAC like the Topping D90SE, you get to hear every bit of detail. This is noticeable in other amps with the D90SE too, but the sheer power that allows the details to follow through when paired with the Nautilus is highly satisfying. There is much more space and thoroughness in micro and macro detail and the atmosphere. Adding a pre-amp with the Nautilus turned to max volume added another dimension of micro-detail that honestly surprised me. It adds such depth and layering to the sound that makes it more engaging through the detail. I feel like I will never go without a pre-amp when listening to an amplifier again. It's truly amazing the level of detail and jump in clarity and quality that a pre-amp provides.
Depending on the rectifiers you use, the Nautilus can be a neutral amp; the 5AR4 makes the sound more neutral and fast to me, but with 5U4G, there's more ambiance and musicality, and the 5U4G could be described to be neutral "where it matters". I like the 5U4G because it gives the Nautilus a liquid, musical sound; it's backed with a rich macro ambiance where the details play with grace. The experience could be described as a lush and full listening experience. It's natural and controlled as the notes extend; giving it a robust character and adding more life to the music.
The power behind the Nautilus is felt through the presence of the notes. Detail is given the power to give grace to the sound behind the flow of the sound. The Nautilus adds onto aspects of what makes the Bigger Ben unique but gives it more power to give it more resolution to boot. That being said, the Bigger Ben has its unique sound as well, it could be said that the Nautilus has more power to dig into the music with even more power and stage to give it more richness. I must add that I didn't really try the Bigger Ben Rev 2 with the KT 88 very much when I owned it, and I wonder what the Bigger Ben sounds like powered with the tube that, I've read is kind the optimal tube for the Bigger Ben.
So far, one of my favorite tube combinations is with the KT88, 5751, and 5AR4s. The combination provides a clean, slight bloom to the music that I found very enjoyable. It's like a perfect, neutral sound that has great energy and detail. The 5U4G with the KT88 and 5751 is an excellent alternative for a more laid-back sound.
With the equipment that I have, I felt like all my headphones were more than adequately powered. The Sennheiser HD 600, 650, HIFIMAN HE 560, HE6SE V2, HE1000SE, and ZMF Verite all played with a beautiful, full richness, timbre, and dynamics.
Something about an amplifier like the Nautilus and the reason I’d recommend it is that it’s the end-game of the Tetra tube family for personal use that provides a fun sound that is deep, rich, and with full resolution. It’s a commanding sound that shines in precision, depth, and nuance in the notes with tube options to adjust the speed and attack.
The Nautilus has a lot of power, and this allows any source you have to have strong control and expression of the sound.
It should be noted that it's possible you may enjoy the DHT sound of the 300B better and may opt for the flagship equivalent, the Red October.
I’m still discovering how different tubes sound, but so far, with the JJ KT88, TungSol 6L6GC, TungSol EL34, JJ 12AX7, TungSol 5AR4, and PSVane 5U4G, and available source components, I’ve been able to gather some impressions. The EL34 with the 5U4G has tight, lean bass, and accurate, sparkly highs. Paired with the KT 88, the sound is more full and thorough with more presence and energy.
I remember having expressed that the timbre on the Agartha was one of the best I’ve heard from an amplifier. I’ve found that the Nautilus is of the highest quality and enjoyable, and in some respects, may be preferred.
For some reason, I thought that the TungSol EL34, not having Coke bottle shape, would not have enjoyable bass; but it’s a great, quality bass that meshes with the more nimble nature of the EL34. The Nautilus, regardless, gives shapes to notes and through its power, and again, we get to experience the magic of tubes at their fullest potential.
The Nautilus sound provides a thoroughly grand listening experience that is hard for me to describe at times; perhaps I could call it perfect. It is so very precise, alive, and graceful. Being the most resolving amplifiers I've ever listened to, there is no way that I could not recommend it. To me, it is a perfect companion for personal audio and can be quite shocking to listen to as you hear just how rich, nuanced, and consummately expressive it renders the sound.
Product link: Nautilus Rev 2 - ampsandsound
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 600, Sennheiser HD 650, HiFiMan HE6SE V2, HiFiMan HE560 V4, HiFiMan HE1000se, ZMF Vérité Open Stabilized
Sources: Audio-GD HE-7 MK I, Schiit Modi Multibit, Yulong D18, Topping D90SE
Cables: Worlds Best Cables
USB: Singxer SU-6
Attachments
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Agreed, it's definitely one of the best tube amps in the market. With NOS tubes, it's even more magical.
@ampsandsound - Any plans for a Nautilus v2 with pre-amp capability? That would be end-game for sure.
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The Rev2 is out but is a soft update. No new capabilities… reductions in noise floor etc. better test equipment allowing us to further optimize things.
Preamp capabilities? My fav version is when ordered without a volume pot. Paired with a pre… so good.
@ampsandsound I think it's interesting you point this out because I'm using the Feliks Audio Euforia as a preamp to the Nautilus and the sound really is fantastic. It's just that much better. Way more resolving. I hadn't even used the Feliks Audio Euforia for my two-month review (that I wrote in a week-span).
Initially I thought I might be hearing things, but no. That's not the case.
I guess my question is if it works like this, which one is the more prominent amp sonically that is heard by us? It seems the signal is just way cleaner. I wonder which has more of the show when we use a tube preamp -> tube amp. One thing for sure I know the sound is preferable than without a preamp. The space is more filled in with a more defined air and macrodetail transients heard more clearly. .
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I think most single ended amps at large do well to have gain stage infront. It’s too hard to get enough voltage swing from a single stage and keep noise low. But when paired with a pre. It’s magic. Like peanut butter and jelly magic. You can do without. But would you want to. I make a pre for this reason.
Do you recommend setting the Nautilus to 100% volume and let the pre control the volume?
I'm going back and forth using the Feliks Audio Euforia and also Project Sunrise as preamps. I noticed that some of the bass impact gets dimmed off but more resolution is there with the Project Sunrise. The notes seem pretty lighter. With the Euforia, I remember with the Svetlana 6H13C and PSVane 6SN7 there is a lot more detail as I described in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ampsandsound-aka-amps-sound.802346/post-17619252, way more my taste than with EL38 EL12 which, as a preamp, makes it a little muddy. With both, it seems the strength of the Nautilus gets dialed back, but I think I'm setting my Nautilus volume too low. The sound is variable to tubes and cabling too. It looks like so far there could be some trade-offs sonically with a pre-amp, at least the ones I have (they're not dedicated pre-amps though, though I'm sure how much that matters.)
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My apologies I didn't see your comment. Did you ever try this? I tried it again today and it didn't sound as enjoyable as with the Nautilus alone, it sounded less natural to me. But the other day I tried with the 613HC and 6SN7 with the Euforia and it "filled in the space" and it sounded better with some "faraway" microdetails out further in the soundstage.
Audio GD HE-7 -> Nautilus (KT88, 12AT7, 5U4G) -> HE6SE V2. Has any one tried this combo? I love the Nautilus with the 12AT7 and 5U4G. The lower gain of the 12AT7 really tames the power and the 5U4G adds the splash and ambiance
Hi I am new to the family, I just got my forge 8/100ohm yesterday. It come with the JJ 6sl7 and Tung sol 6L6gc. I am using it with my dca expanses on 8ohm. Everything is great but I find out it lacks the the tribes extension I am looking for. Is there any tube recommendations I can try? Right now I am thinking about swapping the 6L6 to kt77 or kt 88.
I also use 12AT7 in the Bigger Ben a lot. For the last few months I probably use 12AT7 more than anything else. I have a lot of variety in that particular tube type. I like the Amperex Bugle Boy for overall tone, but my favorites are the RFT and Mullard 4024. Another fantastic option is the GE square getter. 12AT7 is especially great with lower sensitivity planars and helps tame the volume so I can get the dynamics without listening too loud. I use an SS preamp(Audio-gd) followed by an input transformer box that I got from A&S. It's in the 1:2 configuration to step the input voltage up a bit for the BB. I added this to compensate for the gain that I take out during EQ on the digital side and it has worked great. It allows me to keep my preamp on low-gain where it works best. The versatility and simplicity of this amp has been absolutely brilliant in finding higher levels of synergy with each headphone that I've tried.
The Tung-Sol 6L6GC is a great tube and well-balanced across the range in my experience. If you are looking for more treble extension, I would try changing the pre tube first. I don't have a great knowledge of 6SL7, but I do admit that most JJ pre tubes that I have tried typically sound just a little dark to me. Maybe look for a NOS RCA or Sylvania. Of course, I think the ultimate would be something like the RCA 5691 with the red base.
Edit: Also look out for the TugSol 6SL7GT with round plates. I remember a couple of guys being fond of those on another forum.
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