[Sonic Defender]

Yes, Slee gear doesn't get the due it deserves, IMO, but it is rather "spendy" and it does not help that because of the intellectual labour that goes into crafting discrete designs these simple and unassuming pieces of kit butt up against gear that looks much more impressive yet can sell for similar or even less. If you can have a lovely, beefy case with design features and a nice fat power transformer for the same price (or similar) to a very simple, unassuming little box it is not hard to imagine how many people opt for the more impressive display.

 

[Serge Bernamej]

Here is a response of the genius Mr Slee (I was inquiring about the future of the production line)
A;though I did not ask his authorization to publish this, I’m sure he would not mind:

‘“Hi Serge,

We have no intention of scrapping the ULDE or making any changes to it, and my helpers are younger than me and I expect them to continue when I'm gone, and hopefully that won't be for a long time.

My rule is that I refuse to sell anything which doesn't sound right to me, and in doing so I've sacrificed many possibilities of making money.

I've never bought anybody else's amplifier for my own use for the past 40 years because none of them sound right to me. So, as an engineer I have always designed and built my own. But I will add that I've thrown quite a few of them out - getting it right isn't easy and sometimes downright impossible.

The "brands" make it look so easy how they can pull-off an amplifier design, but I know there's a lot more to it than that, and if they can rush out a new design I know it will have its shortcomings.

The problem is that most people believe the marketing instead of their ears.

Thank you for having the faith in me to buy the ULDE.

Best wishes,
Graham

 

[Sonic Defender]

Well put from Mr. Slee. I look forward to treating myself to one of his wonderful designs once I complete my late in life return to university next year (doing a Master of Social Work). I do not actually need an amp as I use a speaker tap cable right from the speaker terminals of my NAD M3 integrated amp which seems extremely competent and has driven many headphones this way over the years. The M3 lacked a headphone in so I researched using the speaker terminals and because the fundamental design of the M3 is very sound it handles headphones very well via the speaker terminals.

 

[Spareribs]

This amp is a MASTERPIECE. I can’t believe how clean, musical and non offensive it is, super resolving yet absolutely balanced across the frequency. I’m in love !!!!!

If you love the amp, you should caress it and give it a gentle kiss

 

[506638]

well no XLR is gonna be an issue for some but for me then i would detract from it being such a nicely compact amp adding the extra bits that many dont use. Swings and roundabouts.

I've understood you are a Graham SLEE fan

Sorry, I'd rather have a slightly less compact amp (specially considering the such big size of the power supply) and have an XLR (on the other hand, don't need 2 inputs). This amp is a good one, but there are now so many other ones.
Graham SLEE rests on its laurels and his units are overpriced, hence he doesn't sell that many hence he has to keep they pricey.

A good example is his new enigma power supply : £385.00

Really, see what's in the ULDE and how much you pay for a few basic components.

 

[Serge Bernamej]

If you love the amp, you should caress it and give it a gentle kiss

Actually the amp looks sexy but that’s probably because I know how good it is.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Actually the amp looks sexy but that’s probably because I know how good it is.

I like it, it is a simple and unassuming look, much like Schiit gear. The money in Slee products clearly goes into the intellectual capital to design and refine the sound tuned for musicality. I am sure the fundamentals as measured by machines would also be excellent with Slee gear, but the magic happens because their is an ethos of what is important in the tuning. So those little simple boxes are I guess all that is required, no more and no less.

 

[Serge Bernamej]

I like it, it is a simple and unassuming look, much like Schiit gear. The money in Slee products clearly goes into the intellectual capital to design and refine the sound tuned for musicality. I am sure the fundamentals as measured by machines would also be excellent with Slee gear, but the magic happens because their is an ethos of what is important in the tuning. So those little simple boxes are I guess all that is required, no more and no less.

Well said !

 

[Articnoise]

I liked my Graham Slee Solo Ultra Linear. But unfortunately it didn’t have “enough” power to drive more power hungry planar headphones. It would be great IMO if Graham did a new similar sounding amp with a bit more juice.

 

[Serge Bernamej]

I've understood you are a Graham SLEE fan

Sorry, I'd rather have a slightly less compact amp (specially considering the such big size of the power supply) and have an XLR (on the other hand, don't need 2 inputs). This amp is a good one, but there are now so many other ones.
Graham SLEE rests on its laurels and his units are overpriced, hence he doesn't sell that many hence he has to keep they pricey.

A good example is his new enigma power supply : £385.00

Really, see what's in the ULDE and how much you pay for a few basic components.

Well, if that’s all you need to get a great sound, I don’t see the problem.

 

[506638]

Well, if that’s all you need to get a great sound, I don’t see the problem.

. IYou pay 5 to 10 times the manufacturing cost. I don't think you get a great sound, there are much better sounding amps. And I faced the same problem :

I liked my Graham Slee Solo Ultra Linear. But unfortunately it didn’t have “enough” power to drive more power hungry planar headphones. It would be great IMO if Graham did a new similar sounding amp with a bit more juice.

That's were the symmetric output would be useful : the output would be symmetric output would be about 3 times the asymmetric.

Also with all the place left, he could have made it portable.

The pre is outdated. It has been an interesting choice, but now there is High-Res and prices drop.