[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well it's alot. With all the extra features it will run for about $14000 but given my knowledge on the different technical terms on each upgrade it might be less.

Wow that's a lot of money. If you do decide to get the amp please let us know how it sounds. That would be a lot of cans, good source, and amps. Good luck to you

 

[Piotr Ryka]

Wadia 861 is discontinued. (Very good source, indeed.) Other fatastic performers - and in current production - Audio Aero Capitol SACD, MBL 1531 and Ancient Audio Lektor Prime.

 

[Calle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphsci /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because the Omega II's sound awesome on the ES-1 with the right tubes. Send me your email address and I will send you my ES-1 configuration explaining my reasoning for each upgrade (or skipping it ) That may give you a good start. Oh and granodemostasa's advice about the source should be taken to heart.

You should be able to see my Messenger address.


And talking about the source, I looked at the Audio Aero Capitole Reference. A guy here in Denmark is selling his for $5500 used. It states that he bought it 1 September 2006 for $12000. Is that a good deal?

 

[Piotr Ryka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calle /img/forum/go_quote.gif You should be able to see my Messenger address. And talking about the source, I looked at the Audio Aero Capitole Reference. A guy here in Denmark is selling his for $5500 used. It states that he bought it 1 September 2006 for $12000. Is that a good deal?

Very good.

 

[F1GTR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I completely agree with Carl on this one. Throwing this kind of money at an ES-1 is just crazy as you can have a much better (i.e. more powerful, resolving, dynamic, subtle...) amp made for less money. Some of these "upgrades" are a joke as well.

I couldn't agree more with Carl and spritzer. Please explore some other options.

 

[Calle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1GTR /img/forum/go_quote.gif I couldn't agree more with Carl and spritzer. Please explore some other options.

Please advice then. Which amps are you guys speaking of?

 

[abs@nilenet.com]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I completely agree with Carl on this one. Throwing this kind of money at an ES-1 is just crazy as you can have a much better (i.e. more powerful, resolving, dynamic, subtle...) amp made for less money. Some of these "upgrades" are a joke as well.

With all due respect neither of you two have heard an ES-1. It is a fine amp and will serve the OP well.

As far as trance music goes, I would try 12BZ7s in the first stage, 6bl7gta in the second stage, and Hytron 3D21A for the output stage (in adapters). I get great bass with that tube combo.

Happy Listening!

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abs@nilenet.com /img/forum/go_quote.gif With all due respect neither of you two have heard an ES-1. It is a fine amp and will serve the OP well. As far as trance music goes, I would try 12BZ7s in the first stage, 6bl7gta in the second stage, and Hytron 3D21A for the output stage (in adapters). I get great bass with that tube combo. Happy Listening!

That's true but we've never said that it doesn't sound good. It's price and value is in question as even a basic ES-1 is bad value. Any competent tube amp builder can build an amp like that for less and for 10k build you one hell of an amp with much more complicated PSU and with top quality wire, caps, transformers and above all else chassis. A good speaker amp driving a custom made transformer will present a different take on things that many might prefer.

But I'd like to express the need for extended auditions when you are buying stuff of this caliber. It's much cheaper to fly to some meet and and listen to a wide range of gear rather then buy something expensive that isn't your cup of tea. I love the SR-007 but I'm also the first to admit that people might not prefer it even when properly amped. It's a b*tch to get right and requires good system matching to show the HE90 a good set of heels.

 

[foo_me]

Former he90/es1 owner...stock ES-1 with upgraded tubes is a GOOD value IMO...

Good/bad is all personal and relative. I say good because I've heard the es1, hev90, and a few other Mccalister?, woo audio, electrostatic amps along the journey.

don't know how anyone could say bad without listening to it...even if it's that person's opinion...how could one even form an opinion of anything without hearing it? just curious...and no offense meant.

 

[foo_me]

btw, haven't heard a maxxed out one, but i was happy with the stock and didn't really feel the need to upgrade it so am somewhat skeptical that it's a good value. Would put more money into a better source, ICs, tubes with the xtra money from getting a stock, upgraded es-1 vs. a maxxed out one.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abs@nilenet.com /img/forum/go_quote.gif With all due respect neither of you two have heard an ES-1. It is a fine amp and will serve the OP well. As far as trance music goes, I would try 12BZ7s in the first stage, 6bl7gta in the second stage, and Hytron 3D21A for the output stage (in adapters). I get great bass with that tube combo. Happy Listening!

The distortion spectrum of BZ7s is terrible. With his budget he can use 26s/10s/45s/50s/etc with no feedback.

Sure, I haven't heard an ES-1, but I do understand what's going on electrically inside there, it's not run off magic pixie dust. I wouldn't tell someone not to explore the ES-1 if they were looking at spending $4-5k, but at $14k the world is pretty much your oyster, you can have just about any topology and design you want. That means no feedback, transformer phase splitting, optimised current loops, extremely tight but also sonically pleasing regulation using multiple chokes or current sources, and so forth are all completely affordable and practical options.

 

[Calle]

I won't get a maxed out version of the ES-1, but I do intend on adding some of the extra options that can be provided. As for source I have been looking at the Audio Aero Capitole Reference. Seems I can get a very good deal on that. I also want a proper source (DAC) for listening to music from PC. With that said I need to switch all my 320 tunes with lossless, but that's no problem. As for which DAC I should choose I don't know. I have looked at a couple but haven't decided yet. So far there is the LessLoss, Transporter and Benchmark.

 

[Calle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif The distortion spectrum of BZ7s is terrible. With his budget he can use 26s/10s/45s/50s/etc with no feedback. Sure, I haven't heard an ES-1, but I do understand what's going on electrically inside there, it's not run off magic pixie dust. I wouldn't tell someone not to explore the ES-1 if they were looking at spending $4-5k, but at $14k the world is pretty much your oyster, you can have just about any topology and design you want. That means no feedback, transformer phase splitting, optimised current loops, extremely tight but also sonically pleasing regulation using multiple chokes or current sources, and so forth are all completely affordable and practical options.

Ok a new reply... Just saw yours.

Sure, if I can get a better deal that would be even better than the ES-1. But if it means I have to find one who can build it, then that is another question. I know of nobody who can do that.

 

[foo_me]

The capitol reference has digital input so you can use it as a DAC from your PC. I did it with the older Audio Aero Capitole MK2 SE with great results. Used an Empirical Audio offramp turbo as the usb-spdif converter. Not as good as using the Capitole itself, but close enough that I didn't feel the need to get another DAC or do anything else.

 

[foo_me]

when you say it that way...yeah, i agree

think the op shouldn't spend 14k for an es-1 either...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif The distortion spectrum of BZ7s is terrible. With his budget he can use 26s/10s/45s/50s/etc with no feedback. Sure, I haven't heard an ES-1, but I do understand what's going on electrically inside there, it's not run off magic pixie dust. I wouldn't tell someone not to explore the ES-1 if they were looking at spending $4-5k, but at $14k the world is pretty much your oyster, you can have just about any topology and design you want. That means no feedback, transformer phase splitting, optimised current loops, extremely tight but also sonically pleasing regulation using multiple chokes or current sources, and so forth are all completely affordable and practical options.