Have had music playing through my new "Starkrimson Stereo Ultra Amp" for the past week! After the first 24 hrs, the amp has broken in and sonics have settled down top to bottom! To my ears, the options (my build vs tour amp) of the dual mono Power Supply has added more solidity and weight to the bass response, with total effortless headroom in micro and macro dynamics. The additional 28.2k uF per/ch of Capacitance has created an even more accurate and articulate transient timbre/tonality/clarity to the realism of instruments, strings, and vocals! My system totally disappears and find myself more involved with the music's emotional connections!! Leo has an RCA to XLR converter module that will allow my unbalanced pre-amp outputs to take full advantage of his GaNFET class-D balanced topology! Coming soon installed in a nice case, I'll be using it to realize the full audio sonic capability that the Starkrimson Stereo Ultra Amp was designed for (V3 Review upcoming)!! Ted
@Jaytor Reading your review in more detail today it sounds like the Starkrimson is the only amp from the ones you tested is the only one that did not have tubes somewhere in the audio chain is that correct? The 300b is a tube amp and the purify amp had a tube input stage. Thanks; Leo
Yes, that's true. While I also own a pair of Pass XA60.8 monoblocks, I didn't pull them out to do this comparison. They are pretty hard to move around (unlike the Starkrimson ), and are currently boxed up.
I suspect it would be helpful to everyone reading this thread if everyone reviewing the amp made a number of "base reference" type comments up front so as to give the readers more context and insight into the reviewers...things such as: 1. fairly detailed description of your room, listening position and listening volume 2. fairly detailed description of your current system and if you have a sub, did you turn it off so that you could better judge what the amp/s were doing on their own 3. what are the things that are most meaningful to your own listening experience...and which things mean less (example: soundstage width and immersion mean more than soundstage depth.....or bass impact is important but bass tone is much more important)....etc. etc. etc. 4. what prior experience have you had with class d amps and what did you think of them
All great suggestions Ron and Welcome to the SHMF! FWIW, might I suggest you click on the avatars of each member, then click on Profile Page-Information Tab (here's MINE). This area usually list a host of details, insights and even pics of where the member is coming from. You (and others) might get the answers to questions of that person's experiences, likes and interest!! Ted
The amp is now with @gguy remaining in the tour in no particular order: @RonN5 @Steve Hoffman @brankin172 @okc_craft @barondla @alg22 +2 (I don't have a forum handle)
Ted, thanks....with your help I took care of all the profile page stuff... Leo, thanks for the update....who will be up next after @gguy?
Thanks for letting me know, for now, I will continue with the tour with the number of people it will probably take about 2 to 3 months to conclude, let me know if you would like to get back in.
Have received the active RCA to XLR Converter Module and installed it this past weekend...hooked up between my unbalanced RCA pre-amp and the Starkrimson XLR balanced inputs! After the past 3 days of playing steady acoustical music through my recent 3-new purchases (Converter module + XLR cables + Starkrimson Amp), the verdict has arrived...GUILTY As Charged, with Excellent to Superb Sonics, As per Leo's Designs!!! In reference to the "Tour's Starkrimson Stereo Ultra" amp I tested in June (stock build with 18.8K uF of extra Capacitance/per channel) and this max Starkrimson build (28.2K uF of extra capacitance/per channel + dual mono SMPS power supplies), the optional active RCA to XLR converter board (inputs a fully balanced signal into the Starkrimson amp) offers additionally (V3 review): 1. Transients that are a step-up toward perfection and as realistic as Live Music (attacks and decays)! 2. Timbre and Tonality that perfectly defines brass, wind, strings, percussive instruments and piano as I've personally experienced in my formal 25 years of music study, performance and teaching! 3. Resolution and Clarity that easily defines the boundaries of realism in the musical art form! 4. Vocal resonance and emotional connectivity that is very natural and stirs the soul (or at least mine)! 5. Imaging that is very wide and high (well beyond my room boundaries), giving precise focus to proper size, placement and air of ensemble musicians, solo vocalist, choir disciplines and sectional groups! 6. Soundstaging depth that reflects venue and hall dimensions and reflections, giving dimensional clues to the ambient sonics of the recorded space! 7. Bass that has excellent definition and timbre, with fast and tight well controlled sonics. My small 2-way monitors seem to not need the 12" sub anymore (except for that 32ft pipe organ pedal tone)! 8. Dynamics with superb Macro and Micro details that defy any limits of home reproduced audio systems! 9. Warm and inviting 3D Holographic illusion that beckons one to take your seat in the 10th to 15th center stage row...why?...because You Are There!! 10. Overall, a Very Musical and Relaxing Presentation that Sounds Live!!! IMHO, with great implementation of the GaNFET amp technology, the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra Amp offers a Superb Value in the high-end audio performance...possibly the only thing missing would be cool blue VU meters!?! The above I've commented on reflects what I Hear, in My dedicated music room, with My chosen components, and My 25 years of music experience...as always, YMMV! Ted
Ted, thanks for the great review. Having owned speakers with RAAL tweeters, I know they are excellent at helping hear all of the content you referenced in 1-6? Could you compare and contrast the Ultra with your Emotiva amp which will help all of us understand the Ultra’s capabilities even more.
Ron, Besides the comments I made (paragraphs 2-3) in my original post HERE, the full iteration of the Starkrimson Stereo Ultra amp has taken my sonic descriptions of the Emotiva amp down to good/very good! It truly is a little amp that says, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can"...(I know, corny, but appropriate)! In it's full replacement, the Starkrimson amp says, "I KNOW I CAN, I KNOW I CAN, I'm DOING IT"! The power, control, effortlessness, headroom, realism, musicality, ease and prowess when the Starkrimson drives the monitors, is a Music Revelation that elevates the past Emotiva good/very good sonic descriptions to current Reflections of Excellent/Superb!! Every "audiophile" description I state above are expansions and finesse performances over the Emotiva...maybe not full night/day differences but for me, worth the investment cost!! All put together, the rooms system synergy and components just "disappear", as I'm left sitting inside the recorded venue with the musicians...just constant "Mind Blowing Suspension of Disbelief"! Ted
For those that may be interested I have a used unit up for sale at $600 discount here: https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...o-ultra-dual-mono-w-cap-upgrade-2900.1153872/
Thanks for the heads-up Dave...learn something every day! Looks like not only 50+ post, but also 30-days of registration (main forum page, classified ads description)...Sept 4th=D-Day Ron! Ted
Yes… so it looks like the whole classified section is completely hidden until some hits the 50/30 mark.
