Amplifier quandry...

I'm in a bit of a dither over my amps - I've been using the old Sugden for about a week now and have been really enjoying it. Compared to my Exposure it's got such a wonderfully expansive soundstage - can't believe what a difference an amp can make to imaging tbh. The bass seems to gain an extra octave or so aswell.

However, despite its beguiling, transparent and well-integrated sound, it just doesn't 'get it on' like my Exposure. The Exposure just has so much musical get-up-and-go it sparkles - listening to the way it portrays rhythms it just sounds like it's having so much fun; the pulse is rock-solid. The Sugden just seems rather laboured...boring even, despite its sonic advantage, just draining the music of emotion and direction.

Conversely, the Exposure isn't particularly kind to harsh recordings, can sound a bit 2-dimensional and a bit 'hard'. These amps do seem to represent 2 extremes in musical reproduction - but which one is right?

What would you do?? Keep the sweet and inviting one or go for the one that likes to get p*ssed and party??

Rest of the system is Gyro/RB300(+ technothingy)/AT-OC30/Dino & ProAc Supertabs.

 

Sounds like neither is what you need - perhaps you ought to keep searching............

 

what sensitivity are the speakers and how big is the room? (he old A21 is 10 watts isn't it?)

 

I'd wake up the Sugden by feeding it some clean mains

A Trichord Powerblock for example

 

Saab - the old Sug's 12w/ch and the ProAcs are itro 86db/1w with a nice easy 8 ohm load (only dipping to 6ish here and there). Room's approx 11x11' ie pretty small - which is why the Tablette 50 Signatures were a bit of a disaster - more's the pity.

I'll be keeping both amps - certainly for the forseeable so will be swapping them around 'just for the hell of it' every now and again.

TB - Trichord Powerbock? Tell me more

I've also been running the Exposure on Naim NACA4 - sounds so much nicer than the Chord Rumour, and removes a lot of the hardness from the sound, with no loss of clarity.

 

Chris - I know the Trichord Powerblock has worked wonders in your system but it doesn't work for everyone. In my system a 500VA powerblock made absolutely no difference at all (I tried it in all the possible configurations I could think of). btw, this isn't a "believe / don't believe" thing (like cables ) - there's every reason to think it could work, it just didn't in my system.

What I'm trying to say is: your mileage may vary. Gromit, I wouldn't buy one without trying one out first in your system.

Michael.

 

Presumably its down to whether or not you have shitty mains in the first place and if you have, how good your kit is or isn't at coping with it.

 

How recently has the Sugden been serviced? May be time for a recap and bit of TLC. The good news is that Sugden will service any of their equipment, no matter how old, the bad news is that they work at a very, ahem, stately pace.

-- Ian

 

it sounds like you prefer the warmth of a class A design, but the one you have doesnt have the welly for the speakers you have...

Perhaps flog both amps and get a bigger fatter class A amp?

 

Ian - just contacted Sugden about this very matter, the reply simply being 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

As to dirty lecky - I know for a fact that the system sounds a lot better mid-morning than it does in the evening.

Or maybe that's the Cotes du Rhone factor???

 

Could be the case - although the Sugden will drive the speakers to much higher levels than my ears/street will feel comfy with, so one would imagine (sweeping statement alert) that at more sensible levels it'd have more than enough headroom.

I just get the feeling with the Exposure that it's got much more of an iron grip on the job in hand - it never seems to run out of steam however high it's turned up.

 

A21.............you KNOW you want one

 

I must admit the a21 is one amp I've never actually owned, heard quite a few, Had the master class mono's for a few weeks too, I liked those but man you could cook an egg on them .
Any one here bi-amp with int/power amp combo? thoughts please. Wm

 

yes,but WHAT an egg

 

Exposure

Must admit to never having heard the Sugden, but have always been very fond of Exposure without finding it harsh at all (with Epos speakers BTW).

Quote
"I've also been running the Exposure on Naim NACA4 - sounds so much nicer than the Chord Rumour, and removes a lot of the hardness from the sound, with no loss of clarity."
Unquote

It is my understanding that NACA4 is identical to Exposure speaker cable - which Exposure recommend you always use with Exposure amps. Is this not the solution to your problem then?

Thom

 

I've always really liked Exposure amps, finding them less forward and insistent than some others, but still retaining tight tune playing bass and plenty of rhythmic gusto.

I would do all possible to optimise the Exposure amp as they are very hard to better.

 

Thom - reckon you're onto something here, which is why I've just managed to blag 15m of Exposure cable off eBay.

I've only 6m of NAC which means having the amp sitting on the floor between the speakers, and the Dino somewhere half way between amp and TT (the dog knows better than to go near it!)

I love the Exposure - had it 11 years now and it's one of the best things I've ever bought, in terms of vfm and sound. Possibly only equalled by the Dino. It's one of those items I'd be very reluctant to get rid of.

 

Dave

reading your posts some would think you like the A21

the a21 and masterclass intgd sonded pretty sweet but too polite for my taste, my Bow pre/power has more of everything, more finesse, better 3d soundstage, dynamics etc (so it should at the price) and I was using this as my refernce when I heard the sugdens (was just using any amp etc as to different voicing of shorlisted speakers, before deciding which pair to try at home) Late evening listening or someone who listens at conversational volume the A21 would sound fine but from my experience the sugden integrateds really need to be listened to at home in your own kit at your preffered listening levels, not one to take a gamble on, as one persons loud is very different from someone elses, the pathos Logos that we swopped them with (not renowned for being a high volume amp) had absolutely no problems with the music/setup that the sugdens struggled with, definately a suck it and see choice gromit go fporn the party animal as you know if you asked your mother she would say the "nice quiet demure" one and we don't want to do what our mummy says.

On the subject of mains conditioners I tried the Audiosource E4-6 and this made a difference to my sound I was sceptical as thought I had relatively clean mains and was worried that it would softenthe dynamics but this hasn't been the case Took dem one back and purchased a new one and haven't looked back, Treble sweeter bass tighter around £350 for 6 way and they do 30 day home trial (ala RA) might be worth a punt

 

I thought on doing this but decided I could take the conditioner with me when I move, was still thinking of tryinga spur as well, A case of suck it and see, I would be interested in your views if you add conditioner to dedicated spur, would you not be better adding acouple of unswitched doubles to the wall I don't think this would degrade sound and would save the need for a distribution box.

Paul