marantzfan
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Bottlehead Stereomour vs First Watt F5/B1
Well, I wasn't really sure where to put this, but being as the two designs are at the fringe of SS and Tube, I thought that the cutting edge was appropriate. That and I've been itching to play here.
So, as some of you know, I recently took the plunge into SET and bought a Bottlehead Stereomour. Well, I think I have had enough time listening to both amplifiers through my Altec Model 19's at this point to begin to draw some conclusions.
These two amplifiers sound alot more similar than they do different, but I will be focusing on what little differences exist.
1. Presence. I don't know exactly what the word I am looking for here, but I guess presence will have to work. The Bottlehead has just a little more "they are here" to it than the F5.
2. Bass. This one goes to the F5, hands down. Thats not to say that the SET design is lacking in bass, but the F5 delivers some of the cleanest most extended bass I have ever heard.
3. Midrange. This is nearly a dead heat between the two. Both are truly beautiful in the midrange but the Bottlehead is just a hint sweeter with the F5 being a hint more neutral. Depending on one's taste, this could easily go either way. For me, I prefer the sweetness of the Bottlehead.
4. Imagaing. This again was close but there is a noticeable difference with the Bottlehead providing a slightly larger and more lush soundstage.
Winner: Bottlehead Stereomour, although as Specialidiot told me before I started this adventure, I could easily see myself using one for six months and then switching back to the other for six months. They are both very, very nice amplifiers and I feel blessed to own them. I'm sure I'll have more to add after more listening but this is what I have noticed so far...
Well, I wasn't really sure where to put this, but being as the two designs are at the fringe of SS and Tube, I thought that the cutting edge was appropriate. That and I've been itching to play here.
So, as some of you know, I recently took the plunge into SET and bought a Bottlehead Stereomour. Well, I think I have had enough time listening to both amplifiers through my Altec Model 19's at this point to begin to draw some conclusions.
These two amplifiers sound alot more similar than they do different, but I will be focusing on what little differences exist.
1. Presence. I don't know exactly what the word I am looking for here, but I guess presence will have to work. The Bottlehead has just a little more "they are here" to it than the F5.
2. Bass. This one goes to the F5, hands down. Thats not to say that the SET design is lacking in bass, but the F5 delivers some of the cleanest most extended bass I have ever heard.
3. Midrange. This is nearly a dead heat between the two. Both are truly beautiful in the midrange but the Bottlehead is just a hint sweeter with the F5 being a hint more neutral. Depending on one's taste, this could easily go either way. For me, I prefer the sweetness of the Bottlehead.
4. Imagaing. This again was close but there is a noticeable difference with the Bottlehead providing a slightly larger and more lush soundstage.
Winner: Bottlehead Stereomour, although as Specialidiot told me before I started this adventure, I could easily see myself using one for six months and then switching back to the other for six months. They are both very, very nice amplifiers and I feel blessed to own them. I'm sure I'll have more to add after more listening but this is what I have noticed so far...