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Threshold vs. AR vs. PS Audio

nelsress

nelsress

Super Member
I'm looking at getting an amp to pair up with my Coda FET Preamplifier 01 and am considering the following:

(1) Threshold S150 Series II
(2) Audio Research D130
(3) PS Audio HCA-2

From what I've read, the first two should be the obvious front-runners, hands down. The reason the PS Audio amp is in the running is because the only review I've been able to find on my Coda preamp was pretty much a rave review and it was paired with the HCA-2 in that case, hence I included it.

Thanks in advance for any input, as always, it's much appreciated!
 
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The HCA-2 amp has garnered some pretty good reviews.

Paul McGowan of PS Audio sends out daily emails called 'Paul's Posts'. In his March 12 post, he mentioned the HCA-2. His comment seems to suggest that with the HCA-2, speaker impedance may have a lot to to with the HCA-2's sound. Copy this into your Browser to take you to the post: http://www.pstracks.com/pauls-posts/garbage/9919/
 
Thanks for the link LWB but my Webroot software won't let me open it, it says it contains malicious content and re-directs me to Bing? Can you tell me what speaker impedence(s) that Paul suggests work best with the HCA-2? Thanks a lot.
Nelson
 
Paul did not specify a 'best' impedance. There is too much in the posting and the responses to parse it all here. The subject of the post was the sonic effects of output transformers and output filters in sold state and tube amps. The post was one in a series of posts on related information. Perhaps you could go to a unix-based OS computer and hit the link to read it all.

Here's some of the March 12 post: "Most Class D amps performed differently into different impedances so, if your loudspeaker was a 4 Ohm or an 8 Ohm device, the amp would sound differently into each of those speakers – not to mention the problem that no speaker has a constant input impedance.

Our first Class D amp, the HCA-2, performed differently into changing loads and we did what we could with the technology of the day to smooth this effect out as much as possible. Much has been learned and developed over the last decade."
 
Thanks LWB, I accessed the info by just typing in www.pstracks.com/ and getting to the posts from the home page. Not sure why I had to do it that way but no matter, there's good info there on the HCA-2 and class D in general. Gets a bit technical for my brain when Paul and Mark (especially Mark!) go off the deep end of design math, etc. but still very interesting.
 
I think the second amp is Audio Research (ARC) not Acoustic Research (AR)
 
DOH!!! Right you are kirk57, I do that a lot with those two companies! Makes me seem really up on audio gear, huh?!?! :)
 
S150II in Norristown PA?

Nelson,

Is that the one on CL ? The price was just lowered, looks like a really good deal.

I have a Threshold FET 2 Series ii preamp that is fantastic and I just bought the CAS-1 amp that was for sale in BT.

Based on my limited experience, go for it!

Regards, Tom
 
Nelson,

The ARC D130 is a very nice amplifier. Buy it and don't listen to stereocuuple pimping the Threshold. :D

Mike
 
Thanks for the input guys. Someone else I know who's a big Pass fan recommended I look at a Forte Audio Model 3, he said it's a Pass design and one of those amps that is way above its price point in performance, sound & build quality. Is it in the same league as the Threshold S150 II though, that's the question? Thanks again, soon time to make a decision.
 
I would stick with the Threshold and get the power supply caps updated at least. :thmbsp:

I'd also contact Jon Soderberg at Vintage Amp Repair for any other updates that may be needed. He's used to work at Threshold and repairs them these days. He's replaced the caps, rectifier, connectors, and corrected the bias on my SA3.9e and SA6e's.
 
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Be very careful with the PS Audio HCA-2. DO NOT turn it on unless there are speakers connected to the the terminals or it will go into fault mode and require repair.
 
nelsress said:
Thanks for the input guys. Someone else I know who's a big Pass fan recommended I look at a Forte Audio Model 3, he said it's a Pass design and one of those amps that is way above its price point in performance, sound & build quality. Is it in the same league as the Threshold S150 II though, that's the question? Thanks again, soon time to make a decision.
Click to expand...

The Thresholds are much better than the forte and that ARC ....
 
edwyun said:
I would stick with the Threshold and get the power supply caps updated at least. :thmbsp:

I'd also contact Jon Soderberg at Vintage Amp Repair for any other updates that may be needed. He's used to work at Threshold and repairs them these days. He's replaced the caps, rectifier, connectors, and corrected the bias on my SA3.9e and SA6e's.
Click to expand...

3.9 and SA6e's !!! ........ You Basturd ...:)
 
Okay guys, I'm sold and am going to go with the Threshold, thanks for all the input, I appreciate it very much. Hopefully this time next week I'll be listening to a new (to me) Threshold S150 series II amp.
 
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