Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

Can a previous built Inspire amp (in my case a 6L6 Fire Bottle built on 1-2-15) be upgraded to be a Universal?

Ask Dennis but I think not. Look at the present Universal listing. The innards are very different.

I may have to re-enroll in the 12 Step program for audioholics.

[BearCityUSA]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

Can a previous built Inspire amp (in my case a 6L6 Fire Bottle built on 1-2-15) be upgraded to be a Universal?

I know the OPTs are different so new iron. When Straitwire unfit his he started from scratch, ie disconnect everything, turn over and shake.

Really a question for Dennis but you would likely be better off with the new unit and selling the old.

[BearCityUSA]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

Do you recall what speakers were being used?

Dennis’ custom designed 4 ways. As seen in shop listening room photos. Tallest of the bunch. Cherry face. Open baffle. Rear fired mid range (not visible). Boxed woofer.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

Dennis’ custom designed 4 ways. As seen in shop listening room photos. Tallest of the bunch. Cherry face. Open baffle. Rear fired mid range (not visible). Boxed woofer.

edit, removed

[FloridaBoy]

I am buying a set of the new monos. And, while it's not cost effective or even reasonable in a sense, I moved forward on the new monos, and decided I'm not getting rid of my heavily upgraded Cary V12R tube amp for a while until I've got at least 300+ hours of audition time on the new monos. My V12R is much improved over stock, sounds amazing now, I will say it's gonna be super hard to part with. At that point of 300 hours so on the new version Inspire Mono amps... we'll see, one or the other amp(s) is going up for sale after a good long demo of the new stuff.

Good plan. I'll save you a seat at the Audioholics meeting.

[Rosco65]

I’m not going to quote decooney, but I agree with his points. I am in a similar position:

I own a black/silver (this was before black/black and I would have preferred that color scheme. I wonder if it is possible to gently remove and replace the faceplates?) LP-27a, KT-88HO (15W xfmrs, 6DJ8 driver. One of the last of these), and KT-88 PSE (one of the first ones built). I have amp envy every time Dennis changes something. When he switched to the 6SN7 driver I had buyer’s remorse. I then bought the PSE. Now with the release of the PSE mono’s in triode and the Universal Amp I now have that twinge that wants the “best” amp Dennis sells.

But just because an amp is newer, bigger, or runs triode vs. pentode does not necessarily make it better. Shindo offers a variety of amplifier configurations (SET, PSEP, PP, etc.), each of which has its fans. My amps are pentode configuration. I already own a SET amp that is of very high quality. The pentode amps are remarkably similar to this very high quality, modern sounding SET. My KT88HO has a conventional power supply, so it is more sensitive to rectifier choices. It pairs really well with my small single driver speakers.

My PSE is also hard to beat. It has the first iteration of the IIPS (so new I had to sent it back to Dennis to get modified). This amp is probably the most versatile amp Dennis has ever made. It will run 10 to 24wpc in pentode, you can plug-and-play any tube, and you can mix and match tubes you are running in the amp. Heck, you could run four tube types at the same time.

Part of my wants to trade both amps for a pair of triode PSE’s. That may be the best current sound coming from Dennis’ shop. But another part of me says I may have the best combination of power amps for my needs. I haven’t heard Dennis’ triode implementations, but I can use my two amps separately or together. I can use the PSE as a full range amp or biamp with the PSE and KT88HO. I own a pair of Altec two-ways where I can use the PSE on the 414A and the KT88HO (using the same output tube as the PSE) in biamp configuration. Since my crossover for this speaker is pretty much a capacitor and attenuators on the 802D, I could even configure a passive filter and attenuators on the input of the smaller amp to avoid any speaker-level crossover at all.

A final opinion regarding the versatility of the Stereo PSE: I am also tempted to use a pair of these amps. We’re told by Dennis that simply tying the inputs and output together would give us a pair of 48wpc mono’s (please correct me if I am wrong). It wold also allow for vertically biamping your speakers, using different tube types on the bass and mid/treble sections.

[Beatlebum]

Rosco65,

I don't see me parting with my Inspire Fire Bottle PSE either. I love this amp and I'm very excited to hear Dennis' 45 SET amp in my system. I am looking forward to being able to switch between these two tube amps. Just for kicks, I also have the Belles Aria which is an excellent sounding solid state integrated amp and is a crazy good value for $1995.

Regards,

Tim

[Rosco65]

I really only desire one more amp in my collection: a 45 SET. I had one in the mid 90’s (a Rankin Buugle with Magnequest iron) and it is still my favorite amp within its limits. And as much as I like Dennis’ amps, I think the ideal complement to my PSE is a Yamamoto A08S. Since they are now pretty hard to find, I may have to ask Oliver to build me one. He has run out of his NOS parts (he really likes the Tamara outputs from old Japanese RTR machines) but I would love to hear a version with the small Noguchi Finement xfmrs).

[decooney]

Originally Posted by Beatlebum

Rosco65,
...I also have the Belles Aria which is an excellent sounding solid state integrated amp and is a crazy good value for $1995.

Regards,

Tim

A few other tube amp builders I've met over the past five years gave high regards to David Belles SS amps. While I recently decided to part with my own SS amp made in Cary to help fund this long term demo of Dennis' new monos, the latest Belles amps would be a next consideration if I had continued down the solid state path. I live in Pass land, just down the hill from Nelson, heard a few, including some of the early amps. Again, synergy is needed. Most producing good results and some really bad results with poor speaker matching. Same dilemma, matching is everything. Sure seems like the Belles gear is a neat value alternative. Would love to hear some of the later models, if you are into integrateds apparently the new Belles "Virtuoso" is supposed to sound damn good too, at a higher price point of course, no separates or cables to contend with. Hope to hear one soon. While it's not tube of course, supposed to sound good too for SS if you don't want to pay up and pass on Pass. I too am more of a fan of the "crazy good value" approach. Just like Dennis' direct purchase amps. For now, it's tube Inspire Monos in sight soon!

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Rosco65

I’m not going to quote decooney, but I agree with his points. I am in a similar position:

I own a black/silver (this was before black/black and I would have preferred that color scheme. I wonder if it is possible to gently remove and replace the faceplates?) LP-27a, KT-88HO (15W xfmrs, 6DJ8 driver. One of the last of these), and KT-88 PSE (one of the first ones built). I have amp envy every time Dennis changes something. When he switched to the 6SN7 driver I had buyer’s remorse. I then bought the PSE. Now with the release of the PSE mono’s in triode and the Universal Amp I now have that twinge that wants the “best” amp Dennis sells.

But just because an amp is newer, bigger, or runs triode vs. pentode does not necessarily make it better. Shindo offers a variety of amplifier configurations (SET, PSEP, PP, etc.), each of which has its fans. My amps are pentode configuration. I already own a SET amp that is of very high quality. The pentode amps are remarkably similar to this very high quality, modern sounding SET. My KT88HO has a conventional power supply, so it is more sensitive to rectifier choices. It pairs really well with my small single driver speakers.

My PSE is also hard to beat. It has the first iteration of the IIPS (so new I had to sent it back to Dennis to get modified). This amp is probably the most versatile amp Dennis has ever made. It will run 10 to 24wpc in pentode, you can plug-and-play any tube, and you can mix and match tubes you are running in the amp. Heck, you could run four tube types at the same time.

Part of my wants to trade both amps for a pair of triode PSE’s. That may be the best current sound coming from Dennis’ shop. But another part of me says I may have the best combination of power amps for my needs. I haven’t heard Dennis’ triode implementations, but I can use my two amps separately or together. I can use the PSE as a full range amp or biamp with the PSE and KT88HO. I own a pair of Altec two-ways where I can use the PSE on the 414A and the KT88HO (using the same output tube as the PSE) in biamp configuration. Since my crossover for this speaker is pretty much a capacitor and attenuators on the 802D, I could even configure a passive filter and attenuators on the input of the smaller amp to avoid any speaker-level crossover at all.

A final opinion regarding the versatility of the Stereo PSE: I am also tempted to use a pair of these amps. We’re told by Dennis that simply tying the inputs and output together would give us a pair of 48wpc mono’s (please correct me if I am wrong). It wold also allow for vertically biamping your speakers, using different tube types on the bass and mid/treble sections.

Be happy with what you have. Resist temptation. I read the board too but, thankfully, I can't hear a thing. I'll save you a seat too at the Audioholics meeting.

Seriously, all of these amps are very good.