I now have a Roksan Attessa running and it sounds great. However since i was often going to dealers many years ago i noticed many running their speakers with Arcam. Since Arcam caught my intrest but never owned one i still wonder how it would sound in my room today. I'm mainly intrested in the older Arcam like the A32 or A38 class a/b before it became class g. I recently lost a bidding for an A38 on catwiki. It eventually went for sale to the highest bidder for 650 euro +9% of that price for catwiki+ p&p coming to a total between 750 and 800 euro. And that A38 is without the phono stage. A bit pricey for a 17 year old amp if you ask me. Should i just forget getting an old Arcam? Is the sound a lot better of recent amplifiers like the Roksan Attessa or is the Arcam still as good? Anyone with experiece of the older Arcams and how it compares to the Roksan Attessa?
Roksan Attessa vs the old Arcam sound
- Thread starter RCduck7
- Start date
manicm
Well-known member
Arcam still make normal A/B amps, like their new A5 and A15. It's only the top of the range A25 that's Class G.
What are you concerns of their Class G amps anyway?
What are you concerns of their Class G amps anyway?
Oh, ok they still make class a/b ones but maybe i had to be more specific and should have mentioned powerful ones for difficult to drive speakers.
Their Class G amps are wonderful but i hear that some of the owners are nitpicking that the sound turns a bit hard or harsh when playing at louder volume. I'm sure it's not a problem for every owner but i guess for some of those that need/want to turn the volume quite a bit.
Fandango Andy
Well-known member
No experience of those amps. A quick look online, it looks like A32 sells for between £300 and £400 in the UK, and about £100 more for the A38. Not sure if they fetch more where you are, or if the one you bid on went high.
Have you read this?
Have you read this?
manicm
Well-known member
I see, but they shouldn't sound harsh as at higher volumes they switch to A/B mode.
So they switch to B at a certain volume and at G at an even higher level?? Are you serious?? I learned that class G amplified a class A signal.
Deliriumbassist
Well-known member
Class G is Class A when the lowest voltage supply rail is used. When more power is required, the second rail comes into play and the amp continues in AB mode.
Those folks saying they get harsh at high volume - it is much more likely that they're playing at volumes way to high for the room they're in. Sealed rooms have a dynamic range, so to speak.
Those folks saying they get harsh at high volume - it is much more likely that they're playing at volumes way to high for the room they're in. Sealed rooms have a dynamic range, so to speak.
manicm
Well-known member
As Deliriumbassist said - it's Arcam's own implementation. At lower volumes, up to about 10/15w or so it operates in Class A, at higher volumes or loads it switches to A/B operation.
Marantz had an amp which was manually switchable between class A and A/B. Arcam probably looked at this and called their non-manual implementation 'Class G'.
Dom
Well-known member
Class G is a multi-voltage power supply. It switches between them based on the strength of the audio signal.
It can have less distortion compared to class AB designs, especially at low volumes.
But the switching mechanism in class G amplifiers can introduce noise, if not implemented correctly.
Since class G amplifiers is more complex than traditional designs, it can lead to higher costs to the consumer.
It can have less distortion compared to class AB designs, especially at low volumes.
But the switching mechanism in class G amplifiers can introduce noise, if not implemented correctly.
Since class G amplifiers is more complex than traditional designs, it can lead to higher costs to the consumer.
Stuart83
Well-known member
As said Class "G" means automatic non manual switching of power rails.
It's a consecutive letter they have picked to indicate this fact rather than a long explanation.
It indeed exists as a letter of this indication.
plastic penguin
Well-known member
As you say they are nit-picking. Having heard the A39, that has a typical Arcam house sound with a tad extra PR@T.
Having owned older Arcams for 14 years, regardless of amp class they all sound similar. Biggest issues with all affordable Arcams is the bass can lack a little definition, incl the Class G versions.
Bear in mind all amps are compromised in some way.
Not heard the Attessa range but having demoed older Roksan Kandy L3 & K2 amps, which one is better is a flip of a coin.
Stuart83
Well-known member
Recently I came away from a roskan k3 for an acram sa30 much preferring it.
I demoed the attesa range then and found it lacking the punch and musicality of the sa30.
It was of the music stores owners opinion that range was changed after a stigma evolved with the software issues that dogged the sa30 in early release.
None of which I've experienced as I hung back until it was solved with an update.
It's my first experience with class G and it's indeed "nit picking" and to my ears there's nothing harsh there.
I find the bass clean and energetic, my preference is loud to louder so it's always in past midway and as any sa30 owner will tell you that's loud by any standard.
I've never experienced any lack of control infact it's the opposite, that was a deciding factor when purchasing one knowing it would send most of its life on the louder side of the volume dial.
When on low as sometimes it is the definition of music stays which isn't always the way with some amps as most will know.
That's the thing I've found with class G.
It silently moderates the correct power seamlessly so you get the best of both worlds.
I demoed the attesa range then and found it lacking the punch and musicality of the sa30.
It was of the music stores owners opinion that range was changed after a stigma evolved with the software issues that dogged the sa30 in early release.
None of which I've experienced as I hung back until it was solved with an update.
It's my first experience with class G and it's indeed "nit picking" and to my ears there's nothing harsh there.
I find the bass clean and energetic, my preference is loud to louder so it's always in past midway and as any sa30 owner will tell you that's loud by any standard.
I've never experienced any lack of control infact it's the opposite, that was a deciding factor when purchasing one knowing it would send most of its life on the louder side of the volume dial.
When on low as sometimes it is the definition of music stays which isn't always the way with some amps as most will know.
That's the thing I've found with class G.
It silently moderates the correct power seamlessly so you get the best of both worlds.
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manicm
Well-known member
I did not say that. Class G is real, and Arcam developed it, but I stress again its main feature is switching between Class A and Class A/B. Arcam provides a public white paper for this technology.
You seem to be hung up on terminology
I have a pair of hard to drive speakers that need a lot of current from an amp coming from a big transformer and capacitors. So this is unchanged going to class G terminology??
Al ears
Well-known member
Deliriumbassist
Well-known member
It's very much a case of 'it's not what you do, it's the way that you do it.' But from experience the Arcam Class G offerings handle things well, current wise.
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