Solid State Power Amp Reviews

a bit edgy.

All audio amplifiers are bandwidth limited devices. The woofers and tweeters that they power are bandpass devices, and likewise the microphones. The better question to answer is how much bandwidth is needed to be fully sufficient for the recorded audio signal.

Ortofan wrote:

Will there soon be forthcoming a review of the $2K NAD C 298 class D power amp, which uses the Purifi amp modules?

Kal Rubinson reviews the C298 in the June issue.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

From the NAD press release at the link below, "The Eigentakt modules are manufactured by NAD under license from Purifi, allowing NAD to optimise these specifically in combination with the custom designed power supply and input stages of the C 298."

https://nadelectronics.com/nad-intros-c-298-power-amplifier-with-purifi-eigentakt-amplification/

So there are no Purifi Eigentakt amplifier modules utilized within the NAD C 298, rather are modified designs manufactured under a technology license. It will be interesting to see if the design modifications and optimizations were more toward improving cost or performance, or perhaps both.

If somebody does not need to bridge the modules, they might do well to consider the Audiophonics LPA-S400ET which uses two off the shelf Purifi Eigentakt 1ET400A amplifier modules, one Hypex switch mode power supply module SMPS1200A400, and Audiophonic's in-house design interface board. Price is €1,124.17 plus S/H (taxes/duties?) from France. I have no affiliation. There are similar competing products from others, but Audiophonic's looks to be nicely assembled and includes cooling slots that some others seem to not include. The interface board includes balanced differential input and single ended input, includes a couple of choices in gain, and includes facility to bypass the input stage to drive the modules directly with outboard gear (if that upstream device can swing 10_Vrms differential output across a 2_kOhm load).

First, it's not certain yet, although it's very likely that the Sol will be discontinued.

Pure speculation here, on my part, but I suspect we'll see it again, or a version of it, once supply chains stabilize and they've had a bit more time to refine the design--not so much from a functional standpoint but from a sustainability standpoint: They need a 'table they can consistently and successfully build. Profitably, too.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

If they really are discontinuing the SOL they should license or give it away to someone else to manufacture. When correctly set up it sounded great for so little money. Yes it was “fiddly” but so was Heifetz!

Thank you for writing back.

Mr.Stoddard explains that they are now selling 10X more than they forecasted and are experiencing acute Supply issues in every area.

They are also doubling in Factory Size with the two locations being 1,000 miles apart. ( I would NEVAH sign-off on an arrangement like that, these guys are designers not manufactureres )

I also suspect that these guys aren't Transducer specialists either. This player should've Sale-priced at $2,500 ( in my estimation ).

Overall, Schiit is HigherEnd Audio's Tesla type Company except they are growing much faster than their supply chain ( which seems one to two years behind )

For all us Schiit owners, Schiit gear sells for 80% of New Prices on eBay, residual values are outstanding.

Schiit is a Smash Success.

I was surprised that Stereophile reviewed the Sol but not surprised that Schiit can't quite make the darn things.

I wonder what a Cost Analysis would reveal.

Tony in Venice Florida

ps. Mr. Stoddard appears to have resigned himself to managing a Run-a-way demand situation accompanied with a backordering dilemma .