Jeff received the Absolare Passion Signature amplifiers today and I helped with the setup and placement. The amps are big, heavy but quite attractive. Sophisticated with an understated but unmistakable classiness, the transformers are huge. For the past 5 or 6 years jeff has used the VAC Phi 300.1 monoblocks and they are the best power amplifiers he's had and by a considerable margin. IMO they were perhaps the best sounding high power push pull amps I've heard and that includes many over the years.
They provided excellent sound driving his ESP Harps and his wonderful Rockport Altairs.
Right out of the wood shipping crate the Absolare Passion mono blocks were captivating and just improved from there. The truth is this amplifier sounds stunning! I dont know why 50 watts of PSET power sounds more powerful, larger scale and more authoritarian then the 300 watt (150 in triode) VAC Phi but it does. This is significant to me as the VAC is such an exceptional amplifier as a reference. The sense of presence, true and complete tonal and timbral saturation and 3 dimensional density is utterly superb. I've heard many fine components in jeff's system over a 20 year period. Today his sound was the best ever. Natural, very convincing realism and the highest level of emotional communication I've heard in his home. All this with 2 hours of listening, this is a fabulous beginning with an outstanding amplifier. Congratulations!
Charles,

charles1dad July 24, 2013 22:25

Don't be envious all the Rockport speakers are great. The best tubes so far are the Create 5AR4, Sylvania black plate coin base Clear Top 13EM7, and Tungsol black plate 6SN7's from 40's to early 50's. I have clarity and liguidity at the same time.

jwm July 10, 2013 21:15

Hi Jeff,

Great system! I owned one of the very first Basis Debut turntables many years ago. And I own Rockport Antares. Your Altairs look beautiful, and I am envious.

I own a Modwright Oppo 105 too. Do you have a suggestion for aftermarket tubes?

Thanks…and enjoy!

John

jfz July 10, 2013 13:18

Hi,

Just contemplating your system evolution and expect a central objective to be - sheer musical enjoyment :-)

Excellent!

Regards,
Sam

c1ferrari June 26, 2013 04:48

Charles your welcome, I'm enjoying them more every day.

jwm June 13, 2013 16:42

Thanks John, yours are also fantastic looking in your room. Arnie it will be interesting in the comparison between the Absolare and my Vac.

jwm June 13, 2013 16:42

Jeff,
Thanks for inviting bob and me over this evening, the music was very enjoyable. The new speaker positioning was a good decision and with only 50 hours thus far the Atairs are opening up and really sounding quite musical and engaging. These speakers are improving very steadily and are a wonderful match with your VAC amplifiers.
Charles,

charles1dad June 13, 2013 04:32

Hi Jeff,

That's great. Since you heard them together at CES, you already know how synergistic the Absolare electronics are with the Rockport Altair speakers.

Arnie

babybear June 12, 2013 17:57

The Rockports look great in your room !

jfrech June 12, 2013 15:58

Tboooe, I have pictures under individual components, just click the pictures. I will let everyone know about sound when these are fully broken in. I can tell you right now that the sound is so open and transparent without being lean or bright.

jwm June 12, 2013 15:13

Arnie, yes both amp and preamp. I think they should be here sometime in July.

jwm June 12, 2013 15:11

Can we get some updated pics and a review please?? I am living vicariously through you!

tboooe June 11, 2013 21:24

Jeff, congratulations on the Rockport Altair speakers! Truly wonderful speakers.

Are you getting both the Absolare Passion preamplifier as well as the Absolare Passion amps or just the amps?

Arnie

babybear June 11, 2013 15:00

I had the opprotunity to hear these speakers for 2 hours last night(they had been in use about 4 hours prior to my arrival). During the time I was there the Altairs noticeably improved.With minimal hours on them you can easily hear that these are world class speakers.They already demostrate they are very transparent,natural and most importantly, communicate the emotion and joy of music.This is not an artificial,clinical hifi sounding speaker(thank goodness!). These Altairs are off to a very good start and will only improve as the playing hours accumulate.The speakers were driven by the VAC Phi 300.1 monoblocks in triode and ultra linear mode and both choices sound good(I preferred the triode option).I really look forward to the arrival of the Absolare Passion Signature amplifier and how it compares with the VAC amps.These speakers look very nice in jeff`s large room.
Charles,

charles1dad June 08, 2013 12:10

Awesome news! Now the fun begins ;-) !!

jfrech June 08, 2013 10:16

Good news the piano movers arived today just two days after I received my two big wood crates. Two guys moved them into position, uncrated them and placed them in my room. Wow do they look stunning. I have about five hours on them now and they are beggining to open up and sound less restrained. It's going to take about a month and a half to put 400 hours on them as I can only play them 12 hours a day. I already like them better than my ESP's which I had for 15 years. I will post pictures tomorrow.

jwm June 08, 2013 03:00

Absolare or VACs, either should sound great. Keep me posted!

rfogel8 May 31, 2013 13:25

I think the beginning of June for Absolare

jwm May 30, 2013 02:39

Toys for boys. I love it!!! When do your new Absolare amps arrive? Now, I'm really looking forward to hearing them.

Yah, at 515 lbs each, making placement adjustments should be fun. Actually, Charles and I should be able to horse those puppys around, "no problemo". Give me a call when you're ready to start dialing them in.

Congrats!!!

rfogel8 May 29, 2013 21:51

Bob you read it here first. The Altair's should be shipped out tomorrow. I am excited, but I need a moving company to put them in my room over 500 pounds a piece.

jwm May 29, 2013 20:54

Bob,
After hearing the Absolare Passion PSET amp and Altair pairing I completely understand jeff's desire to go forward. He should be ecstatic once they're in his home(very soon). My current "toys" keep me in continuous SET Bliss.I'm really looking forward to jeff's wonderful new arrivals, they are world class music making components.
Regards,

charles1dad May 29, 2013 01:35

Jeff, am I reading this correctly? You're buying new Altair's?
Charles, life's not fair; you and I need some new toys too!!!

rfogel8 May 28, 2013 23:36

Jfrech, thanks I live in Michigan. I have the Esoteric Speaker Products (ESP) Harps. I really like these speakers as they have a beautiful tonality that is very natural like live instruments. I am just hoping the Altair's can match or beat mine in this area. If they can't I will not keep them. You can see my speakers under the ESP title.

jwm May 13, 2013 20:03

Jeff has a top shelf analog front end (better than many I've heard) and is
still breaking in the phono stage and cartridge. But, oh my, the sound of
Redbook 16/44 in his system is so good! You can move from one source to
the other and really not miss a beat. I believe the limiting factor for CD
playback for many people has been the chosen hardware more so than the
format.I also get splendid sound from my CD front end. Jeff has a huge
(and I do mean huge)record collection and is getting the best of both
analog and digital sources, life is good.When I heard the Rockport-Absolare
system at CES this year it was the same experience. Whether analog or
digital source didn't matter as both were just fabulous.
Regards,

charles1dad May 13, 2013 13:47

Hi Jeff, you have a beautiful home ! And some killer good gear...I've never heard the VAC...but have read a lot about it. I have heard the Aesthetix Io Eclipse and know it's one of the very best !

Congrats on your Rockports! Get ready for a massively amazing speaker!

What part of the world/USA do you live in? I assume you'll have a trained dealer help you dial em in?

What speakers do you have now? The toe in arrangement I a curious about...

jfrech May 12, 2013 23:48