Consonance Cyber-10 Integrated

[reyneman]

I actually wrote the following a couple of weeks ago, didn't post it. Will post my initial thoughts now, more later (I love being a post whatever like Thor:) )

I now have around 70 hours of listening and just want to post some initial impressions. I will do a better review later, when I’m not quite as excited over obtaining a new piece of gear. You know how you get!

First thing- how the amp matches up with my present speakers.

Kabuki and SE- a winning combo? Well, I was hoping. Frankly, I enjoy the sound of my Sansui SP-X8000 speakers, and they are quite efficient (listed at 99dB). Paired with a Kenwood 9600, and placed on concrete stands, they give a quite listenable performance. Unfortunately, paired with the Consonance, their shortcomings are exacerbated, standing forth in all their (non)glory. These speakers are obviously voiced to receive bass augmentation from the floor surface, but I prefer the sonic improvements (clarity, soundstage, image) I get from placing them on pedestals to the boosted bass on the floor. Don’t get me wrong- the lows that are there are actually quite tight, especially considering the giant sized paper woofs.

With the tube amp, the bass became positively anemic. Another problem also quickly manifested itself- the clarity of the Consonance brought forth the discontinuities and distortions in the multiple crossover points, leading to jarring reminders that this was a multiple way system. Oh, well, will try other speaks

Axiom M3Tis- I’ve found these speaks to be decent performers on the several SS amps I’ve tried them with (after around 20 hrs of break-in; they were a bit rough in the upper ranges early on). Let me say right now that, in the room I currently have the system, at the volume levels I listen to, THE CONSONANCE AMP, PAIRED WITH THE M3s, IS A REMARKABLE SOUNDING SYSTEM! Regardless of cost. When cost is factored in...

OK, the new acquisition syndrome has struck, so let me wait awhile longer to give a more thought out review. But man, the clarity of the amp, with the even response I seem to be getting from this pair of speaks, all veils removed, the music coming through! Yeah, baby!

Sorry, need to just listen right now- Faith and Diana are calling to me

[reyneman]

Part Deux- the Amp

The Cyber-10 is quite a nice little amp, nice enough that it may bring me over to the dark side- Tubies Unite!

This is now the amp I use in my office, so lower volume is the order of the day. I settled on my pair of Axiom M3Tis set up on homemade speaker stands as the best match to the amp in this environment- great synergy, as the amp seems to remove the upper bass emphasis of these speakers, making what I feel is a more linear response. I am running the amp in its ultralinear mode as these speaks don’t, IMHO, meet their 92dB sensitivity. The majority of music I play in this environment is classical (XM Pops), with Classic Rock and some Country thrown in for a change of pace.

Clarity through this system is quite good, with smooth yet detailed highs. The amp never seems overstressed, even when I’m working late and crank it up a bit when everyone else is gone and the office is closed. Another strong point is the musicality- although the amp doesn’t hide the source frailties, it always retains the essence of the performance.

An example of just how discriminating this amp is- this amp only has a single input, so I added a quite well designed passive pre just as a switching device with the volume turned the whole way up. The loss of clarity, the missing air and sparkle, was immediately apparent! I’ve used this pre on other systems and never heard the degradation.

Bottom line- this system is good enough to evaluate other components on, yet is musical enough to enjoy your less than well produced source. It doesn’t have the pure drive and volume needed for an all-arounder, but for nearfield musical enjoyment it is competitive with anything else I’ve used regardless of price.

Considering my total investment in this system, I couldn’t be happier, and cannot think of a better fit for my requirements.

[BrianB]

Hi reyneman,

Wow, what a nice review!

You've now had a good taste of what single-ended tube amps have to offer. And it sounds like you're willing to explore this realm even further. In my opinion, your next step ought to be listening to a single-ended TRIODE amp with SERIOUS output transformers, which will provide you with an even greater dose of everything you like about the Cyber-10, as well as significantly better bass extension and dynamics.

Let me know when you're ready, and I'll help you complete your journey to the "dark side"... ;)

Happy listening,
Brian

[Thatch_Ear]

I would be interested in the tube layout of the amp. Does this go from Ultralinear to Parrallel Single Ended? Or from Ultalinear to Triode strapped? I understand the power tubes are 6550s. How many are there?
The only pics I could find on the web were with a cover on, so I could not see the tubes or the size of the transformers.

[BrianB]

Hiya, Thatch!

The amp goes from ultralinear to triode strapped, and uses just one power tube per channel. And while the amp can take 6550s, reyneman's Cyber-10 came equipped with KT66s.

For more photos of the Cyber-10, please check out the following web page:

http://www.operaudio.com/Html/Opera-Products-CYBERSERIES-cyber10.htm

All of the tubes are in fact exposed, but are at the rear of the amp. When viewed head-on, you can see the tops of the output tubes sticking out over the transformer box...

Happy listening,
Brian

[Liquid3D]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead but it's still being manufactured 5-years later

I want this amp so badly but simply can't afford it and I have a pair of Cain & Cain Abbys who really deserve it. I have found they soun best with SET or rather SEP as in the in the Tecon Model 55 (http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews/tecon/55.html).

Don't know what people think of this integrated, but being away from High End so long and beginning at the "affordable" end of the price scale it's difficult. Cables do help and it's up to me to write reviews oin these "instruments" and see where that takes me.

[BrianB]

I want this amp so badly but simply can't afford it and I have a pair of Cain & Cain Abbys who really deserve it. I have found they soun best with SET or rather SEP as in the in the Tecon Model 55 (http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews/tecon/55.html).

Hiya! Please feel free to send me a PM via AudioKarma - I used to carry Consonance, have been a Cain & Cain dealer since the dawn of time (or so it seems), and am constantly looking for "affordable" SET and SEP integrateds that match these speakers both sonically and in terms of price.