Awesome video. I'm thinking of getting the tube buffer from Modwright. Think it would add some to my system. For the ease of getting tubes in and out (rolling), I find 'tube savers,' or adapters, really help. You can get some that are made with porcelain/ceramic and they essentially raise the tube, making it easier to change. Another benefit is that it puts less strain on the board over time as you tube roll.
Solid video and review of the LS 99. I recently moved from the Modwright LS 100 to the LS 99. Agree with your commentary and what this preamp brings to the overall system. I also have the Modwright PH 9 phono preamp but am using the First Watt F8 as the amp. Dan and Modwright are first class and a delight to do business with!
Wow 6 months already! Sounds like it really works well with your system. Would love it if you got something from Rogue Audio at some point. Their RH-5 headamp is very unique in both build and sound.
Looking forward to hearing about the KWA99 review. I have the PH 9.0 XT ordered. Moving on for an E Glo S I have owned for 5 years. I have tube power amps and I have an interest to try SS. The test of time is being good to ModWright. This means a lot to me.
I had the EAT E-Glo Petit for a brief stint, not sure how it compares with the S. It sounded good but never really moved me. The PH9.0XT is fantastic to my ears. I've long been living in the power tube camp with lots of SET and push pull variants. The KWA 99 is the first (of many) SS power amps I've wanted to live with long term.
I have PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamp and two EVO 400 powers in mono of course so I’m also into to tube world. That’s why I want to hear your take on the KWA99. I have chatted with Dan and I like what I’m hearing and reading about these amps. I’m serious about my setup. I’m listening to Sopra 3’s which have sub support from two 212SX REL subs. It really sounds good. I also do digital through a Jays Audio CDT into a Denafrips Terminator DAC plus I have streaming through a Soundaware D300 with Roon connection. I like my tunes.
@@SineCraftAudio I really appreciate the review and I am so pleased to hear that you are enjoying your all ModWright system. I look forward to further reviews.
Lots of unanswered questions. Price is $6500😮 No look inside? Coupling capacitors? Volume control architecture? For 9x less I'm playing with a Musical Paradise MP 701mk2. It actually allows for "modding" with a plethora of rectifier&signal tube choices: 1. 6.3V filament rectifier tubes: 6Z5P, 6X5. 2. 5V filament rectifier tubes: 5R4, 5U4G, 5AR4, GZ33, GZ34, 274B, 5Y3, 5Z3P. 3. 6.3V signal tubes: 6N11, 6N1P, E88CC, E188CC, CCA, 6922, 6H23, 6H6, 6H30, 6CG7, (6SN7 with 6SN7 to 6922 adapter). 4. 12.6V signal tubes: 12AU7, 12BH7, E80CC, (12SN7 with 6SN7 to 6922 adapter). Coupling capacitors can easily be rolled , as can bypass caps... Coincidentally, I've settled on big 5u4g rectifier, a Sylvania 6sn7 and two Jan Phillips 6922 for now with 2.2uf V-cap coupling capacitors (or Mundorf SGO EVO supremes) and HVL bypass caps.....For now😅 A different preamp every month for $1k?😮 Ok, so it's not balanced. I added a DENAFRIPS Hestia12th for that luxury, which leaves $4k to spend on the rest of the system and room treatments. Sold to the Budget Audiophile tweaker in the front row! 🎵🎶😊👌🎶🎵
$6500? That's insane! I don't spend that much for an ENTIRE system, let alone for a single item. That's trolling people. They can stick THAT where the sun don't shine.
No coupling caps, transformer coupled in and out with Lundahl transformers. Outputs are gapped, so no coupling caps needed. Good transformers are expensive as is American labor. All of our products are hand made in my shop in WA state. I won't apologize for the price of our products. There are less expensive products available. Let your ears be your guide. Thx.
Adding warmth or spaciousness...............hahahaha........truth is inverting facts when in reality some newer audiophile high end technologies loose warmth and spaciousness..........Marketting and audiophile beliefs are stronger than facts........ Balanced inputs/outputs ...OK............what about the circuit SE or symmetrical ? No two active devices are perfectly identical........the circuit may be silent but it will always eat away or change some finite ( or more) parts of the signal.. Pro use justified and still does use balanced connections ( for good reasons)............inside the circuit was SE for a reason ... Tube circuits well designed ( and using quality valves ) are very silent......tubes are more linear ( less distortion ) than SS , they are subject to thermal induced modulation and thermal distortion........there are too many bad tube designs today made by people who don't have the knowledge of the past....but think they can do better than the older school engineers. We saw what happened when the new gen engineers designed and modified the Boeing MAX...when computers are in control instead of the experience of the elderly... Hopefully MR got it right with then new pre this time ........bringing musoic alive instead of audiophile clean and lean nu impressive audiophile performance but far away from natural sound and music.............looking at the details of a flower but not seeing the beauty of the composition of the bouquet . Nice rectifier ..........but what tubes do you use ......or did you change to nos ? Presume the volume pot is propably a motorized ALPS......( standard in most preamps/amplifiers ), there are better pots but they are not motorized . I don't see a switch to protect and extend the lifetime of precious ( nos) tubes but that is neglected in most gear, pity for the tubes ......the warm up timelaps in some amps does not protect the tubes , only delays the switching of in/outputs .... Have a nice day
Hi and thanks for your comments. You are not wrong about audio marketing or new tube designs. All of our balanced tube products are transformer coupled, SE designs. This is a more costly but better design approach in my opinion. You are right, fully symmetrical designs require very close part matching and in my opinion, are not ideal. Tonally, I prefer the right balance of accuracy and tonal body/warmth. Too much warmth detracts from resolution, too much resolution can leave the sound bleached and uninspiring. I design for low noise, low distortion and wide bandwidth. From there, it is determined by ear and test. Understood about protection circuits, standby and warmup, for power tubes. For driver tubes, I design well within the design parameters of the tube and adhere to all methods required to not shorten tube life. Thanks.
Awesome video. I'm thinking of getting the tube buffer from Modwright. Think it would add some to my system. For the ease of getting tubes in and out (rolling), I find 'tube savers,' or adapters, really help. You can get some that are made with porcelain/ceramic and they essentially raise the tube, making it easier to change. Another benefit is that it puts less strain on the board over time as you tube roll.
Great tip, thanks!
Solid video and review of the LS 99. I recently moved from the Modwright LS 100 to the LS 99. Agree with your commentary and what this preamp brings to the overall system. I also have the Modwright PH 9 phono preamp but am using the First Watt F8 as the amp. Dan and Modwright are first class and a delight to do business with!
Heck yeah. First Watt gear is pretty killer and I feel shares some common design ethos with Modwright.
Thank you for that!
Wow 6 months already! Sounds like it really works well with your system. Would love it if you got something from Rogue Audio at some point. Their RH-5 headamp is very unique in both build and sound.
Looking forward to hearing about the KWA99 review. I have the PH 9.0 XT ordered. Moving on for an E Glo S I have owned for 5 years. I have tube power amps and I have an interest to try SS. The test of time is being good to ModWright. This means a lot to me.
I had the EAT E-Glo Petit for a brief stint, not sure how it compares with the S. It sounded good but never really moved me. The PH9.0XT is fantastic to my ears. I've long been living in the power tube camp with lots of SET and push pull variants. The KWA 99 is the first (of many) SS power amps I've wanted to live with long term.
I have PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamp and two EVO 400 powers in mono of course so I’m also into to tube world. That’s why I want to hear your take on the KWA99. I have chatted with Dan and I like what I’m hearing and reading about these amps. I’m serious about my setup. I’m listening to Sopra 3’s which have sub support from two 212SX REL subs. It really sounds good. I also do digital through a Jays Audio CDT into a Denafrips Terminator DAC plus I have streaming through a Soundaware D300 with Roon connection. I like my tunes.
@@SineCraftAudio I really appreciate the review and I am so pleased to hear that you are enjoying your all ModWright system. I look forward to further reviews.
Curious what rectifier that is and what tubes are stock with the unit? Any suggestion on changes to the stock tubes from Dan Wright? Thanks folks.
My ADHD didn't wait for the end of the video... lol. Thanks for the info on your tubes but I'm still curious if @DanWright-oy8fc has any suggestions.
Lots of unanswered questions.
Price is $6500😮
No look inside?
Coupling capacitors?
Volume control architecture?
For 9x less I'm playing with a Musical Paradise MP 701mk2.
It actually allows for "modding" with a plethora of rectifier&signal tube choices:
1. 6.3V filament rectifier tubes: 6Z5P, 6X5.
2. 5V filament rectifier tubes: 5R4, 5U4G, 5AR4, GZ33, GZ34, 274B, 5Y3, 5Z3P.
3. 6.3V signal tubes: 6N11, 6N1P, E88CC, E188CC, CCA, 6922, 6H23, 6H6, 6H30, 6CG7, (6SN7 with 6SN7 to 6922 adapter).
4. 12.6V signal tubes: 12AU7, 12BH7, E80CC, (12SN7 with 6SN7 to 6922 adapter).
Coupling capacitors can easily be rolled , as can bypass caps...
Coincidentally, I've settled on big 5u4g rectifier, a Sylvania 6sn7 and two Jan Phillips 6922 for now with 2.2uf V-cap coupling capacitors (or Mundorf SGO EVO supremes) and HVL bypass caps.....For now😅
A different preamp every month for $1k?😮
Ok, so it's not balanced.
I added a DENAFRIPS Hestia12th for that luxury, which leaves $4k to spend on the rest of the system and room treatments.
Sold to the Budget Audiophile tweaker in the front row!
🎵🎶😊👌🎶🎵
$6500? That's insane! I don't spend that much for an ENTIRE system, let alone for a single item. That's trolling people. They can stick THAT where the sun don't shine.
No coupling caps, transformer coupled in and out with Lundahl transformers. Outputs are gapped, so no coupling caps needed. Good transformers are expensive as is American labor. All of our products are hand made in my shop in WA state. I won't apologize for the price of our products. There are less expensive products available. Let your ears be your guide. Thx.
@@DanWright-oy8fc
Thanks for the detailed reply.
Obviously a statement piece:-)
Adding warmth or spaciousness...............hahahaha........truth is inverting facts when in reality some newer audiophile high end technologies loose warmth and spaciousness..........Marketting and audiophile beliefs are stronger than facts........
Balanced inputs/outputs ...OK............what about the circuit SE or symmetrical ?
No two active devices are perfectly identical........the circuit may be silent but it will always eat away or change some finite ( or more) parts of the signal..
Pro use justified and still does use balanced connections ( for good reasons)............inside the circuit was SE for a reason ...
Tube circuits well designed ( and using quality valves ) are very silent......tubes are more linear ( less distortion ) than SS , they are subject to thermal induced modulation and thermal distortion........there are too many bad tube designs today made by people who don't have the knowledge of the past....but think they can do better than the older school engineers.
We saw what happened when the new gen engineers designed and modified the Boeing MAX...when computers are in control instead of the experience of the elderly...
Hopefully MR got it right with then new pre this time ........bringing musoic alive instead of audiophile clean and lean nu impressive audiophile performance but far away from natural sound and music.............looking at the details of a flower but not seeing the beauty of the composition of the bouquet .
Nice rectifier ..........but what tubes do you use ......or did you change to nos ?
Presume the volume pot is propably a motorized ALPS......( standard in most preamps/amplifiers ), there are better pots but they are not motorized .
I don't see a switch to protect and extend the lifetime of precious ( nos) tubes but that is neglected in most gear, pity for the tubes ......the warm up timelaps in some amps does not protect the tubes , only delays the switching of in/outputs ....
Have a nice day
Hi and thanks for your comments. You are not wrong about audio marketing or new tube designs. All of our balanced tube products are transformer coupled, SE designs. This is a more costly but better design approach in my opinion. You are right, fully symmetrical designs require very close part matching and in my opinion, are not ideal. Tonally, I prefer the right balance of accuracy and tonal body/warmth. Too much warmth detracts from resolution, too much resolution can leave the sound bleached and uninspiring. I design for low noise, low distortion and wide bandwidth. From there, it is determined by ear and test. Understood about protection circuits, standby and warmup, for power tubes. For driver tubes, I design well within the design parameters of the tube and adhere to all methods required to not shorten tube life. Thanks.