reverting back to vintage hifi

Folks,i have been going through net recently,i find single drivers of vintage fame like lowther,PHP,feastex returning back with vengeance and have got rave reviews in international forums,in india we did not have any discussion,similarly tube hifi has also returned back,even a reviewer suggested me to go in for speakers like Altec 755 and PHP,does anybody suggest on this matter:

There is an company called Audire in Coimbatore that makes speakers with Fostex drivers as well as preamps, power amps and integrated amps. I have heard them once, and they sound phenomenal.

Take a look at their website welcome

Cheers

Audire makes feastrex and the team is very knowledgeble about the stuff they deal with. They'll surely help you choose what u want. Get in touch witm them.

Also Virenji from Lyrita Audio makes his speakers on the full range fostex, and he is a master craftsman from what i've heard fropm other experts around. He is a very well spoken fellow as well, and can certinly lead you to the speaker of your dreams.

Do check Kamal's review on his Amps and Speakers.

Sarang

Also check : Rethm: the full range, single driver, voice coiled loudspeakers using Lowther.

Rethm makes single Driver (LOWTHER DX 55) speakers in Horn loaded cabinate.

Rethum 'Saadhana'



Full–range unit : single lowther dx 55 driver, 6 inch, custom modified, in horn-loaded cabinet . Frequency response 75 hz. To 20khz. Efficiency 98 db/w/m.

Bass unit: dual custom made peerless bass drivers, 6 inch paper cone with cloth surrounds. Frequency response 32 hz. To 75-150 hz (variable). Efficiency 97 db/w/m, sealed isobaric system in horn-loaded cabinet. Internal wiring with single conductor flat copper cryogenically treated in loose nylon sleeves.

Choice of 4 colour combinations – southern oak with warm silver; teak with metallic grey; black wood with dark metallic grey; padok with copper-brown. All cabinets made of solid plywood finished with real wood veneers, and painted pvc. Floor standing.




Rehtm ' Maarga'



Full range unit: single custom made peerless fullrange driver, 6 inch, in horn-loaded cabinet. Frequency response 100 hz. To 20 khz. Efficiency 94 db/w/m.

Bass unit: single custom peerless bass driver, 6 inch paper cone with cloth surrounds in sealed enclosure with horn loading. Frequency response 40 hz. To 100-200 hz (variable). Efficiency 93 db/w/m. Internal wiring with single conductor flat copper cryogenically treated in loose nylon sleeves.

Choice of 4 colour combinations – southern oak with warm silver; teak with metallic grey; black wood with dark metallic grey; padok with copper-brown. All cabinets made of solid plywood finished with real wood veneers, and painted pvc.

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For Valve amplification check: Welcome to CadenceAudio WebSite

Cadence is world famous for Hybrid Electrostst speaker (these are not Singel Driver speakers) and Hybrid Valve amplifiers.


Cadence VA-1 Vlave Amplifier.



36 watts RMS @ 1kHz into 6 Ohms 9 watts RMS (Pure Class A) into 6Ohms

The smooth, natural sound of the Cadence VA 1.0 is the result of Cadence's innovative hybrid approach. The best performance characteristics of vacuum tubes are enhanced by precise solid-state monitoring, and the whole is integrated into one harmonious instrument.

The design of the VA 1.0 is completely unique. Solid state transistor circuitry drives the valves. Specially designed solid state devices also monitor and constantly bias the valves, so that they are always matched to perfection. This makes the VA 1.0 the most user friendly valve amplifier available. There is no need to match valves, any valve may be replaced without having to change the whole set. Plus, bias control is automatic. Just switch on the VA 1.0, and play.


If you have a budget then you can have :

Cadence Canasya !





A no holds barred design incorporating the legendary 845 carbon triodes, these monoblocks deliver a stunning 200 Watts RMS per channel. Recognised by critics and audiophiles alike as one of the finest tube amplifier ever made, the Canasya delivers music as it was originally played. Combined with stunning design this amplifier has taken the audio world by storm.

Cadence selected the legendary 845 Triode Valve due to the superior performance of its pure carbon anode, which is milled out of a single solid block of carbon. This valve has high reliability because of its original design considerations of being used in transmitters suitable for uninterrupted operation.

Amplification of ultimate refinement can reproduce performance that retains every nuance of musical expression. Like the Canasya monoblock system from Cadence.

Its nonpareil musicality springs from an innovative combination of the legendary 845 carbon triode vacuum tube and hi-tech solid state components.

A unique driver concept creates greater linearity for driving high power valves than ever before, and eliminates residual distortion to below audible levels.

From warm and pure class A operation up to 50 watts (where 95 percent of the music happens) to a pulse-pounding 200 watts rms per channel, the Canasya monoblocks are well qualified to live up to their Sanskrit name, which denotes delightful.

Aided by pioneering features like precision biasing, electronic aging compensation, valve life indication meters (which indicate health and status of each valve), optimum damping at low frequencies for spot-on bass performance and an uncritical 2 to 8 Ohms load of output impedance

200 W rms at 6 Ohms (First 50 W in Class A)



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Cadence AVITA Hybrid Electrostat speakers



This loudspeaker is the first of the new generation loudspeakers from the Cadence stable. Based on several technologies derived from the flagship Arca speaker, the AVITA is a highly evolved and refined loudspeaker and performs way above its class in every aspect. Transparency coupled with a wide frequency response, superb sound staging and neutrality combined with the new generation styling from Cadence makes the AVITA a speaker that cannot be outperformed. If there ever was a loudspeaker that could do every thing it is the AVITA

AVITA
Specifications:
o Two way electrostatic Hybrid
o Woofer 7 " Dynamic Kevlar/ nomex Cone System
o Mid/High Frequency Electrostatic
o Sensitivity 86 db, Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms
o Power handling 100 Watts RMS
o Weight 35 Kgs each


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Above mentioned products though Made in India , are rather expensive but are much , much better than the other brand suggested earlier in this thread.

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Text and pictures taken from resp mfg's web site. Avita picture is from
Product Review. Additional text for Canasya is from CANASYA Amplifier


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Hope this helps.

Regards

SUhas

Suhas,Thanks for your detailed information,once i had heard cadence system with a dealer in Mumbai,but i felt the sound to be rich and organic,not to my liking,so i dropped the idea

Do check out the Rethm Saadhana review on 6moons, it's long but instructive. The older Rethm range had all the virtues associated with Lowthers but did suffer from a slightly lacking low bass response. The new range supposedly takes care of this using in-built amplification in the lowest frequency range.

Thanks persiflage,i read about Rethm saadhana on 6moons ,it was very impressive,but to hear them i will have to visit prithviraj in bangalore or jacob in cochin,even Lyrita audio in delhi is making very nice products,but all of these are not available in mumbai,for auditioning,6moons have reviewed PHP single range drivers from france very nicely

I am surprised to read you didn't like the 'Rich and Organic' sound! In fact I have seen people are ready to give their right arm for any such rich and organic sounding gear! Not necessarily from Cadence, there are many other products who can deliver this!!

If you want neutral and more faithful to original sound exactly as produced by instruments and/or vocals (Is this what you intend to describe your likings?) then nothing wrong with it (Well, some describe it as Clinical too) but stay clear from Valve or even Hybrid designs. A nice well made SS amp will serve this purpose.

Did you check a Solid state monoblock from Siva of Corrson, Bangalore? Recently I heard of an audiophile (very knowledgeable) switched from Plinius 8200 to Siva's Solid State monoblocks (but he also got Siva's Valve based pre-amp though) and in the process rejected Plinius SA -102 pure Class A !!

Hope this helps.

SUhas