The Absolute Sound - Best of Show RMAF 2015

With Skogrand SCIW Beethoven internal wiring and a system with a full loom of Skogrand Beethoven cables - ModWright 845 DS Skogrand Edition Single-Ended Triode (SET) Mono block Amplifier (circa $50,000).

The world début of the ModWright 845 DS Skogrand Edition SET 845-based mono block amplifier was nothing short of breathtaking. Surprisingly, only a single gain stage is used, a 6HV5 compaction that was designed for pulse-type voltage regulation in color TVs. This is a unique tube featuring grid-frame construction, a bonded cathode, a peak plate rating of 5500V, and enormous transconductance. The 6HV5 is coupled to the 845-output tube via a 2000V-rated oil capacitor. The rail voltage for both tubes is 1200V, which is the maximum for the 845 but not really enough to make the 6HV5 wince. Properly biased, this tube combination delivers 32 watts at low distortion, eclipsing the power delivery of conventional 845-based SET designs. I auditioned the 845 DS in the context of two systems, partnered by the Endeavor E-5and Daedalus Poseidon V2 loudspeakers. In both cases, I found it to excel in the projection of a recording’s acoustic space. It is also one of the few 845 designs that does not overwhelm an audio system with an overly liquid presentation. - Dick Olsher, The Absolute Sound.

"I don’t think I’ve ever heard better."