How do I start? An unabashed endorsement

[mhardyman]

This, my third Bottlehead project, has sort of taken over.  My first, the Bottlehead 300B Paramounts v1.1, are in my main line up and sing all the time.  The second, the Bottlehead Crack, sits there and just waits for me to sit still long enough to use it!  I have issues, which the length of the headphone cord sort of limits.  I am using the Sennheiser 650 set with them and couldn't be happier with the combo.  This Stereomour, completed and now thoroughly burned in, is now sitting in my dining area and is hooked up to David Duglos's Frugal Horn Mark 3's with the Fostex 126En full range drivers.  A fun build.  I am also using this as the main sound system on my older MacBook Pro via the Toslink through a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC 0.9 to supply the signal to the Stereomour.  Am currently running PureMusic on top of iTunes which is a killer combo. 

Oh my.  I keep coming back to it.  It draws me in.  The immediacy, the sense of detail and the impact all are amazing.  The Stereomour is still totally stock!  I go back to check out a track and the whole album plays through and I am left sighing...  Do you get this?  I hope so.

Many, many years ago I played in orchestras and bands and pep groups during high school.  The memory of how instruments sound in a hall is still something that will draw me into the room at any time.  The thing that still gets me is that many modern recordings are overly compressed and mixed but when you run into a recording that was minimally miked and just allowed to capture the moment, with the right equipment, you get that.

Again, kudos to Bottlehead!  It is still all about the music!

[ffivaz]

I can only concur with your opinion. I use my Stereomour with quite similar speakers : the Fostex Fe126En in back loaded horns with front mouth (Bk-12m design). The sound is so clean and punchy.

I like the design also as a near field experience, sitting about one meter in front of the speakers. It's sometimes better than with headphones, event the 650 on Crack

Fabien

[Evan]

I have been loving my Stereomour for a couple months now. I'm sure this is going to be a long term amp for me. What do you think of the Frugel Horns for more modern/digital/rock genres?

[njcanuck]

I'm in complete agreement as well. I'm running Paramours (essentially the same circuit) upgraded with Stereomour iron into Hornshoppe Horns (Fostex 126EN drivers) fed by a Grant Fidelity TubeDac-11.  The sound is absolutely sublime!  This is the rig that I keep coming back to.

OP: Have you tried the Frugal Horns with your Paramounts?  I'd be interested to know how they compare.

Great products Bottlehead!

[mhardyman]

The Paramounts hooked up to the Frugal horns is almost overkill.  Far more power than necessary.  Sound is almost identical.  Very revealing of tube changes, however.  Currently running Psvane 300B Treasures.  I have used TJ 300B/n (sublime, a really great 300B!), EH 300B (OK, but so-so), as well as Shuguang 300B-98 (good tube.  half the price of the EH and just as good)

I had to separate the Frugal horns out of the mix as placement is hyper critical.  They are currently in the dining area which is a smaller narrower space than the living area but they have corners, which is essential to have any bass.  Perfect. 

If I had to just use the Paramounts I would switch them over to 2A3 tubes as that is clearly the sweet spot for these speakers.  For near field listening I am set at 9 o'clock.  Noon for general listening when moving around.  3 o'clock is about as loud as I let it go.  It is still clear but loud enough to reach pain levels. 

[njcanuck]

mhardyman, thanks for the info.  I'm completely sold on the Hornshoppe / Fostex speakers but have been wondering if 2A3 Paramounts might better my Paramours (although it's hard to imagine how).  It would seem that I'm in the sweet spot already.

I'm using Shuguang 2A3C's which are very, very good to my ears and easily best the original Valve Arts.  For drivers, I've settled on RCA black plates. I just can't get enough of this system - it's very engaging.

[2wo]

I also have Hornshoppe speakers. I am able to drive them to good levels with my SR-45 amp. Not a lot of extra power, but just enough...John

[MWalt]

I'm in complete agreement as well. I'm running Paramours (essentially the same circuit) upgraded with Stereomour iron into Hornshoppe Horns (Fostex 126EN drivers) fed by a Grant Fidelity TubeDac-11.  The sound is absolutely sublime!  This is the rig that I keep coming back to.

OP: Have you tried the Frugal Horns with your Paramounts?  I'd be interested to know how they compare.

Great products Bottlehead!

I use Horneshoppe Great Heiled Horns with my Stereomour and love the sound! I also use an Audio Research SP16 Preamp and a Squuzebox Touch into a  Chord Chordette DAC.  I also use two subs with it to get that bottom fill. The addition of the Heil tweets really take the Hornshoppe Horns to a new level!

[johnsonad]

I'm curious what other speakers you have listened to in comparison to the Horneshoppe Great Heiled Horns?

[MWalt]

I'm curious what other speakers you have listened to in comparison to the Horneshoppe Great Heiled Horns?

From an apples to apples comparison standpoint, not many. I have only heard a few high efficiency speakers; some Omega's, a Madisound kit with Fostex drivers, a couple of huge old school Altecs and a 4Pi. Of course, I enjoyed my Hornshoppe Horns for nearly a year before I added the Heil tweets.

Over the last 10 years I have slowly transitioned from high power solid state gear and big low efficiency speakers to low power/high efficiency speakers. I have heard MANY of the top hi-fi speakers on the market from a number of manufacturers. Magnepans, Spendors, Harbeth's, Nola's, Totems, Martin Logans, etc., etc. The best of the known speakers I have liked that were efficient enough for a 2a3 SET were some Devore Orangutans, and Shindo Latour Field Coil Speakers, but they were off the chart expensive.

I have a "horses for courses" mindset. I have a small room (11x14) that lends itself well to SET and high efficiency speakers. I got very lucky when I took a chance on a pair of Hornshoppe Horns that I had never listened to before I bought them. One of the best audio decisions I have ever made. That said, I would love to try some Zu's, Tektons, Frugal Horns, and a number of others. I also would have started an open baffle project a long time ago if I had the space to get the best from them. Adding the Heils was another good decision because they improved what I already believed to be a very special speaker. I will admit though that without subs I would not be as happy with them, but I can honestly say that IMHO most speakers can benefit from the use of a sub or two or three.

[mhardyman]

I'm using Shuguang 2A3C's which are very, very good to my ears and easily best the original Valve Arts.  For drivers, I've settled on RCA black plates. I just can't get enough of this system - it's very engaging.

njcanuck, I've heard a lot of good things about the Shuguang 2A3C series so took the plunge.  Still fresh out of their boxes and not even pretending to be broken in they are very nice!  Already have an edge on the stock Sovtek 2A3 which is saying a lot as they weren't at all bad!

[njcanuck]

I'm using Shuguang 2A3C's which are very, very good to my ears and easily best the original Valve Arts.  For drivers, I've settled on RCA black plates. I just can't get enough of this system - it's very engaging.

njcanuck, I've heard a lot of good things about the Shuguang 2A3C series so took the plunge.  Still fresh out of their boxes and not even pretending to be broken in they are very nice!  Already have an edge on the stock Sovtek 2A3 which is saying a lot as they weren't at all bad!

Happy to hear that the 2A3Cs are starting off well for you. Let us know your impressions when they have settled in a bit. I like them enough that I've bought a backup set.

[mhardyman]

OP: Have you tried the Frugal Horns with your Paramounts?  I'd be interested to know how they compare.

Great products Bottlehead!

I have swapped out speakers and amps until I finally settled down and let them play.  Right now, the Paramounts using Psvane 300B Treasures are driving the Frugal Horns.  Very nice.  I can't say what is better.  Different voice.  They sound very nice, liquid and midrange is glorious, for which any 300B should be.  They were designed from the very beginning to transmit human voice over phone lines in as linear a fashion as was then possible!  The 2A3C Shuguangs in the Stereomour are now driving a pair of the Hsu HB1-Mk2 speakers as well as Hsu's VTF-2 Sub.  The Stereomour, at this point, seems to have better control over the bass as well as slightly more extended highs.  I prefer the imaging and sound stage of the Stereomour at this point.  I keep coming back to it.

I can't help but feel that I would really like to convert the Paramounts 300B to the 2A3 circuit!  So simple to do! 

Surprisingly, the Stereomour in this position is driving the main Living Room system which is hooked up to an Oppo BluRay player as well as DirecTV.  The other setup in the same room is a pair of DCM Timewindows hooked to a Bob Latino ST-70, all hooked in as well.  A true Apple/Orange comparison...  Both good but very different voicing.  The Stereomour with only 3.5 Watts per side is preferred even though it can't hope to match the 33 Watts per on the ST-70.  Everything is there.  I have no desire to turn it up since I can hear everything already!

I will fire up the ST-70 when it's warm enough to open all the windows and work outside!

[kevner21]

I too have the stereomour recently built with the frugalhorns and a oppo cdp 103. and can say this is the best ive heard female  vocals in some 40 years of listening. I want to emphasize that this is a STOCK build . you might get better binding post and RCA sockets. that's all . this KIt is a fun build and may be the most detailed amp ive ever heard. So friends give the stock build a try, you wont be sorry, it's something special!!!