Hi all,
Has anyone built, listened to or comapred the new ACA Mini vs the ACA and, if so, can you please share uour thoughts on their relative differeces, strengths and weaknesses?
Many thanks!
Has anyone built, listened to or comapred the new ACA Mini vs the ACA and, if so, can you please share uour thoughts on their relative differeces, strengths and weaknesses?
Many thanks!
Yes.
They are both wonderful.
One is push-pull (mini), one is single-ended (ACA).
ACA is able to be bridged easily, and also has a simple parallel mono mode. Both of these modes make a stereo amp into a monoblock, so two amps will be required for stereo.
ACAmini has no chassis, and is significantly easier to build.
ACA has a little more power.
This is the wrong forum if you want subjective comparative opinions on sound. They both sound fantastic, they both have the Class-A magic that cannot be had without operation in Class-A, they are both wonderful projects that are a lot of fun to build and even more fun to listen to. Both will feel like they have more power than you expect, both are supremely musical, they let your favorite music move and flow in a way that you have probably never heard before. It’s incredible. Real Class-A is a thing, you’ll love either.
They are both wonderful.
One is push-pull (mini), one is single-ended (ACA).
ACA is able to be bridged easily, and also has a simple parallel mono mode. Both of these modes make a stereo amp into a monoblock, so two amps will be required for stereo.
ACAmini has no chassis, and is significantly easier to build.
ACA has a little more power.
This is the wrong forum if you want subjective comparative opinions on sound. They both sound fantastic, they both have the Class-A magic that cannot be had without operation in Class-A, they are both wonderful projects that are a lot of fun to build and even more fun to listen to. Both will feel like they have more power than you expect, both are supremely musical, they let your favorite music move and flow in a way that you have probably never heard before. It’s incredible. Real Class-A is a thing, you’ll love either.
yup, both are real game changer for those raised on regular HiFi knowledge pool
I ordered the parts for an ACA Mini and was wondering what the differences were (not physical or topological, I can read a schematic and look at a picture) but rather if one was more appealing than the other in any ways from a sonic or use case perspective.
I now have ACA mini in the main system, an ACA downstairs, my second one out on loan.
Haven’t compared them directly.
The differentail between the ACA mini and SIT-3 is not as large as one would expect.
dave
It is worth noting that 2 bridged ACA are a different amplifier than the ACA, so we have 3 amps to compare here.
dave
dave
I have completed my ACA Mini and have been listening to it for over a week. It replaced a Topping Class D in my desktop rig. The sound quality has improved dramatically. Everything sounds more realistic, detailed, natural, spacious, etc.... Very pleasant and enagaging. You would never know of this amplifier's sonic attributes from looking at its statistics. The Topping has better power, THD and IM stats. But the proof is in the listening. It must be done with magic.
Ah, I love my Amp Camp ACA 1.8 amps when configured bridged, and using the balanced input. But, I think, in stereo mode, I prefer the ACA mini over one of the ACA 1.8 amps in stereo mode. I'll confess I haven't done a direct comparison as I have utilized them in two completely different systems. And as for the Mini, I prefer the sound with the jumper off, at least when connected to the DAC and speakers in my office system. The ACA Mini replaced a Class T amp (Class D), and is much more musical and reproduces the spatial aspects of the sound stage with greater air and detail, IMHO. I still need to construct a chassis for the Mini, but operating it without a chassis hasn't seemed to hinder its ability to make sweet music!
That sounds very simialr to my own experience replacing a Class T with the Mini ACA. And I also prefer the sound with the jumper out.