Cymbol CP3 power amp

E

Effem

Guest
If you want long florid descriptions of this amp's capabilities you have dipped out.

If you are expecting me to heappraises on just how good this amp sounds then again I'm going to have to disappoint you because all the ones I thought of have been used before, not least of all in virtual technicolor by the journos and they have worn rather thin, therefore almost meaningless.

Instead, I am going to list in great detail everything I can find wrong with this amp in terms of build quality, list price brand new, it's sonic abilities and how it stacks up IMHO to the competition.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . .

The power switch is on the 'wrong' side.

Review complete.

If by any chance you stumble across one of these beauties then sell your soul, your conjugal rights, anything you can, to give this amp a rightful deserved place in a quality system. Rated at 60 watts it's a very deceptive rating because it hangs in there better than two other power amps rated at 125 (digital classA)and 200 watts.

Yes the power meters are about as much use as a chocolate teapot and the power switch ought to be on the left, but if that's all that I can find 'wrong' with it then that's veryhigh praise indeed from me. Makes beautiful music.

 
E

Effem

Guest
Biscuit wrote:

nice review
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you start distributing PS Audio, and promptly change power amplifier
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The PS Audiois still there, albeit poorly on one channel
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Just goes to show that there are some real crackers out there without a "designer label" attached if you are prepared to take a flyer
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Biscuit

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
6,475
8
0
Cambs, , United King
its certainly got the 'bling' styling - and funky power meters are always a plus in my book. It must have borrowed some Naim watts though
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glad things are coming together with the Skibos and now the new power
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G

Guest

Guest
is that a cerpet i can see in that reflection? have been round daves house by any chance?

how much is the amp effem? looks wonderful.

 
E

Effem

Guest
My carpet is nice and tasteful, left by previous owners of house
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I bought the Cymbol secondhand and it was worth every penny. The only dealer I know of that sells them is Restek and I think the new price is around £850.00

http://www.restek.co.uk/amplifiers.htm

You can also daisy chain more than one with the pass through RCA input, so I would imagine 2doubled up sound pretty awesome

 
E

earl of sodbury

Guest
Presumably class A/B transistor?

Let's have some topless shots :bounce:

Looks Very schweet - talks to my inner magpie - but is the misplaced power switch gold-plated? :puke:Or is that just a reflection of something else?

£850???
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If that was some Yank behemoth you'd be adding an extra "0" on the end!

can't seem to find a website for them - good to see British Hifi companies are as keen as ever to fade into obscurity...
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Anyway - congratulations on your purchase, and Enjoy!

churz, eofs

 

kennyk

Well-Known Wammer
Wammer
Aug 8, 2005
4,826
0
0
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
prime candidate for some "reflectoporn" too :minikiev:

 
E

Effem

Guest
The power knob is indeed gold plated.

Busy at the moment so I'll do some topless pictures later.

I couldn't say if it was class A or whatever it is as information on the web is very sparse. The Cymbol website is 'parked' when you do a search on it and didn't get a manual with it either. I have emailed Restek and waiting for a reply.

What I can tell you is this; never heard an amp with a noise floor lower than this and the sound is pure etched refinement all the way, reminiscent of a good 300b valve amp with none of the drawbacks that you get with toobs. Imaging is devastating, with plenty of front to back placement of all the instruments.

First amp I've owned that I haven't said anything negative about apart from the power switch position. Oh what atragedy
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Boxer

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 2, 2005
8,574
13
0
I thought Cymbol had gone out of business a few years back. Or was I wrong? Seem to remember they started up around `95 or `96; guy used to design Onix I think.

Borrowed their integrated from a dealer for a while (c£450 in `96) and it was absolutely f...ing brilliant - would've bought it if personal finances hadn't gone pear-shaped...', 'images/emoticons/cry_smile.gif')'>
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Hope you enjoy it as much as I did the integrated.

Boxer.

 
E

Effem

Guest
Skibos sound truly awesome now.

Today I tried a carbon fibre interconnect between pre/power and the fine detail and clarity is stunning to say the least.

 
E

Effem

Guest
Got a reply from Tony at Restek.

Matching pre-amp is £949.00 and the CD player is £1.400 with a "discount" if paying by cheque.

If the pre sounds as good as the power amp then it'stime to save the pennies
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He may also be the guy to speak to for secondhand tony@restek.co.uk

 
E

earl of sodbury

Guest
Effem wrote:

Skibos sound truly awesome now.Today I tried a carbon fibre interconnect between pre/power and the fine detail and clarity is stunning to say the least.
I have one of those same carbon fibre interconnects - as you're using itbetween pre-power, may I suggest you wrap it in a few layers of aluminium sheet (AKA Bacofoil),solder-on an earth drain wire, and finish with heat-shrink. Did just that with mine, andthe proper screening really does make a worthwhile difference. Apologies for the egg-sucking lesson...
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churz, eofs

 
E

Effem

Guest
I agree Paul the only downside with the VDH First is the low level hum I'm picking up, which is really annoying, even more so when I've got a power amp that is otherwise so silent!
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Luckily it's not being amplified so as you say a drop of shielding wouldn't go amiss. Gobind has traded up to the metal screened version and he hasn't spoken since abouthum, so if anyone is considering buying pure carbon cables then make sure they areadequately screened or routed well away from power cables.

 
E

Effem

Guest
Finally get my system sounding respectable and the pre-amp has died on me now
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:grrr:
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:grrr:
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:grrr:
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:grrr:
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:grrr:
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:grrr:

Frightened the living crap out of me earlier today when I powered up as normal and the sound that came out the speakers was loud and terrifying to say the least. Sounded almost like the ouput stage of the power amp had gone for the chop but turned out the pre amp is the culprit.

Nicked my Myryad pre back off Maxine's systemtemporarily but it sounds woolly and flabby compared to the Parasound
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F*CK, SH*T, B*LL*CKS, ARSEH*LES, ETC,as this could take a while to sort out

 

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