ATI (Amplifier Technologies) Owners Thread

[PENG]

Yes… leaning toward ordering the Ghent chassis for 2-channel and 3-channel monoblock builds. I currently just don’t have the time to try fabricating my own riser panels. (I know I can, ability wise, but spending a few days at the local Maker Space will be challenging with current work load, and a fabrication shop will charge what Ghent will cost me plus buying the remaining components from DIY Audio Store.)

Too bad I am not one of your neighbors, I have tons of time, retired haha..

 

[Danzilla31]

Quite honestly, I would bypass the ATI Amps completely and go straight for the Hypex or Purifi Amps. Even the straight Hypex Amps as available through Buckeye or VTV rate very highly in almost every metric that is valued. Some of the other companies (Nord, Apollon, etc.) use the Amp modules and SMPS still, but include a custom input buffer stage: these still measure amazingly well but cost more for the extra circuitry. I am uncertain if their is a "sound quality" associated with this added circuitry, however, the standard Class D versions from either company are known to be very clean and transparent.
The difference you get with ATI's implementation of the Hypex Modules is that they are using a linear power supply. Their Class D Amps are significantly heavier than the SMPS versions using the same modules.
Does the linear power supply in the ATI change anything? I can't tell you that.

There is this review and associated thread you can explore:

ATI Battle Class AB vs Class D Amplifier Shootout

In market for a powerful 200 WPC amp? ATI has you covered with two completely different technologies . The AT4000 class A/B and the AT522NC Class-D amplifiers both fit into the 200-watt sweet spot and both have surprisingly similar specifications. The AT500 series is 25% cheaper and up to 50%...

forums.audioholics.com

Can someone tell me what difference a linear power supply would offer over the SMPS versions?

 

[PENG]

Can someone tell me what difference a linear power supply would offer over the SMPS versions?

Have you Googled the topic yet? There are no shortage of people posting on this, but you should try zeroing on those by EEs knowledgeable in amplifier design. In general, linear PS are obviously simpler to design, less parts count and can provide more juice on transient peaks. Overall I would think SMPS are much better, even if you think Benchmark is bias.
Audio Myth - "Switching Power Supplies are Noisy" - Benchmark Media Systems

 

[Danzilla31]

Have you Googled the topic yet? There are no shortage of people posting on this, but you should try zeroing on those by EEs knowledgeable in amplifier design. In general, linear PS are obviously simpler to design, less parts count and can provide more juice on transient peaks. Overall I would think SMPS are much better, even if you think Benchmark is bias.
Audio Myth - "Switching Power Supplies are Noisy" - Benchmark Media Systems

I was feeling lazy Lol so I thought I'd just ask I didn't want to have to google anything on Turkey Day. By the way Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!!

 

[Danzilla31]

Have you Googled the topic yet? There are no shortage of people posting on this, but you should try zeroing on those by EEs knowledgeable in amplifier design. In general, linear PS are obviously simpler to design, less parts count and can provide more juice on transient peaks. Overall I would think SMPS are much better, even if you think Benchmark is bias.
Audio Myth - "Switching Power Supplies are Noisy" - Benchmark Media Systems

Okay so I did some digging if SMPS are great which it looks like they are why would a company like ATI go with linear still? What's there motivation. Just cost reducing and less parts complexity?

 

[ryanosaur]

Okay so I did some digging if SMPS are great which it looks like they are why would a company like ATI go with linear still? What's there motivation. Just cost reducing and less parts complexity?

I suspect it is more to do with serving the finicky audiophile more than anything else.

 

[Tom Cecc]

Quite honestly, I would bypass the ATI Amps completely and go straight for the Hypex or Purifi Amps. Even the straight Hypex Amps as available through Buckeye or VTV rate very highly in almost every metric that is valued. Some of the other companies (Nord, Apollon, etc.) use the Amp modules and SMPS still, but include a custom input buffer stage: these still measure amazingly well but cost more for the extra circuitry. I am uncertain if their is a "sound quality" associated with this added circuitry, however, the standard Class D versions from either company are known to be very clean and transparent.
The difference you get with ATI's implementation of the Hypex Modules is that they are using a linear power supply. Their Class D Amps are significantly heavier than the SMPS versions using the same modules.
Does the linear power supply in the ATI change anything? I can't tell you that.

There is this review and associated thread you can explore:

ATI Battle Class AB vs Class D Amplifier Shootout

In market for a powerful 200 WPC amp? ATI has you covered with two completely different technologies . The AT4000 class A/B and the AT522NC Class-D amplifiers both fit into the 200-watt sweet spot and both have surprisingly similar specifications. The AT500 series is 25% cheaper and up to 50%...

forums.audioholics.com

Well, you've got me sold on a class D amp, but in the little reading I've done, there seems to be a lot more data that I can comprehend.
I've checked out Nord and Apollon and I can see your point about the custom input buffer. I've read a lot of good things abut Buckeye but I'm leaning more toward an established company for warranty, etc. VTV so far looks good and they're in the US.
There's just a lot more options involved and I'm just trying to figure out the differences and what I really need. It's not as easy as the choices I had for amps 15 years ago. The good thing is that the ATI amp I wanted can't be built until at least January so it gives me more time to research .
Thanks again

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well, you've got me sold on a class D amp, but in the little reading I've done, there seems to be a lot more data that I can comprehend.
I've checked out Nord and Apollon and I can see your point about the custom input buffer. I've read a lot of good things abut Buckeye but I'm leaning more toward an established company for warranty, etc. VTV so far looks good and they're in the US.
There's just a lot more options involved and I'm just trying to figure out the differences and what I really need. It's not as easy as the choices I had for amps 15 years ago. The good thing is that the ATI amp I wanted can't be built until at least January so it gives me more time to research .
Thanks again

It seems no matter what you buy, it comes down to the usual factors- warranty (7YR), brand name, reliability, customer support, cost, aesthetics, etc.

What are the warranty and prices of the other amps you’ve researched compared to ATI?

 

[PENG]

Okay so I did some digging if SMPS are great which it looks like they are why would a company like ATI go with linear still? What's there motivation. Just cost reducing and less parts complexity?

If I were ATI, I would find it tough to decide on which one to use going forward. If they know SMPS is better overall, should they plan on "switching" over across the line eventually and if not, why not? They clearly can afford the resource they need to do whichever way they want, but...

It would seem that from marketing stand point they may feel the need to continue to go half way in the beginning for a while, test the market and then decide on switching to SMPS in their next step. NAD seems to be on their way to do just that, European manufacturers such as Bel Canto and Lyngdorf may already be doing it.

 

[Tom Cecc]

It seems no matter what you buy, it comes down to the usual factors- warranty (7YR), brand name, reliability, customer support, cost, aesthetics, etc.

What are the warranty and prices of the other amps you’ve researched compared to ATI?

The ATI has them all beat on warranty with the others at only 2 years. For price, it depends on the options for the others, which I’m still trying to figure out which fit my wants/needs. Unfortunately I don’t have the expertise to know the differences in options. However, even with a stock buffer in the VTV Purifi amp, the price of the ATI is still more than double. If I go with VTV’s most expensive buffer, it’s still a couple hundred cheaper.
I’d like to stay with a more well known company and ATI definitely fits that bill. They have a lot more history in this area. Though even my almost 20 year old amps came from a small internet company called Odyssey. They have a 20 year warranty which luckily I never needed to use.

 

[ryanosaur]

Assuming ATI-Monolith partnership will continue in the new Class-D Monolith Amps I’ve heard about…
It will be very interesting to see how they build these. I would expect these to be straight Hypex: Amp Modules and SMPS.
Ease of assembly and implementation would outstrip that required for linear supply requiring a transformer and what not.
Cost of shipping alone, from a <50# unit to a 20# unit will save tremendously.

Longevity will be an interesting wild card. Considering heat is the #1 killer of electronics I would give the edge to the more efficient design where the generation of heat is minimized.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The ATI has them all beat on warranty with the others at only 2 years. For price, it depends on the options for the others, which I’m still trying to figure out which fit my wants/needs. Unfortunately I don’t have the expertise to know the differences in options. However, even with a stock buffer in the VTV Purifi amp, the price of the ATI is still more than double. If I go with VTV’s most expensive buffer, it’s still a couple hundred cheaper.
I’d like to stay with a more well known company and ATI definitely fits that bill. They have a lot more history in this area. Though even my almost 20 year old amps came from a small internet company called Odyssey. They have a 20 year warranty which luckily I never needed to use.

I have not heard about Odyssey Audio amps.

It looks like Odyssey Audio has a 20YR PARTS-ONLY warranty, but the labor is only 2 years.

ATI is 7YR parts and labor warranty.

Bryston is 20YR parts and labor for only their ANALOG amps.

Definitely talk to your dealer to see if they have any kind of specials going on.

 

[ryanosaur]

A little questing showed a discussion from late October on ASR: the Monolith Amps look to be based on the NC502s.
The 502 Modules are fully self contained (including their own SMPS) for stereo amplification x2 channels per module; 350w per channel, 8ohms / 500w per ch 4 ohms / 450w per ch 2 ohms. It would appear each module can be bridged (1200w @ 4ohm, 1000w @2 ohm).
It seems that Monolith is targeting early release of higher channel count Amps, first, with lower channel count Amps following a bit down the road.

It will be interesting to see how Monolith implements these... And still curious if ATI was involved, or if Hobie and Company at Monolith are doing this on their own.
Considering what the pricing is from Buckeye, it is clear these don't need to be priced in the stratosphere, however the ASR article seemed to indicate some likely pricing with an 8-channel 502 based amp being up around 3K. (Buckeye has a 6-ch implementation at $1650 according to one poster.).

 

[Tom Cecc]

I have not heard about Odyssey Audio amps.

It looks like Odyssey Audio has a 20YR PARTS-ONLY warranty, but the labor is only 2 years.

ATI is 7YR parts and labor warranty.

Bryston is 20YR parts and labor for only their ANALOG amps.

Definitely talk to your dealer to see if they have any kind of specials going on.

My dealer had a sale on the ATI and I was set on the 543nc but it's not available until after January.

Odyssey is a small company that used to have a strong following. I had four of them. Big and run hot. Looking forward to something smaller and more efficient.

 

[Movie2099]

I have not heard about Odyssey Audio amps.

It looks like Odyssey Audio has a 20YR PARTS-ONLY warranty, but the labor is only 2 years.

ATI is 7YR parts and labor warranty.

Bryston is 20YR parts and labor for only their ANALOG amps.

Definitely talk to your dealer to see if they have any kind of specials going on.

I heard ATI dealers were offering 50% off and adding 10 years to the warranty? Today only.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I heard ATI dealers were offering 50% off and adding 10 years to the warranty? Today only.

Pretty close.

 

[Tom Cecc]

I heard ATI dealers were offering 50% off and adding 10 years to the warranty? Today only.

I wish

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Update on the ATI ATP-16 Processor, since @flyboylr45 asked me.

The ATP-16 was originally based on the platform of the updated DataSat LS10 (Analog Devices SHARC DSP engines).

However, with HDMI 2.1 and other things, the ATP-16 is no longer based on the LS10.

ATI is now moving to a newer platform for the ATP-16, which is based on the Theta Digital Processors (based on Texas Instrument DSP engines).

So this is another reason for the delay.

So if you already own the Denon X8500 with it's 0.0007% THD+N, you'll have to wait and put up with it a bit longer.

 

[flyboylr45]

Update on the ATI ATP-16 Processor, since @flyboylr45 asked me.

The ATP-16 was originally based on the platform of the updated DataSat LS10 (Analog Devices SHARC DSP engines).

However, with HDMI 2.1 and other things, the ATP-16 is no longer based on the LS10.

ATI is now moving to a newer platform for the ATP-16, which is based on the Theta Digital Processors (based on Texas Instrument DSP engines).

So this is another reason for the delay.

So if you already own the Denon X8500 with it's 0.0007% THD+N, you'll have to wait and put up with it a bit longer.

Thanks!!!!! I think I can wait a bit....

 

[Movie2099]

Update on the ATI ATP-16 Processor, since @flyboylr45 asked me.

The ATP-16 was originally based on the platform of the updated DataSat LS10 (Analog Devices SHARC DSP engines).

However, with HDMI 2.1 and other things, the ATP-16 is no longer based on the LS10.

ATI is now moving to a newer platform for the ATP-16, which is based on the Theta Digital Processors (based on Texas Instrument DSP engines).

So this is another reason for the delay.

So if you already own the Denon X8500 with it's 0.0007% THD+N, you'll have to wait and put up with it a bit longer.

Does ATI own Theta Digital? So, if they're doing that for the ATP-16, I can only imagine what they're doing with the DataSat line of processors! I hope ATI comes out swinging with these processors.