Any review on Apollon Purifi 1ET9040BA DM Dual Mono Stereo Amplifier?

[JtheCrew]

Hi all,
This will be my first post on ASR.
I'm interest in Apollon 1ET9040BA DM power amp but it's kinda hard to find the review or measurment.
(https://apollonaudio.com/product/purifi-1et9040ba-dm-dual-mono-stereo-amplifier)
I saw buckeye's similiar model's here and it got really good score by measurement.
Is there anyone who can share their own experience with this Apollon model?

 

[Ruediger]

Apollon Audio complaints

I placed an order a month ago and haven’t heard back. Tried to contact the company twice with no luck. Crickets. Ordered a stereo amp with basic configuration, nothing special. Just wanted to bring this up for future buyers who are considering Apollon. Not even sure if I should just contact the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Just some experience in that thread.

 

[JtheCrew]

Apollon Audio complaints

I placed an order a month ago and haven’t heard back. Tried to contact the company twice with no luck. Crickets. Ordered a stereo amp with basic configuration, nothing special. Just wanted to bring this up for future buyers who are considering Apollon. Not even sure if I should just contact the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Just some experience in that thread.

Yeah I already read them

 

[Ursulou]

Bonjour
En effet, il est difficile de trouver des tests ou des avis sur le module Purifi Eigentakt 1ET9040BA , module qui semble prometteur au vu de l'emploi qu'en a fait Apollon .
Auudiophonics l'utilise aussi avec des avis d'utilisateurs,avis tous positifs.
Il serait intéressant de déterminer les utilisations différentes et les differents arguments techniques entre les ET7040A, ET9040 BA,ET6525SA de Purify.

 

[Ruediger]

Indeed, it is difficult to find tests or reviews of the Purifi Eigentakt 1ET9040BA module, despite the fact that it appears to be very promising, judging by its use in amplifiers from Apollon Audio. Audiophonics also uses this module, and the user reviews available there are unanimously positive.
It would be interesting to identify the differences in applications and the technical arguments behind the various Purifi modules, namely the 1ET7040A, 1ET9040BA, and 1ET6525SA. Understanding how these modules differ in terms of design, performance, power capability, efficiency, and intended use would help determine which one is best suited to different audio systems.

 

[Ursulou]

Merci.
" Le module d'amplification Purifi 1ET7040SA est parfaitement adapté et spécifiquement conçu pour piloter les impédances très basses . Contrairement à son précédent (le 1ET400A), il a été développé pour offrir une réserve de courant massif capable de stabiliser la restitution sonore même lorsque l'impédance de l'enceinte chute de manière critique."

 

[Ruediger]

You should write in english here.

If you are looking for an overview of the Purifi modules, how they evolved and what's the difference between them, you can get that info from the web. Or from the AI of your choice. Which is easy, but I don't want to post AI output here.

The 1ET9040BA is the top of the line module.

 

[Redacted]

You should write in english here.

Indeed. This is not a type of chauvinism, just practical reality. It's better for one person to pre-translate and post, rather than have 100 people having to translate just to be able to read that post. I do this when I post on other forums that are not in English, so it's fair enough.

Like it or not, on this site, English is the de-facto Lingua Franca

 

[Ursulou]

Hello. I apologize; I was using a page translator, but apparently it didn't go through.

 

[Redacted]

You're fine! And welcome.

 

[Ruediger]

Buckeye PURIFI 1ET9040BA Amp Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Buckeye Purifi 1ET9040BA (second generation?) monoblock amplifier. It was kindly drop shipped by a company and costs US $1,295. A single LED adorns the front indicating power on, protection or fault condition. Back panel has all that one would...

www.audiosciencereview.com

This one is about a mono 1ET9040BA amplifier.

A dual mono amp will be a bit different - 2 amp modules, power supply - but overall I'd consider it comparable to the mono amp. You could use that review to get an impression.

The integrators often have pictures of the internals and of course specs listed. So you can see the layout, what power supply is used, what buffer board(s) - and of course the features of the amp in terms of gain options, trigger, connectors, dimmer switches, etc.

 

[Ursulou]

Hello.
I own high-efficiency speakers (>101 dB) featuring dual 15-inch Altec drivers in 500-liter enclosures, topped with Radian 745DPB8 drivers on Grand Iwata horns and Fostex T900A tweeters; the system uses passive crossovers at 380 Hz and 7,500 Hz. The impedance may drop below 4 ohms at the 35 Hz low-frequency resonance point and at the 380 Hz crossover frequency.
I normally use a substantial Class A amplifier, rated at 46W in pure Class A.
I have tested Orchard Starkrimson Premium GaN 25 amplifiers.

 

[Ursulou]

I am using the preamplifier section of the Teac UD-701N, which outputs 12Vrms via the XLR outputs.
Testing the Orchard amplifiers impressed me in several respects:
- Absolute silence during the gaps between notes (I would describe this—perhaps clumsily—as a sign of total control: when a note ends, there is no "smearing" or lingering decay).
- Mid-to-high frequency details are precise and accurate: a triangle sounds like a triangle, and vocal sibilance is present but not excessive.
- There is good separation (air) between instruments.
However:
- The overall tonal balance lacked support in the bass region handled by the Altec drivers (35Hz to 380Hz); although well-controlled, the Altecs seemed slightly recessed compared to the higher frequencies (380Hz up to the extreme highs).
- The power output of the Orchard amps seemed lower than that of my NuPrime STA-9X—even though the NuPrime is rated at 2x130W/8Ω, a lower figure than the Orchard's rating. To achieve the same sound level, I had to set the volume higher on my Teac UD-701N; this caused the soundstage to become too tightly centered between my Iwata horns (forcing me to sit in a very precise spot to maintain the image).

 

[Ursulou]

We often hear it said that these types of high-efficiency speakers require "little power but a lot of current."
This argument was "debunked" by Amirm in a specific thread on this forum discussing the power-to-current relationship.
Yet, the fact remains that—physically speaking, with my speakers—the theoretical power delivered by the Orchard amps (with the Starkrimson gain switch set to halfway) was excessive on paper, but the actual sonic performance didn't align with that logic.

 

[Ursulou]

Amirm's technical arguments and measurements regarding the "low power but high current demand" myth seem logical.
Yet, the disparity in bass control I heard between my Class A amp (1200VA, 130,000µF) and the Orchard amps stems from a reason that eludes me.
Does the power supply of a GaN Class D amp behave differently than the powerful linear power supply of a Class A amp?
I lack the expertise to explain it, but what I heard was undeniable.
The positive aspects of the Orchard GaN amps impressed me, but not enough to make me buy them.
Moreover, customs costs and the administrative complexities between our two continents hinder trade and make purchasing tricky—especially since I didn't find the Orchard amps perfect in terms of tonal balance and bass control.
Still, if I had to choose between my three amplifiers (massive Class A, NuPrime Class AD, and GaN Class D), I could have been happy with the Orchards.
Then, the option of Purifi and their latest Eigentakt modules—the 1ET9040BA and ET6525SA—came to my attention.
I asked Purifi directly for specific information regarding the compatibility of my speakers with their products, but I haven't received a reply yet.
Digging a little deeper, I found that Apollon had started working with Orchard and their GaN technology, but ultimately chose the latest Purifi Eigentakt modules to produce what appear to be excellent premium monoblock units.
Although they differ on paper—focusing on different strengths—it is a safe bet that, in the future, excellence might well combine the advantages of GaN with those of Purifi technology, for instance.

 

[Ursulou]

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to discuss user testing—specifically testing units on actual systems and, most importantly, in real listening rooms—with Leo from Orchard and Ralph from Atmasphere.
It is worth highlighting that Leo conducted this through three global testing tours for his Starkrimson Premium GaN 25 amplifiers: in the United States, the UK, and Europe.
I took advantage of the European tour to test his units at virtually no cost—kudos to Leo!
Better than forum discussions or YouTube videos, nothing beats testing equipment in your own home.
That is how I was able to test his monoblocks for seven days (see my reviews on Steve Hoffman and DIY Audio).
Based on the testers' reports, Leo gained exceptional publicity and a significant number of orders.
In France, testing European products remains the most cost-effective option.
I asked Gemini about the compatibility of my system with Purifi Eigentakt ET9040 modules.
Audiophonics offers monoblocks based on the ET9040, paired with their dedicated 40A power supply (which is actually the supply recommended by Purifi).
While their monoblocks may not be quite as refined as Apollon's "Premium" models, they cost half as much.
I am therefore tempted to try out the Audiophonics LPA-M750ET (Purifi 1ET9040BA-based power amplifier) with my high-sensitivity speakers, using the lowest available gain setting (16.5 dB, etc.).
If you have a feeling this might work, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Ruediger]

With such high sensitivity the wish for a very low noise floor and also a low gain setting is understandable.

I don't think you have to check for compatibility with your speakers. So they dip below 4 ohm. That is no challenge for these amp modules.

Another thing that comes to mind is that as you had used class A with 46w is the fact that you don't need much power. Many people don't need nearly the power their amps can produce, but you made it fully obvious to yourself.

The 9040 as mono blocks is very nice, but also very powerful and very expensive. I'm sure it can do what you want, but is also max. overkill in terms of power. And you see the prices for yourself. On the other hand even the most cost effective module of the current lineup (6525) produces more than enough power so you can use the lowest gain option.

When chosing amps like these - stereo/mono, power, etc. aside - what also matters is usability features. Inputs, does it have the trigger options you need, case layout and design, the gain settings possible. One thing mentioned about the audiophonics amps is their front LED. Can't dim it, can't switch it off. With Apollon you get a 4-step dimmer switch. Critical feature to chose an amp? Maybe if it goes into a home cinema. Other integrators have slightly other options. One thing you should stay away from with your speakers and gain target is any kind of (non-adjustable) auto-sensing.

 

[Ursulou]

Thanks for your input.
- Aesthetics aren't a priority for me; I’d rather have a comfortable, reliable car than an elegant one that’s constantly in the shop!
- To me, an LED brightness adjustment is a useless gimmick; a simple translucent (yet opaque) sticker can easily dim the light.
- Technically, Apollon’s premium range adds a high-quality, isolated linear power supply dedicated to the op-amp, and the XLR/RCA/IEC connectors are excellent; however, the core amplification (ET9040AB) and main power supply remain identical between the Audiophonics and Apollon premium models (both offer the gain adjustment I need for my system).
- The two Audiophonics LPA-M750ET monoblocks cost under €3,000, whereas the two Apollon premium units come in at over €5,500.
- Both models feature XLR and RCA outputs—unnecessary for my all-XLR system, yet requiring extra circuitry inside the units. Simplicity would have been better: a single XLR input soldered directly to the board would have been higher quality and cheaper!
I would have preferred the RCA/XLR switch to be an optional extra rather than something I was forced to take.
- Monoblocks are the better choice for me: I prefer using longer XLR cables so I can place the amps right next to the speakers' passive crossovers, allowing me to bi-wire the bass and mid/high sections separately using short (50 cm) lengths of high-quality speaker cable.
---> The LPA-M750ET monoblocks remain the best option for me—plus, there’s a 15-day money-back guarantee: can't beat that! I’m simply asking for your opinion on the potential compatibility of the ET9040 Eigentakt (set to minimum gain) with high-sensitivity speakers (>100 dB)—though I suppose few people have that specific setup. And besides, what could be better than judging for myself—at home, on my own system, using my Teac UD-701N outputting 12 Vrms via XLR?

 

[Ruediger]

Can't compare the Lux models with audiophonics workshop models. The standard models from Apollon cost roughly the same (vat, shipping). Base price 1190 each.

Personally I'd get the standard model any day from both makers. Or maybe from one of the UK based integrators. A matter of taste.

So try it out and post your findings! I don't have such sensitive speakers, but enjoy a 1ET6525SA a lot.

 

[Ursulou]

The issue lies in customs procedures between Europe and the US, Europe and the UK, and so on.
Rules are constantly changing, ultimately hindering international transactions.
Another problem encountered is the hacking of shipping companies—involving fake requests for import tax payments, compromised customer accounts, and the like.
It is becoming impossible to trust the system!
Let’s hope government officials quickly stabilize and secure the situation; otherwise, international trade between private individuals will soon grind to a halt—unless, of course, that is the hidden agenda!