Dan D’Agostino ... What the world needs now is a $250,000 power amplifier ...

[garbulky]

When Emotiva released their XPR-1 amps they had trouble figuring out its max capabilities. They to order special large resistor banks to do their tests. Audioholics was getting 2.86 kilowatt output of burst power @ 4 ohms (and 2.2 kw @ 4 ohms sweep) but they had trouble maintaining the voltage even with their variac. I think these amps sold for $1k or $2k.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I had a Krell preamp KSP7B iirc, driving a DAX crossover which fed 2 Krell KSA 200b amps with one channel for mid/treble and the other for bass of a pair of Apogee Diva speakers.
Effortlessly loud without sounding it and it seemed to me to be beautifully engineered with a relatively modest casing.
I changed because in my current room the speakers blocked out all the light
The saving in electricity was noticeable though.

 

[graz_lag]

What kind of USB cable comes with it?

This :

 

[Sal1950]

This :

View attachment 19305

WOW, that's some impressive schitt!

 

[amadeuswus]

Hi-fi News & Record Review measurements are here:

https://www.hifinews.com/content/dagostino-relentless-mono-power-amplifier
From the measurements page: "D'Agostino quotes 1.5kW/8ohm doubling to 3kW/4ohm and 6kW/2ohm although we obtained a slightly higher 1.605kW/8ohm and a slightly lower 2.73kW/4ohm. Not that 2.7kW can realistically be described as 'low' for, under dynamic conditions, the Relentless's massive power supply serves up 1.74kW, 3.35kW, 6.36kW and 11.325kW into 8, 4, 2 and 1ohm loads, respectively, the latter equivalent to 106.4A for 10msec at <1% THD."

 

[Wes]

can you use it as an arc welder?

 

[Jimbob54]

Roughly same price as Boulder's top of the line monoblocks, among others. Too rich for me. Are they sensual?

I pity the fool that tries to sex these up.

Let's get it owwwwwwwchhhh

 

[Blumlein 88]

can you use it as an arc welder?

Yes.

But why? Arc welders are relatively inexpensive.

 

[Sal1950]

That sucker is the stuff machinist's wet dreams are made of.
If I ever hit the big lotto, an easy order for a dozen to power my new multich rig would be one of my first new toys.
Going to need a big upgrade to my cooling system to keep things comfortable here in FL. (And my incoming power line)

 

[solderdude]

Amir needs a new dummy load when he is sent this $2M+ (Multichannel) amp for evaluation.
Of course you can always buy the smaller and more affordable version for your home entertainment system

 

[Ilkless]

https://www.hifinews.com/content/dagostino-relentless-mono-power-amplifier

It got measured by Paul Miller there.

In use you'll regularly see that needle flicking up beyond 300W, but this is 'fake news' – the meters are made to move all the time so that 'users are confident something is going on', admitted Dan, 'fun to look at, but please don't take the numbers too seriously'.

Decorative By Design
Why? Simply put, the early Momentum amplifiers had accurate meters and, with typical real-world outputs being just a few watts for much of the time, the needles were barely moving. I think D'Agostino just got fed up with customers complaining that their amplifiers were faulty! I tested the meter calibration here and can report that with just 1W/8ohm at the output the scale reads 400W, while 20W/8ohm is indicated as a full 1kW. During the real power tests, those needles were slammed into their end stops and all but bending under the strain.

Talk about integrity...

 

[Tks]

https://www.hifinews.com/content/dagostino-relentless-mono-power-amplifier

It got measured by Paul Miller there.



Talk about integrity...

Big yikes

 

[mansr]

The meters should have used a log scale instead.

 

[direstraitsfan98]

1mW ,10mW, .1W, 1W, 100W, 1kW, 10kW would have made a lot more sense yeah. that's really a shame and a huge waste of a display for owners of the amp.

"Why? Simply put, the early Momentum amplifiers had accurate meters and, with typical real-world outputs being just a few watts for much of the time, the needles were barely moving. I think D'Agostino just got fed up with customers complaining that their amplifiers were faulty! "

 

[Habu]

Of course you can always buy the smaller and more affordable version for your home entertainment system

Regarding solderdude link, the relentless amplifier is the model for the kid's room !
The DarkBlock is for the dedicated room. (Darth Vader main setup in the Death Star)

https://www.onlycreative.it/products/darkblock-24000

DarkBlock

Futuristic and absolutely Extreme Performance Amplifier

awe-inspiring 24.000watt! exactly as you would imagine!

DarkBlock


Having at disposal and operating this device, it may be an absolutely thrilling experience: it “comes to life“ opens and his shape that changes completely, foresees the Power of its Performance
It is not only a technical and functional tool, but a work of art that fascinates and involves in its articulation.

Reveals the black side of the Power
It is undoubtedly a new and fantastic combination of sophisticated technology and artistic avant-garde that has never before been applied in the field of high-end audio devices. Having this operating device is a thrilling experience. It is not only a technical and functional tool, but a work of art that fascinates. It is fascinating and indescribable which means, instead, it must be experienced.

The external structure is made of aircraft aluminum and the openings or connections are not visible from the outside, and if he or it is switched on, we feel the dark side of the its Power, which you just have to experience personally. When turned off, it is an impressive black 12-sides prism (WHD) 1.25 x 1 x 1.25 m (49.2" x 39.4" x 49.2"), 800 kg (1.764 lb), but its structure changes completely once the device is turned on 1.85 x 1.3 x 1.85 m (72.8" x 51.2" x 72.8"). It is divided into four distinct sections to reveal all the electronics at a glance. Suddenly you have the impression that you are looking into the technology space!

This unquestionably gorgeous state of the Art Amp features: power input 230/400V 50/60 Hz 120 Amp(400V), 3 x 16 kW triple-insulated toroidal transformers, 8 ceramic diodes 1600V/400A, 54 Kendeil aluminium electrolytic capacitors 6800uf 160 Volt, 528 high current bipolar transistors, 12 analog (RCA/XLR) inputs and six digital, 12 output channels, and 96 speakON connections. It's capable of producing an awe-inspiring 24.000 watt rms at 8 ohm class A/B, distortion: THD+N 0.002%, frequency response: 20 – 30.000 Hz - S/N: > 115 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz A-Weighted 8 ohm) - Input sensitivity: 11 dBu / gain 30 dB. (the specs show output configurations of 6 x 4.000W rms or 12 x 2.000W rms). The sound really must be experienced in person. However, it is quite easy to imagine how the "DarkBlock" sounds before being able to audition it: one look at the amplifier is all it takes "Purity and Power" exactly as you would imagine. The "DarkBlock" is monstrous in all respects: it’s massively sized, heroically engineered, but it flies with powerful yet delicate wings – it conquers any, and I mean any, speaker load, and with transducers of equivalent stature it can convey profound sonic beauty. Available in 3 different versions (DarkBlock 12.000), both in terms of size and performance, assembled to order and five years warranty against failures arising through faulty workmanship and materials

https://www.onlycreative.it/images/pdf/DarkBlock.pdf

 

[Archsam]

Personally I think if you can afford this and the associate components to build an endgame of all endgame system, won't you build a new extension to your house for it? You can design the proper power supply / room proportion / room acoustic specifically for the system you are building.

Full disclosure - I'm an Architect

 

[mansr]

Personally I think if you can afford this and the associate components to build an endgame of all endgame system, won't you build a new extension to your house for it? You can design the proper power supply / room proportion / room acoustic specifically for the system you are building.

Full disclosure - I'm an Architect

Extension, bah! Real audiophiles commission a custom planet from Slartibartfast.

 

[Archsam]

Extension, bah! Real audiophiles commission a custom planet from Slartibartfast.

Please give me a call when you hit the jackpot and wanted that planet build, I'll be at your service

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

About this DarkBlock...
Has anyone seen or heard one? It seems to me like vaporware. I imagine there are plenty of people able to afford it or get it to be made... but has one model ever been built ? Not a display, a real working model?
On this audiophile wannabee thing. I heard a story while I was in Miami, of a very famous and very tall basketball player who had a custom over $100K pair of monoblocks tube amplifiers made for a room. He wanted to entertain. thus that amp was to drive some disco custom-made speakers.. The amp died quickly when asked to play as loud as this basketball player, who could destroy backboard, asked it to ... It was replaced mercifully by a stack of LabGrupen FP 14000 ( 2 x 7000 watt @ 2 ohms) amplifiers which were then able to reliably drive the disco/PA speakers louder than, the very tall, very big, basketball player and his guests could bear... Later a lucky soul bought that custom expensive >100K tube amplifier for a couple of thousand of dollars ,when the wife of the very tall basket player decided that it was better to be his ex-wife... The disco was also cabled with audiophile cables and they were thrown in for the couple of thousands of dollars... I don't know what happened to the Lab Gruppen amplifiers

 

[Archsam]

Can't find anything on the Darkblock 24000 on Google except for the CGI's. and very little else. So....