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RITA-880 Reference Integrated Tube Amplifier (KT-88) - MSRP US$4,200.00
List Price: USD $ 4,200
Price: USD $ 3,750
Dimensions: 26 in × 22 in × 16 in
Weight: 145 lb
"The Grant Fidelity RITA-880 integrated amplifier is built like a battleship and weighs as much as a boat anchor. It sounds terrific, has tons of drive, and is largely free of coloration. It manages to sound far more powerful than it is, and can drive tough speaker loads that, at least on paper, should give it problems. The RITA-880 could be light, airy, and delicate. It could also kick serious butt."
"This had the curious result of making the recording sound spacious and constrained at the same time -- an odd production choice that the RITA-880 easily unmasked."
Colin Smith - Sound Stage
Hand built, hand wired - There is nothing else like her available on the market for her looks and KT-88 sound. Rita-880 is Class A Ultralinear design, punching out 45 watts per channel, but sounds more like a 200 w/ch amp and can easily drive any speaker.
The patented illuminated meters are, well, sexy. A nice blue glow with orange meters that you can see thru to the tubes behind. Wrapped in a stunning polished to mirror faceplate. Rita-880 weighs in at around 115 lbs with her custom transformers and shock proof casing.
This could be one of the best sounding amps (in both solid state and tube worlds) you will ever hear at this price.
"Rita produced a tight, gloriously transparent sound with impeccable articulation. The top-end was fast, dynamic, smooth, like very good tube amps should be, while creating an almost solid-state grip on the lower registers. I say almost because unlike some hybrids which often sound like two competing technologies vying for supremacy, the Rita sounds completely natural. It has a warm, organic presentation but retains the inviting flavor of tube reproduction." - Richard Austin - Dagogo review, Sept.2008
More reviews:
SoundStage Reviewers' Choice Award (Oct 2008) and Best Product Debut 2008
Previous customer review (March 2008)
New Upgrade:
Starting June 2010, Grant Fidelity will tube this extremely well built tube amp with the best current productions from China - a quad of Shuguang Treasure Premium Grade A KT88-Z, a pair of TJ Full Music Grade A 6SN7 and a pair of TJ Full Music Grade A 6SL7 tubes are included in the listing price.
The front faceplate will be changed from previous chrome version to black brushed aluminum - the money used to spent on the faceplate now goes towards to the heart of the tube amp - the best vacuum tubes.
Power button design has been improved to address the weakness mentioned in the 2008 review.
Features:
- Unique Class A, balanced and non-negative feedback tube circuits
- 45 W class A output per channel, 450 Wpp Max per channel.
- Balanced (XLR) and non-balanced (RCA) inputs
- 4 x Shuguang Treasure KT-88, 2 x TJ Full Music 6SN7, 2 x TJ Full Music 6SL7 vacuum tubes, providing you plenty of tube rolling options
- Remote control with digital stepping volume adjustment
- Fully sheathed and anti-shock aluminium alloy case
- Ocean blue Translucent power meters with on/off switch
Specifications
- Power: 45W per channel (Class A, UL).
- THD: <1% (1 kHz/1W)
- S/N ratio: > 95dB
- Frequency response: 18 Hz - 38 kHz (± 0.5dB)
- Input impedance: 100k ohm
- Output impedance: 4-8 ohm
- Voltage: 120 ± 10 %
- Size (LxWxH): 450×397×280 mm (unpacked)
- Net Weight: 52 kg.
Got a Question about this product?
ask Ian by email
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| RITA-880promo2008-v5.pdf | 302.03 KB |
| RITA880 tube installation.pdf | 76.48 KB |
| tube amp set up and maintenance.pdf | 269.05 KB |
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Comments
Follow up on SoundStage Review - by Grant Fidelity
Power Button:
The SoundStage review mentioned some minor issue about power button on RITA-880 doesn't function properly. We have tested all the RITAs in stock after reading the review - none of the stock units has this issue. The review unit is an one-off problem and has been brought to the attention of the factory immediately after the review. The manufacturer has also adopted our suggestion in improving the design of the power button mechanism in all new production run.
Fixed biasing on power tubes:
Although the RITA-880 design of fixed biasing doesn't allow average customers to adjust bias manually in order to roll in individual power tubes, we have confirmed with designer and manufacturer that - as long as matched quad power tubes are used in this amp, there should be no need for biasing at the consumer end.
Also don't forget that rolling the preamp tubes will give a lot better bang for your buck and doesn't require any biasing at consumer end. Just use matched pair on both channels then you should be fine and ready to enjoy the amp.
Grant Fidelity carries Shuguang KT88 tubes which have been auditioned on RITA-880 with very pleasant musical results. Shuguang KT88 is considered the best KT88 tubes still in quantity production today.
Spelling error on the unit:
Yes the factory spelled "vacuum" wrongly as "vaccum". However, since the font was burnt by laser to the chrome faceplate, it's very hard to visually notice the error (we didn't notice it until the reviewer brought it up!). Having said that, an error is an error - Grant Fidelity will offer reasonable discount to interested customers to offset such minor imperfections and will definitely demand factory to conduct spelling check before future production!
If you have further questions about the review, please don't hesitate to contact Grant Fidelity at any time.
"Rita, hooked up to chairs, would still sound great!"
- by Rod Moysey, General Manager @ General Audio, Calgary:
"I've sold just about every major tube amp brand in the past 30 odd years and I can say that the Rita is the best tube amp I have ever heard or sold. It does everything right and with tons of power. At the retail price she is a no brainer for looks and performance. She hasn't missed a beat since we got her 6 months ago and is an excellent match for the Focal line of speakers, all the way up to the new $180,000 Focal Grande Utopia EM's.
Our floor model has been rolled with cryo'd Shuguang KT-88 tubes and cryo'd Shuguang 6SN7GT which to my ears even makes her even better, less lady like.
Rita, hooked up to chairs, would still sound great !!!
Highly recommended.
http://grantfidelity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=804#804
"Listening was a pleasure right from the start"
- by RMAF customer, Sheri M.
Tubes and connections were no problem. Listening was a pleasure right from the start. The sound stage was good, dynamic, and exciting(which was not the case when I tried other tube amps). The words to songs were clearer than my other (much more expensive) solid state system. It produces better bass also that I didn't know my speakers were capable of. I have only listened for two evenings so far but it is all that is promised and I can't wait as it breaks in and gets better.
Sheri
http://grantfidelity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=251
"I was simply, really impressed with Rita"
- by Calgary customer, Gerry S.
I was, simply, really impressed with Rita, no matter what music I played and no matter the source. She has a great mix of much of what many consider the best of “tube sound” and solid state, and in some ways was directly comparable to my setup with the ARC Ref One and the hybrid Moscode ......The Moscode and ARC give me more resolution (but do you always want to hear the pianist’s underwear rubbing against the inside of his trousers when he moves on the bench?) and more “body” or solidity to images (but again consider that the Moscode is cranking 400/ch at 4 ohms and is stable into a dead short). The VTL’s are just a different kind of magic. All this comparison is probably meaningless to most, since you haven’t ever heard my system, but I hope I’ve given you an idea as to what I have been striving to create, and that such an idea can help you place Rita (and my evaluation of her) into a context. Part of that context, of course, is to consider the relative costs of the equipment discussed. At her rumoured introductory price, Rita is a bargain compared to the gear I have compared her to here, even where they are purchased used.
Read full thread here
"Rita outperformed all the others"