Best Solid State for Avalon Isis

Cpcorreia, I think the Isis may a bit of an easier load than the Eidolons.

FWIW, I just began using a pair of Carver AT180Ms 180-230 watts with my Eidolons. The presentation is definitely not your typical tube amplifier. These things have a very good grip on my Eidolons with surprisingly good mid and low bass. They also offer a 305 watt version. If your interested call 770 667-5633 for a good price.

I became board of my solid state amps soon after I purchased the Eidolons but the speakers are so me, I endured. I did try some big tube amps but they still had their typical limitations especially with the load and heat. By contrast the Carvers just loaf along. They run cool and maintenance is simple.

On the solid state side I compared my Ayre V1xe with a Sanders Magtech on another system. The Magtech should be a serious consideration. The audition is absolutly free.

Thanks, Lloydlee.
On paper the Isis is an easier load than the Eidolon Diamond and it has about 2 db more, which is good. But I am afraid the 710 may not be able to control those big 2 (make it 4)woofers. Roy Gregory, in his HiFi+ test said the Isis played well with the Hovland, which has less grunt than the Soulution. But his reference amp for the test seems to have been the huge Karan 1200.
Obviuously the safe bet would be to hear the speakers with my amp, but I leave in Europe and no retailer seems to have a pair of Isis for a test.
Many thanks for your help.
C.

Thanks Vicdamone. Do you have the Eidolon Diamond? I have never had a tube amp big enough for the ED, but they seem to like valves. For the Isis they are not a real possibility, since we would be speaking about mono amplification and that is less practical. An then there is the heating factor.

Cheers

C.

No Diamonds, the earlier version. Since I've owned the Eidolons almost every change to the system seems magnified compared to the lesser speakers I was monkeying around with when I was looking for my direction.

Starting with a 35 then a 75 watt stereo tube amps then came the Eidolons which necessitated two solid state, and three switching amplifiers, every one had an obvious difference in presentation. All the while I was missing the relaxed sense of a tube amplifier which would explain my excitement for these Carver's.

Unfortunately, despite my years at this hobby I don't consider myself experienced enough to accurately or successfully describe the differences of equipment I've actually had in my own system. IMO compared to the other big tube mono's I auditioned (from memory) the Carver's handle the Eidolons bass output much better. I can't say that means they are distorting less but it certainly sounds like it.

For the Isis? The Carver's are mono's and the heat is far less than the 75 watt stereo amp I was temporarily using just prior to receiving the Carver's. A bit warmer that a warm running A/B solid state but less than a class A solid state. Geez, I should just get out a thermometer.

Another tube amp I was considering was the Music Reference RM200 which I believe can be had in a 200 watt mono block, a little out of my budget. The RM200 has the ability to power difficult speaker loads and their distortion figures are outstanding. This might be of some interest. A reply regarding using tube amplification from Avalon Acoustics in 2009.

["Thanks for the mail, and glad you like the Eidolons. I still think they are amazing, and expect to continue to sell their current iteration.
My first experience with tubes and Eidolons was with Audio Research 100's. Clearly not enough power to have the full bloom of the capability of the Eidolons, but, there was still enough info to let me know that with a bit more power there would be some very nice results. Indeed, I later heard them with both the AR 300, and later the 600. These are both super amps, and priced accordingly, but in the interest of letting you know that it will work, I give you those examples. On the other extreme, if you can find a small tube amp, called the RM9, RM10, or RM200. These little tube amps are quite extraordinary. Probably on the
low end of power requirements, and admittedly I have not heard them with Eidolons, but many years ago I lusted for the RM9 for myself. The company is very small, but passionate, and is still in existence, and I believe in California. Also, a bit more mainstream, is VTL, also a California based company, with a variety of 'affordable' mono and stereo tube gear. We shared a room with them at the recent Audiofest show in Denver in early October. Always a good match, and we share a number of dealers and distributors around the world. David Berning also makes a few very good amplifiers. We used their amps at CES a lifetime ago, and never forgot that sound, and now people have started to tell us how good the combination still is.
Lucien Pichette
On Nov 24, 2009'}

The Isis do benefit from good power, and lots of it. While amps like Soulution, Vitus, Dartzeel, FM Acoustic may have their merits, I think 100-200 watts is too little. I would look for something with a lot of class A, at least 300 watts into 4 ohms. Amp matching with the Isis is so crucial. Nothing else will come together until you get that part correct. The overall efficiency does not belie how much power it takes to get those woofers moving like they should.