I’ll throw a curve ball into this discussion…within the context of your system, I’d keep your SS Parasound amp, ditch the Benchmark preamp and get a nice tube linestage. Having tried solid state preamps with tube amp and tube preamps with solid state amps, the latter is a better configuration. Gives you the magic of tubes without sacrificing the drive your SS amp provides for your speakers. This’ll be especially true with the benchmark DAC that can benefit from some of the tube goodness. As it currently stands, you’re feeding a very clean measuring but not necessarily musically engaging signal into your amp. Just something to think about.
I'm going to buy my first tube amp. I need honest blunt opinions
Recommendations please. I am thinking of dipping my toes in the tube amp water. For the longest time I have been tempted to buy a modest tube amp to run my Monitor Gold 300’s at 90db.
I’ve been toying around, researching the different characteristics of SET, class A, class AB, B Ultralinear tube amps for months. It’s a bit much. As far as the reviewers go, they are too vague. They are afraid to be upfront honest.
Sources are a Parasound JC 3+, a Innous ZENith Mk3, and a Oppo going to a Benchmark DAC, then all go to a Benchmark LA 4 preamp that will feed the new amp.
My room is 16 x16. The speakers have a 12-foot spread. I sit 14 feet back, so it’s not that big of a room.
I have narrowed it down to four candidates.
A used Canary Audio M90 300B Tube Amp at 24RMS,300B push-pull stereo triode Class A $4,000
A used Jadis Orchestra Black, 40 RMS, Class B $4,000
A 16-year-old, Used Cary Audio Six Pac Monoblock’s, 50 triode watts A/AB $2,000
A new Dynaco by WILL VINCENT 35RMS Ultralinear $2,300
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https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisb617b-primaluna-evo-400-integrated-amplifier-tube I would dip into this Integrated PL Evo 400 amp. Has the bandwidth and power not to mention you can tube roll up to your hearts content. Also can run triode mode so you can have the intimate sound if you want. Very versatile and made well. I agree with the East17 as well. I personally am running the Dialogue Premium (only 4 Power Tubes) and had Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grands (90db @ 4ohms) and pretty much had more than enough bandwidth and power to run them. Room is an open 12’x18’. It was quite loud even in triode mode and EL34 Tubes. |
I considered myself a detail whore and digital fiend for most of my life until I discovered how tube amps are 'supposed' to sound, and it took about $120k to finally get to the most basic setup I've ever had. I now have a Sonos Port feeding through a cardas clear spidf to a Synthesis A40Virtus tube amp/dac combo feeding to a pair of Wilson Duette IIs ans literally bnothing else. I've had $10k DACs, pricier amps, name brand streamers, crazy expensive sound cards, etc, etc. Nothing touches this, and, finally, I feel settled. What a crazy road it's been. I have recently discovered Synthesis Amps and really couldn't be happier. They get virtually no attention in the name brand world and little in the way of reviews, but, honestly, after owning systems between $30-60k, I can honestly say my A40 Virtus blows everything else away. To be fair, I am a vocal, acoustic lover; so, the warmth is welcome, and these produce a fat, Juicy sound, but, somehow, do not feel muddy or over colored - just full. And, I have probably the very worst spaces to listen (an enclosed porch full of glass and a cubed room with nothing but hard surfaces). I've no horse in this race, but, for someone who's spent an insane amount of money (for a mailman, anyway), the rabbit hole has led me to abandon my Denafrips Terminator Plus 12th and a Classe' SIGMA AmpII in favor of this Amp/Dac combo - which doesn't even make sense on paper, I know; still, I couldn't be happier. |
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