Integrated Tube Around $1000

Wes

I'm curious about your Totem experience. Was the problem that you were not getting enough volume with 30watts? Did you still get a full range of sounds?

Scottz

Could you explain a bit more about your comments re. not all watts being equal?

thanks

matthew

Rich - I wasn't referring to your mention of 85dB. Same number but different comment.

Also, I think some people confuse forward sound with increased volume. A more forward presentation will sound louder at the same volume as a more laid back presentation. The power used is the same - only the personal impression changes. This has often been my experience with tube amps and leads many people to say "not all watts are equal" which of course can't physically be true. Arthur

Matthew,

I normally drive the Totems with a Levinson amp that puts out 200 watts at 4 ohms. I was trying to give the little Music Reference every chance as I really wanted to justify buying a RM200. Now I did not take db readings but I did try to keep levels matched. As soon as I hooked up the tube amp there was an immediate huge reduction in volume. I was kind of suprised because at the level I had it either amp should have only been using a few watts. I thought ok suprising but let's keep going. Sat down to listen and noticed the amp really seemed to be struggling to power the speakers, dynamics seemed restricted and the highs had a bit of a glare to them (this is not normally a trait of this amp). Now I'm kind of bummed and I get out my rat shack meter, with my preamp contol wide open I could barely hit the 80db mark and it was freaking me out to have my volume control set that high. I then tried wiring the amp from the 8 ohm taps and I was able to get a bit more volume but the sound suffered even more. I considered upping the internal gain switches on my preamp but as this would have required a good bit of work and I wasn't too thrilled with my experiment so far I opted not to.

I think theTotems are even more difficult to drive than I suspected and I was probably over taxing the power supply on the 30 watt tube amp. Also, now that I think about it when I got the Totems I spoke with Vince and he recommended sticking with my Levinson amp as I was considering tubes to drive them then.

Scottz, if you were referring to me there aren't many 30 watt amps I would be hesitant to put my Music Reference amp up against, certainly not a Chinese made Jolida or Primaluna.

Wes

Oooh my goodness take a listen to a Jolida 707A if you can swing it!!When they pop up used they will be under $1000.I have two of them and LOVE them.I am a previous owner of a modded 202A(parts connection).
I HIGHLY recommend this amp(707A and even the 202A) as an entry level.The stock NP3P Jolida tubes are actually very good on this amp where the stock EL34's on the 202A were not very good at all.
I have very high efficiency(103db) horn speakers and am awaiting a pair of Wright WPA 3.5's.I will be selling one of my 707's probably if the Wrights move me the way i suspect they might.That being said,it will not be an easy parting.
Check them out if you can!!The amp tries to simulate SET amps(producing 40wpc however) and since i have never heard one i can only speculate.With my horn set up it is head and shoulders above the modded 202A which sounded good too.The mids are so much more lush with the 707A's and it was an immediate acknowledgement with both of these amps.My speakers appreciated the added mids that the 707A imparted but perhaps your speakers(which i am unfamiliar with) may find a kinship with the 202A which has a more scooped mid then the 707A.I was toying with getting the 707A modded but i don't know if i want to mess with a good thing.I did enjoy a certain incredible inner detail with that 202A however, which makes me think that i could capture even more of that with this amp as well while maintaining the wonderful midrange presentation.I am new to this as of December 2003 and my sonic life has been so much better for it.You won't go wrong either way you go is my guess.
ENJOY !! : )

I run a fully modded (underwood, used <$1000) Jolida 502B into a pair of 90dB Snells. The CDP runs 5751 Raytheons (around 30% less gain than the stock 12AX7's). I wouldn't go any less in power or speaker sensitivity. I have plenty of volume(sounds lovely), but have occasionally hit 2-3 o'clock on the volume knob on jazz vocals or some acoustic music...I'm guessing there isn't a whole-lot of power left. At 8-9 feet from the speakers I'd guess I'm hitting mid 90's in SPL (I have a RS meter, I just haven't measured how loud 3 o'clock is) with dynamic peaks going a bit higher.

Have you considered the Jolida tube/SS hybrids(more power)?