Kharma 3.2.2: which tube amp to use?

You pose a very good/well thought out question....To want to move to tubes,but "be aware" of the comfort level posed by tube heat!

I've been there,and done that,and definitely looked for a "tube toned" amp.Ultimately I settled for a highly modded Rowland,but I Definitely LOVE a good tube system!

My friend had the Kharma 1.0's.Very fine speaker,but his SS amplification also was too dry...on that bullet fast ceramic mid-driver.

Some friends related the sound like one was going to the dentist...for a drilling!Highly detailed,but annoying,in the long run....Yet the speaker surely could do better.So we always pushed him to go tubes.

Well,he decided to go to a smaller speaker,which worked with his amp/room volume.So,he sold the Kharma to a close friend,and "this" guy immediately knew it needed tubes.

Ultimately he(the new Kharma owner) got a very good Cary design(I don't know which one,but price was a big factor)...

The speaker now sounds fabulous!

I love the Kharma speakers,and have made it my business to hear a good portion of the line-up.On many occassions!

The "one thing" that really stands out is how good they sound with tube amplification.Even their own SS amp falls short,IMO!

Also,"definitely" and "consistently",the Lamm 2.1(yes,I believe it is 18 "BIG,BIG" sounding watts)is "THE" amp for Kharma designs......where the load is a good mating....

GOD I love that amp!!I have never heard a single occassion,on any speaker it was being used with,where this amp did not bowl me over!!...But it's not cheap.

I am always analyzing which amp I would use if my situation changed( sealed, dedicated room/heat issues) and I wanted to go back to a tube amp.So I like the idea of some of the open chassis designs(easy tube access)that don't have much "glass"!
Some not too expensive(but not cheap) contenders,that I like(only opinion)..With the Lamm 2.1 as KING....

Cary 805 anniversary edition,Cary 211 anniv(maybe too powerful),Dehavillend(spelling?),Wytech(very reliable),the Canary 339..to name only a few.

There is a wealth of very good contenders around and about,and I have probably forgotten just how many others I like,but if you follow the "tube/amp" threads you will pick up on this very quickly....

Good luck,with your great speaker

Hi Thorman, thanks for your suggestion. I am not familair with the Thor name but will look into it.

Hi Argyro and Sirspeedy, I have the Lamm ML2.1 SET on my radar. But wasn't sure if its 18W can control a 90db speaker. Was wondering whether the Lamm ML1.1 push-pull 90 watter would do the job better. I wish for the supposedly SET magic, but don't want flabby bass. The Wavac MD-805 55 watter is also on my list.

Have had the 3.2's with ML2 and it's plenty good, even with very loud technorave music, and to me the only amp I'd use with them. I did have a friend who had ML2's with them then dropped them for the ML1.1. I think the soundstage opened up a little more with perhaps a shred more precise imaging, detail, grip and control but the inner detail and beautiful tone and sense of continuousness that the ML2 is capable of was gone. IMO Lamm's best design by far is the ML2.

Isn't Thor Audio already history ?
Check
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1195506858

You may consider a Vac 30/70, which is essentially two 30/30's
run in mono. Or of course just the more common Ren 70/70. This would be plenty of power, a bit of added warmth, but still very good detail. Not too hard on the eyes IMO either. The Lamm ML-2 is obviously a great amp too, although I have only heard it once in my memory.