Tube amp suggestions for Divine Acoustic speakers


Hello all. I’m in the market for a tube amplifier that will be powering Divine Acoustics Proxima 3 speakers. Here are the specs:

  • Impedance: 8Ω
  • Efficiency: 89dB
  • Frequency response: 45Hz-22kHz (-3dB)
  • Recommended amplifier power: 2-90W
  • Recommended listening room size: 12-30m2

The preamp being used is an Aric Audio Unlimited all tube preamp. I’m definitely considering Aric’s amplifiers but I’m also exploring other options as well. Specifically 300B tube amps.

Do you think a 300B tube amp would drive them sufficiently? What other tube amps would be a good match in your opinion? Budget wise I’m around $4K new or used. I'm also curious if tube rectification on a power amplifier is important or not to sound quality. Thanks for any suggestions.

128x128ten_ton_bass

@ten_ton_bass I just wanted to provide my experience here and say that a 300B SET amplifier will not be able to drive your speakers very loudly, so if you're listening at 70-75db levels, it might work. Otherwise I really like push-pull amplifiers for speakers that are in the 89 db range, and in fact I've had clients successfully drive Magneplanar 4 ohm speakers using my Transcend Push Pull, even with only 35 watts per channel and EL34s. So you could definitely use that to drive your Divine speakers to healthy, and even loud levels. In fact, a push pull tube amplifier is pretty much perfect for these speakers and SET starts to really shine when using speakers at 93 db and above. There will be opinions all over the map here I'm sure, but I have had more than a few customers express they're very happy with such a pairing.  All the best, Aric

triode/ultralinear gives you optional power ratings; and mono capability gives you the opportunity to double up in the future. You might limit your search to amps with those features.

I agree, I would want 35 wpc or more for instantaneous peaks.

 

 

I really would not want to try driving 89db speakers with just 2 watt as others have echoed. 

A used AirTight ATM-1 or Leben CS660p would be good match. Brand new I would get a Lab12 Suono or Suara.  

After hopping about hifishark, I would research these

Rogue Audio Stereo 100

BAT VK-60 just listed here

Margules 280U-SC

VTL MB-250 (listing says amp, photos show two, possible he meant the pair, forgot the S?

Carver Crimson 275, new on sale at underwood hifi, 5 yr warranty

If you can score the Carver Crimson 275 for $2750 as advertised on Underwood's website, I'd do it in a minute. His 'homage' to the McIntosh MC275with the kind of original thinking and tweaks only Bob Carver can do, plus a very conservative design relative to tube life, that would be a no-brainer for me. At 75W/Ch it may be a bit more power than you would otherwise buy, but I would just consider it extra headroom.

My second choice would be an EL-34/6550 roughly 40W/Ch Amp. A restored vintage McIntosh MC240 would be great, but a more modern interpretation of that basic architecture would also work very well.

I would take a close look at the Prima Lun 200/300/400 models. They're kinda textbook examples of the most common approaches to the EL-34 design world: Triode and Ultralinear, plus tube options including the EL-34, KT-88, KT-120, and KT-150. I'd probably lean towards the KT-88, but that's just me.