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Upgrade, Tube Amp ESL Speakers

I'm thinking about taking the tube plunge and getting a tube amplifier(s) for my Innersound Eros. The Eros are an electrostatic hybrid speaker and have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. I've narrowed the field of contenders to the Wolcott P-220M and the Sonic Frontiers Power 3. I'm looking for suggestions and recommendations between these amps and possibly other tube amps that can drive home the goods while delivering that tube sweetness and presentation. Do you know of any tube amps that mate well with ESL's? We listen mostly to jazz. Pre amp is SF Line 3. No 7-60 watt grandfather amp please.
128x128jerie
rgd
656 posts
 
Last summer when in Toronto I had the opportunity to visit a dealer who carried the SF gear and Martin Logans. We hooked up the Power 2 to the ML SL-3 speakers and while it did a nice job it paled in comparison to the Power 3 amps. With what would appear to be very good prices as of late on the SF gear (maybe as a result of the reported new Signature line coming out...) I think the Power 3 would do an outstanding job on your Eros. Have never heard the Wolcott's so I can't compare.
sdzink
31 posts
 
You may want to check out the current issue of The Absolute Sound. There is an excellent review on the ELS amp by Innersound. This is not a tube amp but is specifically built to power the Innersound Speakers.
dennyd
7 posts
 
I use the Power 2 with Quad 63's and find it to be a wonderful combination. Being quite familiar with SF stuff, I don't believe that much of a difference exists between the 2 and 3's. SF is also nice to deal with and I won't buy something that is a pain to get serviced, even if it never needs it. Part of the current pricing on the Web is due to an review in one of the mags that said SF amps has limited dynamics so every insecure audio nut (aren't we all?) is now worried and therefore the price has gone down. Good luck and with tubes. It does add another dimension to the listening experience and generally works especially well with ESL's.
south43
386 posts
 
Hello Jerie I am not familiar with innersound, but I do have the Anthem amp1. Though this is the entry level of sf,it runs my Meadowkark kestrals fine. One thought-since the innersounds are 4 ohms the taps on your amp should provide you with a choice. The Anthem has 4 and 8 ohm taps. Good listening!
pls1
432 posts
 
My wife and I are big fans of tube poweramps and have owned various top of the line ARC, CJ and Melos over the years in my main system as well as owning 3 Jolidas in our secondary systems. Our current amps are Melos 400 watt triode monoblocks driving Dunlavy SC-V's. That said, we had the Eros powered by the ESL amp in our home for a few weeks and were mightily impressed. You really should listen to it before you decide on another amp.
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