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Amplifier For Martin Logan CLSIIZ?

Hey guys,

I'll be getting my Martin Logan CLSIIz's next Friday. I've been leaning toward tubes, but am somewhat open to solid state - provided it's a synergistic match.

Do the CLS' need WATTS or CURRENT?

Here is a list of the "affordable" (less than $1,500 used) amps that I am somewhat familiar with and was considering.

Solid State:
*Classe DR-2 or DR-3 (only 25 and 30 watts, but pure class A and VERY high current)
*Pass Labs Aleph 3 or 5
*McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe or DNA-225
*BelCanto EVO 200.2
*PS Audio HCA-2 (never heard this one but have read good things)

Tubes:
*Audio Research D-XXX Most of these are fantastic - anything from the D-76B up to the D-160
*BAT VK-60
*VTL 70/70, ST-125, Compact 100s
*Music Reference RM-9

This is by no means an exhaustive list. They're just a few pieces that I'm either very familiar with or that just sound intriguing.

I'm open to all suggestions but am particularly interested in hearing from folks with personal experience driving CLS'.

Thanks in advance for your help.
gullahisland
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,212 posts
 
I dont know, How much are the Blue circle, but the
guy who makes the amps use this type of speakers
to tune them.I might be wrong.
mdl
6 posts
 

PS Audio actually advised me against using the HCA-2 with these. I use a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 (2 ohm taps) and am generally pleased.
gullahisland OP
83 posts
 
Thanks everybody,

That's a very interesting comment about the HCA-2. Not sure of why (technically) this is the case, but it's sure good to know.

I believe that Blue Circle's designer (can't think of his name) does use them as his reference. I think I'll shoot him an email and find out what he thinks.

MDL - The Power 2 is 110wpc, no?

Any more suggestions are welcomed. I really would like to stay with tubes if at all possible. In fact, the gentleman that I bought them from told me that he had good success driving them with a VTL running at 60wpc SET. Obviously not to particularly loud levels, but very sweet and 3D, according to him.
dennis_the_menace's avatar
dennis_the_menace
467 posts
 
my vote for tubes as well. edsawyer uses a 20watt custom tube amp with his CLS, swears by them.
rgodin
85 posts
 
I owned CLS IIz for several years and went through a number of amps. The impedance on theses speakers gets pretty low and varies quite a bit. They need a quality amp.

The Inner Sound amps (designed and built by Coda-Continuum) work very well. They are actually Continuum Stages. I had better results with a genuine Coda amp, which is a big step over the Continuum products. I ended up with the model 20.5 (which is the same as the more common 11.5 with a diferent bias).

I've heard the Pass Labs X-150 and it is a good amp, but the mids and highs on the Coda are much cleaner and better delineated. I sure that this is a personal preference and will not be viewed the same by all listeners.

Rick
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