I listened your speakers with Spectral Set-up, and Vac Monoblocks-Wadia. Vac-Wadia sounded so good that i cannot remember listening better system since. That was in 1997-98, and do not remember what model they were (eccept tubes were kt-88). However, i see pair of Standard 220's for sale, same tube and probably better than the older model.
Tube amp for Avalon Eidolon ?
I have no experience with tubes, and want to give them a try on my Avalon Eidolon (not diamonds) speakers (87 dB sensitivity, 4 ohm nominal, 3.6 ohm minimum). I'm using dCS Elgar + Purcel front end and currently not using a pre-amp, cardas neutral reference cables. I listen mostly to jazz, some classical, some rock.
Looking for suggestions on tube amp(s), preferably with balanced inputs, but not mandatory. I'm willing to spend some money, up to say $15k, and will probably try to buy used.
Thoughts and recommendations appreciated. Thanks. John.
Looking for suggestions on tube amp(s), preferably with balanced inputs, but not mandatory. I'm willing to spend some money, up to say $15k, and will probably try to buy used.
Thoughts and recommendations appreciated. Thanks. John.
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- 39 posts total
John, you're on the right track to consider using tubes with the Eidolons. People who have heard the Eidolons only with solid state amplifiers simply have not experienced what this speaker can truly deliver in terms of pure musicial enjoyment. I use Atma-Sphere MA-2 MkII.2s with my Eidolons. I think this match is incredibly good. Regular Audiogon contributors Slipknot1 and Trelja have listened to this combination at my house and can offer their comments. For me, the Atma-Sphere MA-2s have the quickness, neutrality, dynamics and bass definition to complement the Eidolons extremely well; musical "authority" is definitely present. Resolution is very high, including at low volume levels. And the Atma-Spheres deliver a natural musicality, with very accurate rendering of timbre and harmonic overtones, that makes listening to acoustic music a joy. Other Eidolon owners have reported good success with some other large tube amps, but these big Atma-Sphere all-triode Class-A OTLs make the magic for me. Used MA-2s fall within your stated price range, and if you ship them to the factory, Atma-Sphere will check them out, bring them to current production spec (if needed) and re-up the five-year warranty to you as the new owner for a reasonable fee. http://www.atma-sphere.com/products/ma2.html You can get some sense of my listening priorities, and see how they may match to yours, in the postscript to my review of the Walker Proscenium turntable. . |
The other day I helped a friend install a pair of the Tenor 300wpc amps mated to the Avalon Eidolon Diamons. Not only were the amps beautiful in cherry wood, but within only a few minutes they really began to open up and produce a nice full and warm sound along with a fairly resolving high end. New these would be out of your alotted budget, but Tenor does have other models. -IMO |
- 39 posts total