Tannoy Westminster amp matching question.


Hello again everyone. Its been a while but I'd like your advice if possible.

I'm waiting for a pair of Tannoy Westminster royal SE's to arrive ( end of dec ). And I'm wondering what to amps to match them with. I have very limited funds at the moment(budget of 3k or so), having lashed out on the speakers, and I'm thinking I'd like to go SET power amps again. So looking at second hand bargains. At the moment I'm thinking Sophia Electric 300b or Art Audio symphony II. Alternative suggestions please !!!!

To give you an idea of my tastes. The system I've put together, that I enjoyed the most, was Avantgarde Duo's and Yamamoto A08s. Loved it. I listen to all sorts of music: Rock, choral, opera, jazz. Love well done female vocals :-)

Thanks for your time.
borg7x9
Hi larryi,
What you describe is what I was finding. Almost no bass response. They do a matching 600ohm output linestage. If I cant make other Pre-amps work ( I'm trying the CAT sl1 tonight ) I may end up getting their matching amp. Its not too expensive in the scheme of things.

Thanks for your advice.
Mikeedimitrov - I hadn't consider a McIntosh. What is it that you believe makes the McIntosh/Tannoy Westminster work so well for you? And are you using a McIntosh pre-amp?
An amp with a 600 ohm input is designed to be used with a preamp with a transformer output (like professional gear in the old days).

FWIW our preamps can drive that load but have a direct-coupled output rather than a transformer.
I have a capacitor coupled amp that can drive 600 ohms too reasonably well, but, it also is fairly high in gain (18 db) and has a massive 30 uf coupling cap. My friend said that the huge cap is what makes this linestage suitable.
I spoke to the designer and the 600ohms load input is in fact a transformer not set with a resister. So it would seem that this is a transformer coupled design. I tried a CAT ultimate Mk11 last night (100ohms output) and its very good, transparent, non fatiguing etc but I still don't get the extended bottom octaves. On Patricia Barber modern cool I can follow the Double bass line down to the point where I am missing the lower notes. I Still get the leading edges etc of these notes just not the meat ,depth and scale that I've heard before. The best I've had the bottom end so far is with my 75ohm output pre off my headphone amp. but its too noisy.

Can someone please suggest why their 600ohm matched impedance , tranformer coupled design, might work better than a using a lower impedance pre in a bridged model into the 600ohms as I am trying. I know that matched impedance delivers better power transfer lower reflections but that Bridging delivers better voltage transfer. Maybe I just cant get the differential high enough with the low 600ohm input ??

As you can see I've read enough just to confuse myself. maybe keeping and eye out for an Atmasphere pre is the way to go. It does appeal to me.

Thanks again.