Tube amps good with Emerald Physics CS2 speakers?


Hello everyone. I just bought a pair of Emerald Physics CS2 speakers, I know that these speakers need to be bi-amped, and I am now looking for the amps with which to drive them. I spoke to Clayton, (the designer of these speakers), on the phone, and he said that for the lower frequencies, that the CS2s need at least 100 watts to be driven effectively on the low end, and so then he recommended that I use a solid-state amp in order to drive the low frequency woofers, and so I will look for a good solid-state amp to drive the woofers of the CS2s on the lower frequencies. I also asked him about what type of amp I should use for the higher frequencies, but he would not give me a recommendation as to whether or not I should use tube amps or solid-state amps on the high frequency tweeters, saying that he had customers who were doing both and were happy with them. And so, I am asking my questions to and referring my questions to you guys who already own these speakers and who have had experience with them: can you tell me which would sound better driving the high frequency tweeters of the CS2s--tube amps or solid-state amps? Has anyone actually tried driving the tweeters of these speakers with a tube amp, and did it sound good and was the sound to your liking? And also, has anyone actually tried driving these speakers with SET tube amps, and did you think the speakers sounded good driving them with those amps, and was the sound to your liking? I was also looking at a specific tube amp to pair with the upper frequency tweeters of these speakers, and that is the Art Audio Carissa Signature 845 SET tube amp. I was told by Clayton that the power output of this SET amp would be enough to drive the upper frequency tweeters of these speakers due to the use of the 845 tube, but he had never heard of the amp before, and so he could not say whether or not he thought that this amp would be a good match with the CS2 tweeters or not. Has anyone had any experience pairing this particular 845 SET amp with the CS2 tweeters? Has anyone had any experience trying to pair another 845 SET tube amp with the high frequency tweeters of the CS2s? And if you did, did it sound good, did you like the sound, and did it sound musical? Everyone’s input is appreciated, and all are welcome to reply, but I would especially like to hear from CS2 owners and those whom have either tried to use tube amplification in order to drive the upper frequency tweeters of these speakers and who have had experience with using tube amps with these speakers, or those who have heard the speakers before being driven separately by both solid-state amps and tube amps.

Thanks in advance to everyone who replies.
leroyc33
Rockadanny,

You make a good point. And I would also like to add that even using high quality amps which are different than the top amp would make for a discontinuous sound. Even more so when those amps are different technologies too. I wasn't aware that the LF driver played so far up, is that true?

Shakey
Shakey, I hear ya. And believe me I've been there and done that. I was one of those simple,purest approach myself. If my tonearm could have been wired to my speaker terminals and made sweet music then that's how I would have had it. But, this technology has made me a believer. No, dips or discontinuty. The active EQ/crossover takes care of all that.
Shakeydeal (love the moniker) - I read that the LF woofs do go to 1kHz ... Anyone know otherwise? It may very well be an awesome sounding speaker - I am not refuting that and I have NOT heard them (dealer in Atlanta does not have space to audition them), I am just trying to wrap my pea-sized brain around the amp choices for the LF woofs. I get the impression that any ol' 100wpc ss amp'll do, which is a foreign concept to me.
Rockadanny..If you're in the ATL. You should hook up with Walter when he comes back from Hawaii and hear those speakers.
He has the space for you to hear them.
Hey guys. I'm in Atlanta and I heard them at Wally's. I only listened for a short while, but they were very impressive. They are making me re-think my whole system. (I feel the sickness coming on again! lol!) I believe that the amplification must use balanced outputs. Is that the case? That will certainly limit your choice of amps if that is true.