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Clayton Audio Class A amps. Need amp advice

Hi Guys,

I am looking to change my amps and for a few reasons.

First because I just upgraded my DAC from the great PS Audio DirectStream to the incredible Bricasti M1 DSD USB DAC. I love the Bricasti and it has shown that in my system it could offer me more with a more resolving and neutral amp IMO.

I am currently am using the wonderful sounding CJ Premier 12 mono tube amps. I love them and tubes in general but my speakers are the great Ascendo C8 Renaissance and look to present a somewhat benign load being 88 efficient and 6ohm but they are unique and have an internal firing 21 cm Kevlar Bass driver that is great but stubborn and the speakers I think will really shine with a iron fist control of that driver.

I love tubes, always have and always will but I grown tires of a flabby bottom which is exasperated by a unique and somewhat difficult to grip bass driver set up I spoke about above.

I want an amp that can give me as much tube sound as possible but with Grip and bottom end. I know this is a lot to ask for in the used $5k to $7k price range.

I have read and it seem like the Clayton offer exactly what I am looking for but wanted to hear from some of you guys if anyone has ever heard them or know of them or anything. Any info would really be appreciated. Here is the info on my speakers and I will also list the rest of my system in case you think that is helpful. Thanks

C8 Renaissance
Technical Data
Principle
• Three-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS Off)
(current damped outer driver with semi symmetrical band pass)
• Four-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS On)
Dimensions (W/H/D)
• 28 / 80 / 40 (without Base)
• 28 / 108 / 40 (with Base)
Weight
35 kg
Frequency Range
29 Hz (-3 dB) – 32.000 Hz
Power Rating
350 W Program (min)
Impedance
6 Ohm
Sensivity
88 dB / 1W/m
Outer Chassis (COAX)
• 25 mm Neodymium-fabric-tweeter
• 18 cm Woofer with XP cone
Inner Chassis
• 21 cm Chassis, Kevlar cone
TOS Chassis
• Ribbon-tweeter
TOS Function
• switchable (TOS Unit - Dipole AN / AUS)
Sockets
• Single / BiWiring Base
Dimensions (W/H/D)
28 / 18 / 40 cm
Weight
11 kg

Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Speaker
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Bricasti M1 USB / DSD / Volume Control DAC (New) DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 MK II w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's Tube amp
Salamander Amplifier Stands (2) Synergy System AV Furniture Stand
BMI Shark Jeweler Grade Platinum 9 AWG AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier 11 AWG Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M 7 AWG AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M 8 AWG AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
Fidelizer Pro Version 6.1
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
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fsmithjack's avatar
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Denon1 & Lloydelee21 & the rest of you guys that have been great and gave me some great input:

Thank you so much I took the advice of Denon1 & Lloydelee21 and have been speaking with Eric Love quite a bit and have a trade offer on the table the table with him.

It will take a bit more to make the deal I have to add in another pre of mint to the deal than I have to with the other 2 amp deals I have already spoke about because his is a new demo with full warranty vs the Clayton M300 and the LP140 which are used. The Clayton and CJ are mono's and his is a stereo amp. The only thing is I will need to include my extra BAT VK30r w/Phono to make the deal. Not sure I would use that pre its a little older and kind of dark sounding but even with the others I was leaning toward driving direct but it was nice to know I had a back up pre to A/B with if needed and I lose that with the Plinus SA-103 but in return I get a easier to use stereo amp and a new one that is only a couple months old and it was a demo but very few hours. With full warranty. What do you guys think:

Clayton M300 mono's keep my BAT VK30 (older dark 6922)

CJ LP140 monos keep my VK30

Plinus SA-103 stereo new demo w/full warranty No BAT

Would really love to know what all you guys. Please - Thanks !!!

zd542
5,339 posts
 
"Clayton M300 mono's keep my BAT VK30 (older dark 6922)"

If your 6922's are dark, get some new ones.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Well, the Plinius SA-103 is nice, but it's no Clayton M300.
You said you needed the power, 125 wpc is not 300 wpc.

I would go with the Clayton M300 mono's, sell you BAT VK-30 and look for a VAC, Aesthetix , or ARC preamp. All three are more resolving than BAT or CJ tube gear.

Happy hunting.
fsmithjack's avatar
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
04-11-15: Jmcgroga

Thanks

On the Claytons M300 monos they are Balanced XLR input only!

I don't have any balanced interconnects yet and as we all know real good ones are quite expensive. More than my pre I'm trying to hold onto. I have the real nice Caras Clear XLR to RCA adapters and the selling dealer said those will work fine but read elsewhere that if I use adapters they make a wicked hum? Anyone know if this is the case or do you think the adapters will work fine? Any input would really be appreciated!! Thanks so much !!!
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Fsmithjack, in general adapters may or may not work ok depending on the specific designs of the components that are being connected. In this case the comments made earlier in the thread by Tim (Mitch2) indicate that they will NOT work ok. But note his suggestion of a Jensen transformer, which can convert a single-ended signal to a true balanced signal pair. Their model PI-RX (similar to the PI-XX shown here except with RCA input connectors), can and should be placed very close to the amp. You could then use a very short length of XLR cable.

Nearly all interconnect cable effects are proportional to length. Therefore the short length of the XLR cable would reduce its importance, increasing the likelihood that choosing an expensive cable will be unnecessary. And of course the short length will in itself reduce the cost of the cable.

I note that the Jensen site does not specifically list a PI-RX configuration, having an RCA input connector and an XLR output connector, but I'm pretty certain they can supply that configuration on special order. It would cost a bit more than $300 for the two transformers you would require.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al
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