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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
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,379 posts
 
Frank, did you hear the Krell in your system? Charles raises the most important point: amp & speaker matching.

If so, how do compare the sound of the Krell vs the Clayton? If you heard the Krell w/different speakers, it's really easy to draw inappropriate conclusions. You were in love w/Claytons a few weeks ago, so what's changed?

FWIW, that vintage Krell I believe was when they were getting their highest accolcades, before Dan D. left the company. So one could argue that might be the best sounding Krells, along with the slightly older KSA-250.

The Pass Labs and hybrid Lamms still sound like what you are after IME. Another more budget friendly option is the Odyssey monoblocks.

In other threads you ponder speaker changes. Whatever you decide, please go with an amp and speakers that you've heard together or you have strong reason to believe will be symbiotic together. Cheers,
Spencer
aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 
Fsmithjack,if you really want to hear what SS can do in 2015,as I have already mentioned,look into the Merrill Audio class d amps.

I owned an Edge NL10,which I really,really liked.Its gone and the Merrill Veritas is firmly ensconced in its place. The Veritas just plain crushed the Edge amp in every sonic parameter.Grip and control like a steel trap and at the same time nuanced like a butterfly in flight...Superb to the nines.
fsmithjack's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
I loved the S40 and would have bought it but after listening after a couple days a channel went out. Kind of stinks because the amp was just back from the factory and had full rebuilt and improved special power supply at the factory with the same power supply of the 200 and it was great. It was sweet like a tube amp, also a bit dark but I liked it a lot and was a happy camper with it. I went down during a few day audition and i never heard back from the dealer. It may still be out getting fixed he said he will me when it gets back. The Krell was a couple towns away so I wanted to try it. Love to try local stuff when I can because so rare. oh I like the S40 better but it couldn't grab the drivers like that freek Krell. That said overall the S40 is more refined and more up my alley. If this Krell was a little less dark and had more of the refinement of the S40 that would be my best amp. I still prefer tubes no doubt but with the kind of speakers I am using to get this type of tube performance its very expensive.

I would love to try the Merrill Audio class d amps. They use that new amazing modular Hypecore thing class d that is supposed to the best new tech in all of audio for amps. Expensive though also. Trying to stay in that $3kish used price range for now. I am def making a speaker change. I love my speaker but to properly drive them I need the type of amp that I don'y love or have grown tired of trying.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
So it sounds as if the Clayton M300's are for you then. They will have more bass slam, like that Krell, plus the refinement of the Clayton.
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
From my recollection of that vintage KSA, they were Class A amps? Yes, a bit dark in some respects like my former Gryphon Antileon (also pure Class A, 100 watts), which is probably similar vintage. But where i found the older Krells relative to other amps i have since heard is that i felt there seemed to be [a bit] of grain.

But yes, I agree, the KSA 50, KSA200 were not from what i recall tinny, bright, cold amps at all. Things did change as time went on, but not that particular generation.
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