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Using tube amp with electrostatic speakers.

Moons ago I started similar discussions and thought I had been given enough good advice not to approach the subject again. Here goes anyway. I've used Martin Logan electrostats for well over 30 years with quite a few different amps but have recently switched to a tube amp and dynamic speakers with which I am very satisfied.  It consists of the Cary Rocket 88R amp and Serie Reference 3 speakers. 

My brother was visiting last week and was so impressed with the sound that he decided that he might want to try a tube amp also (probably the same one as mine).  However, he is using a pair of SL3's that I gave him years ago and I'm concerned primarily about the current requirements of the Martin Logans as well as other concerns that I'm not thinking of.  I don't want him spending money on something that may not bring him improved sound so would appreciate more advice to pass on to him.  He currently uses a Rogue Audio SS amp with his SL3 speakers and, to me, it sounds very good. 
jimbreit
michaelrg's avatar
michaelrg
7 posts
 
I  am running Martin Logan Spires with a Mystere tubed pre amp and Moscode 402 AU hybrid amp and am very happy with the sound.
davidclarke
43 posts
 
I am running 2) Benchmark AHB2 in mono on my QUAD  ESL-2912s.  Love it!  Even 1 AHB2 in stereo did a super job but that bit more power puts it over the top.  Could be the best amp speaker combo I have ever heard.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

Erik, Music Reference’s phone number is still the Santa Barbara one (805)687-2236, which will go to Roger’s voice mail. His email address is musref.roger@gmail.com. Wish I could join you! I miss the Bay Area, having grown up in Cupertino/San Jose, coming into San Francisco for gigs, and to go to The Fillmore and Tower Records. Very expensive to live there now! Is Village Records in Mill Valley still around? Used to be a great store for Roots Music.

Roger has opened an Audio Engineering school in Oakland (I believe, though it may be Berkeley), wanting to pass on his electronic expertise to younger designers and audiophiles. The Music Reference model (with prices) page on the website lists the ESL speakers, and a bunch of new, low-power amps. OTL’s, Single Ended, etc. Roger is a really creative and knowledgeable tube amp designer.

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,587 posts
 

Thanks for the replies, guys, very helpful stuff.

Ralph, I’d still like to get your opinion on McIntosh amps with autoformers. Just in general, do you think they are a good sounding amp compared with other amps in their price ranges? Do they implement their autoformers well? Would they be a good choice for driving speakers with difficult impedance loads?  Theoretically, of course.  We all know that good sound depends on many factors in a given system.


surfer102
1 posts
 
Love my leak stereo 20 with my quad 63 using audio research pre. 
Then with my very efficient avant-garde garde duo omegas the transcendent minibeast otls as mono blocks with transcendent ground grid ore amp was mighty fine. 
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