Tekton Double Impacts

@bullitt5094  It's great that you have the opportunity allowing for @evolvist and @vitop to audition your new equipment and provide feedback, etc.

In this case, I think it's easy for Klaus to 'swear' : )  Since it isn't close to being a fair 'fight' with your Denon pre. 

Looking forward to hearing about how it all works out within your system!

@bullitt5094  Are you therefore, watching movies outdoors in your Mustang....?    : )

@Brotw - No we didn't use a tube pre, because I wanted to compare pure apples to oranges with SS versus tube. 

Nonetheless, I think the Blackhawk would supply plenty of power for your room size. We barely even touched the full power of what the Blackhawk can do. The 20w Blackhawk (I'm told) might just hit up into the 100-150wpc of a SS amp in a high efficiency speaker. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the concept, but that's what I heard, as well: ear bleeding levels in a pretty large room. 

Or call Raven up and inquire. 

Otherwise, what David said, yes. 

@Bullitt and @Vitop - The tube amps like the Blackhawk and ZOTL40 are self biasing, so there's no need to fiddle with that. Moreover, the tubes are said to at least give 50,000 hours, yet assuredly more, perhaps into the 100,000 range. That's 2,083 days, or 6 years if you played them straight through, at 50,000 hours. 

But let's say that you only use them 2 hours a day: that's well over 20 years. 

Do you want to live forever or something? :-)

@brotw , the Benchmark AHB2 is a phenomenal SS amp and I recommend it highly. I also think you would benefit from a tube preamp. It's been said that the AHB2 is a perfect conduit so your front end will make or break it. Using my Modwright Oppo with its tube stage direct to the AHB2 is very satisfying.

The LTA MZ2 is not only the best preamp I've ever heard but also a killer 1 watt amp. It sounds incredible powering the DI's to acceptable levels but i feel a little headroom would be better. It's also maintenance free, that is if you don't mind replacing tubes every 10 years.

The ZOTL40 is an incredible tube amp and like the AHB2 has far more power than you need. You will find no deficiencies in bass output in this amp compared to SS or at least it's very close. You will definity enjoy better midrange. I have also owned Decware amps and am a fan but the LTA amps make the Decware sound broken.

personally, I am waiting for some new products coming from Linear Tube Audio in a few months. I like to stop in frequently and see what they're up to since I live close. It's a blast because I get to do A/B listening tests on stuff they're working on. I can't really elaborate now but the best is yet to come.

Lance

"Do you want to live forever or something? :-)"                                                                                                              Well, I was planning to until you burst my bubble...