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Recommendation for higher power tube amp

AudiogoNers - I am interested in trying more tube power with my Thiel CS2.3s, which are hard to drive (~3 ohm load over 100Hz), budget is ~$3000-3500, used is fine as long as reliability is not a big risk, what would you recommend?

Currently running a BAT VK-55 and love the sound of tubes with these speakers, first thought was to get a second VK-55 and run them in mono, but realizing there are several other potential contenders in this price range, including Sonic Frontiers Power 2, Music Reference RM-200, a few VTL models, Antique Sound Labs Hurricane, Jolida Fusion, Manley Snappers, and more ARCs then you can shake a stick at, I thought I'd post the question.

128x128thosb
mikapen
31 posts
 

All this talk about volts and sound pressure! If you are looking for loudness, get a DJ set and make your dishes rattle. If you are looking for good sound with good dynamic range WITH YOUR SPEAKERS, don't stop with calculations.

Math is only 1/2 or less of the equation. Tube amps react (!) to the internals of speakers in ways that are difficult to quantify - inductance, reactivity, impedance curves etc.

Efficient speakers MAY help, but an efficient speaker may introduce a difficult load for that particular amp. The crossovers or some other feature may confuse the amp.

I know this doesn't help, but the only way to know if any amp will be happy driving your speakers is to listen to it, with your speakers.

More often than not, I have been disappointed with the sound of an amp, after I've done all the math and "calculated" what will sound good with my speakers.

Living in a rural area with few nearby dealers, I finally resorted to taking my speakers to the Big City and arranging to audition a few amps with known sources and familiar material.

Better yet, find a dealer who will let you take 2 - 3 amps home for several days to listen in your environment.

Or you might try a used Citation II from one of the updaters - they handle difficult loads with strange impedance curves pretty well. KT88s and legendary transformers. Just have spare tubes on hand. (But that's the price you pay with any tube amp.)


thosb's avatar
thosb OP
204 posts
 
OK, my takeaways are - 
1) Get different speakers (currently favoring the Devore 3XLs based solely on web based research) or
2) Go tube pre and very high power amp or
3) Try a Music Reference RM-200, no holding my breath for sonic epiphany (and also being wary of falling boulders, while Persephone (my wife?!?) looks on from the kitchen).

mikapen - I would love to find that dealer w/ amps I could demo at home, but living two hours from civilization makes this tough.  I did actually find a dealer in the big city who just happened to have the 2.3s sitting around, let me try several amps with them, which is how I started down the tube amp road in the first place.    

Great discussion and insights, this has helped me make informed choices, plus entertaining as always, thanks all.
rklune
35 posts
 
Have you considered running a powered sub and limiting the signal to the Thiels?   I have the Thiel PCS speakers, which are basically the top end of the 2.3/2.4's, with a powered-Sub, all driven by an ARC VS-55 (puts out about 45-watts a side) that gives me near concert level volume.  Fyi, I use a pre-pro to handle the speaker setup.

btw, I would highly not recommend buying anything that you can't return based on internet reviews.  I have been utterly destroyed by that in the past.  It's pretty amazing how erudite some def people can be!
gdnrbob
4,442 posts
 
@atmasphere  and OP,
Wouldn't using a pair of Zero Autoformers help with the low impedance issue?
Bob
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,772 posts
 
Efficient speakers MAY help, but an efficient speaker may introduce a difficult load for that particular amp. The crossovers or some other feature may confuse the amp.
IME this is an *extreme* rarity. Usually efficient speakers are a much easier load; in fact I've never seen an efficient speaker that was harder to drive. FWIW most speakers of higher efficiency don't have weird phase angles; that is more commonly seen in lower efficiency speakers. So the crossover comment seems right out.
Wouldn't using a pair of Zero Autoformers help with the low impedance issue?
No. If anything, the terrible inefficiency of these speakers is more of an issue than the impedance, although the impedance isn't helping.


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