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Nola Viper Owners, Lend Me Your Amps

Hey all, I've been trying to do this on my own without a whole lot of success. I even sent Nola an email about amplification and got no response. I guess Carl didn't want to come off as biased towards one product or another, and that's cool.

I have been going back and forth between tubes and solid state gear for my Nola Viper IIa's. I've heard all the claims that Nola/Alons sound best or are viced with tubes, but I see that they also require a good deal of power to sound their best. As a result, I have been strongly considering the tube preamp, solid state power amp combo.

I'd like to know a couple of things; if I go tube power amp, how much tube power is required for the Nolas. If I go solid state can say, 125 watts do the job? Also, what are you guys using, all tubes, tube/ss combo, all solid state, and why?

For some info, I listen to all types of music, but I am a huge fusion fan where I listen to Jean Luc Ponty, Al Di Meola, Stanley Clarke and the like, so the music is hard driving and dynamic a lot of the time. However, I like my vocals too, both male and female, so the midrange has to be up to snuff as well.

Amps I've considered so far: Rogue, Dehavilland, Primaluna, Musical fidelity, McCormack, McIntosh, Primare and Emotiva. The only one that I have not heard is Primaluna.

Budget? I'm really trying to buy used but I will cough up the new price dough if there is a piece of gear that I decide that I have to have.

Thanks for looking and I look forward to responses.
hawk28
willieaspen
20 posts
 
Hawk,

I've only played with SS amps, so my preference right now is tube pre over SS pre.

I'm very limited in the positioning of the speakers and they are very close to the rear walls. This seems to fatten the bass a bit...to the edge of acceptability. I'm afraid that using a tube amp will push it over the edge. I've got to dig out my Rogue one of these days to see what really happens.

The SS pres have all been very listenable, but the tube pres have the added presence in the midrange. They are just more relaxed.

The Belles 28A though is awful close. I really liked it and it has a great sounding MC/MM phono stage buit-in. Definitely the best SS pre I've had in my system, but also the most expensive.

As usual, YMMV.
todster
7 posts
 
I also have the Lotus Elites (predecessor to the Vipers).

My impression has been that Carl voices these speakers with a eye towards tube amps rather than SS. I alternate between a Conrad-Johnson MV-60 (EL34 version) amp and an Audio Research VT-100 Mk2 (6550), depending on whether I'm in the mood for the luscious EL34 midrange of the CJ vs the extended frequency extension of the ARC.

I have tried SS in the form of the Creek 53530SE as well; always ended up preferring the tube amps. Yeah, the Creek is not in the same weight class as the ARC, but it is no slouch.

Good luck with your search...
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I too once owned the Elites and I must say they worked quite well with the Pass Aleph 3s (30 watts, Class A), you might think it would be underpowered, but it did not seem that way. Are the Vipers as "tube-friendly" in terms of impedances as the Elites? Are they as sensitive? If so, I don't think you need the 125 watts mentioned in the OP, I think 10 watts was the recommended minimum - they were not power hungry or in need of much current. If true, a 60 watt tube amp would seem more than enough power to drive these speakers to very loud levels.
hawk28 OP
121 posts
 
Very helpful thoughts, guys. The Nola Vipers are not very sensitive (86db) I believe, so I know I need some current to push them. If 60 tube watts is all I need to properly drive them, then I will begin concentrating on some tube integrateds, or lower powered tube power amps.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I noticed that their manual online says they need 10 watts minimum, but that does seem awfully low if they are really 86db, though I still think 60 tube watts should be enough power for most listening in average size rooms at sane levels. I would give Carl a call, but 60 tube watts is alot of power for speakers with smooth, highish impedance.
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