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Which one to choose between two 80K$ tube amps?

There are two interesting 80K$ tube amps on sale at Audiogon.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9jhj0-david-berning-co-211-845-otl-tube

The first one is David Berning OTL design with output of 60 Watts.

it looks beautiful. But I had never used OTL amp yet.

I am curious how it sounds with high efficiency speaker.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa27ii-jadis-ja800-flagship-tube-amplifier-six-chassis-best-ever-made-nos-new-old-stock-tube

The second one is Jadis JA800 with 6 pieces and 400watts.

I had used JA500  (only 4 pieces with 350 Watts) from 2000 to 2002 to drive B&W Notilus 801 with utmost authority and unbelievable slam.

It was kind of lifetime experience to own this beautiful and overbearing monster.

But I could not use it during summer time in modest size room.

Thus I let it go and got Silbatone 300B SET amp to drive efficient full range speaker.

350 Watt to 8 Watt

If you have money or hit the Jackpot, which one will you go for?




128x128shkong78
shkong78's avatar
shkong78 OP
1,485 posts
 
Hello Ralph

It is not easy to get the "spooky" sound out of system.

Although Lansche 4.1 is not the same league as vintage western horn, it gives almost (maybe 85%) spooky sound driven by SET amp with plasma tweeter.

I used to drive it with Silbatone 300b SET but after moving to larger listening space, I had been using Line Magnetic 508 SET.

I had spent above my annual budget since last December with purchase of used Scaena 3.2 and hundreds of 6sn7 tubes for shootout.

Next year I may try your OTL amp on Lansche 4.1
keithr
1,306 posts
 
Take a look at the Auditorium 23 Cinema Hommage 
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,407 posts
 
5K for a half century old high mileage used tube?
No thanks. Does not matter how good it was originally.  But I guess all one needs is a single buyer. 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
shkong,
One thing is abundantly clear, you know what type sound you like. I believe that you will eventually have your Western Electric vintage horn system. I don’t think you’re going to settle for less.

Your Line Magnetic 805 output tubes SET is praised for its organic and beautiful sound quality. It will very interesting to read your impressions of an Atma-Sphere OTL amplifier if you pursue that route. They are also highly regarded as well. No doubt two different approaches. I wonder how they’ll differ driving your Lansche4.1 speakers.
Charles
shkong78's avatar
shkong78 OP
1,485 posts
 
@charles1dad

Thanks Charles for your kind word.

You got the point right.

With Lansche 4.1 and LM 508 after lot of tube rolling, I almost got the sound that i want.

Only thing that i want as a final step is to get the Western vintage horn.

But genuine full horn is pretty costly so I had better save enough money.


I am also curious how OTL sound with either Lansche or Scaena speakers.

Thus i may try Atma sphere next year which will not be very costly.

Atma shpher use quad 6sn7 tubes as driver stage.

After doing shootout of 6sn7 tubes, I have nice collection of 6sn7 tubes.

Thomas
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