2. amps-preamps
  3. 159531-110095

Tubes?

I have Revel Salon 2 speakers. Sensitivity is about 85 db. and 4 ohms. They are power hungry speakers. Currently, I am driving them with McIntosh 601's and a McIntosh solid state preamp. I was look looking at a pair of McIntosh MC2301. They are tube amps rated at 300 watts into 2 - 8 ohm loads. I listen to all types of music (sometimes at very high levels). I never run out of power with the 601's, but I am very intrigued with tubes. This may be a misconception, but I remember some friends who played guitar saying, tube watts were louder than solid state? Perhaps this is not really true or not true regarding home stereo. Perhaps the best idea is to keep the 601's and get a good tube preamp?                          Thanks, Dave 
tobor007
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
A few thoughts.

1. +3 or +4 on a nice tube preamp with a quality high power SS amp. Those speakers are almost certainly designed to be driven by a SS amp. Arguing with a designer and using equipment out of its intended use case is a tough road... 

2. You don't state what is wrong with your current system. If you do feel like something is missing, a report of what that is *might* improve the quality of the comments.

3. If you do want to change amps, have you contacted the speaker manufacturer to give them your budget and ask for a recommendation? No one knows more about what will work well than them. Maybe once you get a few options from them you can bring those back and try to get some additional feedback from other users.

4. I also love SET amplification and high efficiency speaker designs, but was able to find happiness with a SS amp and 6sn7 based pre when I discovered that my current speakers were not as efficient as advertised (Coincident PREs). There are many paths to beautiful music reproduction.
daj
87 posts
 
oldhvymec

Appreciate the warning. I'm quite familiar with the narcissistic personality type.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,910 posts
 
People is what they is for the most part, not likely to change.

"Never Wrestle with a Pig. You Both Get Dirty and the Pig Likes It"
elliottbnewcombjr
5,922 posts
 
here's a hybrid, MC901

mono: 300 wpc tubes for mids and highs, 300 wpc ss for woofers

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/amplifiers/MC901
audition__audio
1,676 posts
 
I used to think that SETs had a magical quality with the right speakers. 8 hour listening sessions over a few days comparing SETs (300B single and parallel single ended), KT88 push pull and OTLs was a real learning experience. Speakers used were the DeVore O/96s and all I will say is that the SETs, while having a great midrange, came in dead last. The push pull amps sounded a bit fuzzy but were more linear and powerful. The only amp that had no drawbacks and won in every category were the OTLs. Because I cant find a high efficiency speaker that I like, lower powered tube amps are not an option. I am also having trouble finding a high impedance speaker that I like so OTLs are not yet an option. 
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