Anyone own Linear Tube Audio Amps?

Huge LTA fan here and former ARC owner. LTA are David Berning designs utilizing novel technology (ZOTL) and power supplies. Simply in a different league among tube amplification. For the Tannoy’s I’d go with the UL integrated—you don’t need the power of the 40 and the UL is specifically designed for high efficiency speakers. Great products, way more reliable than ARC and very responsive folks.

AD3 & Keith- That is a lot of good info, thank you!

From what I read the Coda has surpassed Pass in

several ways. Love to see a blind test of those two.

 

Okay re the LTA. Not going back to separates so the LTA INT options

are all I would consider. If budget allowed I would buy Berning gear.

 

I want great mid range vocals and musicality. To me musicality means an

engaging sound. You turn your head when a given passage sounds amazing.

 

So what to do?

I can sell the pass for what I paid last year. $5,500. The MSRP is now up to

$7,750.

The LTA Ultra 20 INT -my abbreviated name- is $6,250. This is the model Nico

recommended.

Resale would probably be a big hit as LTA is a relatively unknown brand.

 

I am also in a decision making mode right now between the new Fritz Carrera

7BEs and the old Tannoys. My Tannoys had the crossovers totally redone

by Danny Ritchie last summer. They have wowed people.

 

Now I have enough hours on the Fritz to have a good feel for what they

are about. I have them on a 30 day trial.

 

FINDINGS:

Tannoys:

-Better producers of a locked in center image and an overall wider soundstage.

-Better at movies/TV watching

-Hard to beat the midrange of these bigboys on female vocals

 

Carreras:

-Better at top end detail. a veil or two removed as compared to the

Tannoys yet not at all forward. SD Beryllium.

-The 7" Scanspeak Revelator mid woofer (version used by Wilson) is rated down to 40 hz -same as the Tannoys. Produces a cleaner, faster bass.

-It is a two way system with a series crossover so coherency is amazing.

I use a REL T5x Sub so the bass is still good.

 

I am leaning toward selling the big Tannoys and keeping the new Fritz

speakers. New sound with more detail for me and wife who is thrilled

to see the big boys go away.

 

I know I will regret selling them but I am a "One System" guy who

does not believe in having unused gear in a closet.

 

Does anyone else have something to add for my consideration??

 

 

 

 

AG- What are GRFs?

Might want to look into the Rogers integrated tube amps. 

I own both the Rogers integrated amp (65V-2) and the LTA 40+ integrated. I've had the Rogers for a while and really like it. I saw a chance to buy the LTA 40+ integrated used and jumped on it. It has all the upgrades including the phono stage and SUT. I initially enjoyed the Rogers in triode mode which is maximum tube sound. I started to want more detail and started listening (el34s) in ultralinear mode and that's when I hit paydirt. After getting the LTA, I was initially disappointed because, as posters have said it was more SS like and clinical and did not sound very warm or tube-like. After doing some research, I changed the tubes in the preamp section, 12AU7s getting some nice tubes from Brent Jessee. Boy did that make a huge difference. The LTA came with KT877s and not the EL34s but that works fine. The big difference between the Rogers and the LTA now is that the LTA is faster, more detail and separation. I am hearing stuff in the music I never knew was there including the ability to hear things in complicated passages or where multiple voices or instruments are playing together. The change of the preamp tubes (and I've changed the 12AX7s and I'm going to change the last 12AU7s) really brings in the tube sweetness without giving up the stuff that makes the LTA special. I've had the LTA for about 6 weeks so I couldn't have provided this information earlier, sorry.