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Amp Upgrade Path?

Or maybe the question should be: What am I missing? I'm relatively new to the tube world. About a year and a half ago I bought a used Rogue CM1 (KT120 power tubes) and have steadily upgraded sources and cables....and enjoying it very much.
I'm at what I guess I would call full circle again...meaning my sources are here to stay for the immediate near future and I'm back to thinking speakers and amps.
As I gather, different power tubes have different sonic signatures and I just don't have a reference to what that means.
Is a Prima Luna better then a CM1?
maybe an Air Tight?
And then there is configuration: Power amp with a preamp? Mono Blocks and a preamp?....or stay with an integrated.....
The major short fall of the CM1 (imho) was the phono stage. This was corrected by a EAR 834P mm/mc phono stage. Analog source is a Nottingham 294 Space deck w/ a Lyra cart....w/ Acoustic Zen Matrix interconnects - thank you Audiogon  for getting me there.
Thanks for all recommendations
Budget: let's say 5K new or used
 

smaarch1
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,502 posts
 

Best is:

Mono blocks, Stereo power amp and preamp, Integraded, in that order.

 

I'm back to thinking speakers and amps.

Pick your loudspeakers first then get enough power to drive them. What loudspeakers do you have now?

 

smaarch1 OP
95 posts
 

Totem Hawk.... I really enjoy them
what would you suggest to head into the mono block world?

deadtrader
7 posts
 

For under 5K it's going to be tough. There are power amps with dual mono geometry, which is the same as a pair of blocks (not as sexy though). I just purchased PrimaLuna, did a bunch of searching and found a Dialogue HP with < 100hrs for $2400 and at UpScale they have some new old stock that still sell for their org retail. I got a PL Prologue Premier Pre-amp with full warranty for $2200. They are both dual mono build. So it can be done.

By the way the amps sound great about a 30% SQ improvement with my old Revel's over the old Rotel amps. 

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,502 posts
 

what would you suggest to head into the mono block world?

I don't think that is where you should go at this point. There are many ways to go but I would start you with a pair of Triangle AUSTRALE EZ. Maybe do a little tube rolling on your Rogue integrated, you'll still need a sub to get the very bottom but you'll have a big step up from the Totems and a very nice sounding system. Work on getting your room and system sounding it's best and enjoy for quite a while before you'll need to change anything. 

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