ICON AUDIO. Very well reviewed. And reasonably priced.
Recommend a good tube power amp in the 100 wpc range for under $4k
Folks,
I am looking to bi-amp my Fyne F702 speakers, with a solid state amp for the low end and a tube amp for the mods and highs. The Fynes are floor standing 2.5 way units with 93 db sensitivity and 100 wpc rms power handling capacity. My preamp is a Rogue Audio RP-7, and my current solid state power amp is a Benchmark AHB2 at 100 wpc. My goal is not so much more power but to put a tube amp on the middle and highs. The Fynes have two sets of binding posts, one for lower frequencies and one for mids and highs. I am looking to go active bi-amping with a Sublime Acoustic K231 Stereo 3-Way Active Crossover.
In addition to an amplifier recommendation, what else do I need to consider? For example, if I buy an amplifier with wattage output similar to the AHB2, what other factors do I need to consider? Because I do NOT want to modify the speakers in any way, do I need to consider a gain control to match level differences resulting from other factors, such as impedance differences? Or, can I just hook up the crossover between the preamp and the two power amps and enjoy the music, which is what it is really all about anyhow?
Many thanks for any and all comments.
- ...
- 59 posts total
I'm not a fan of the Raven amp aesthetics (looks like a run of the mill Chinese amp to me), but I do remember that 6L6GC kind of sound (vintage Heathkits - 5881 and 7581A) sounded absolutely wonderful with my 93dB Tannoy Kensington. Classic tube sound. That kind of tube & sound in a more modern form factor (binding posts, connectors etc) with a little more power (40 - 50 Watts at least) would be hard to beat. Haven't heard the Ravens myself, but probably not a bad choice. KT88 and KT120 seem to need a lot more power and brute force behind them to sound "whole" the way those 6L6 amps do. |
Hey Mike4597, Mix a tube amp with a SS unit for bi-amping & you’re GOING TO HAVE PHASING ISSUES. OK, before you throw out the baby with the bath water, all you MIGHT need is a few tweaks. To sweeten up that mid-range, swap out the 12AU7’s in your pre-amp, swap out the stock tubes for · NOS RCA Clear tops. Interconnects, try the entry level XLO’s, $275/pr (consider used). They’re not forward, but I find the mid-range timbre more transparent. Bi-wire your speakers. Try Kimber’s entry level wire. If yea just have to have a new Amp, consider Antique Sound Labs Monsoon (http://www.uptownaudio.com/as/as.htm), or better yet the Canadian company, Coincident Technology (https://coincidentspeaker.com/). Their 211 PUSH PULL DRAGON amp is to kill for. (Consider used).
|
- 59 posts total