Amps that don’t impersonate space heaters.


There have been some epically hot periods in metropolitan Chicago this summer. I have had a long running affair with a pair of Avantgarde Uno s2’s and don’t really require a great deal of power. I have two dissimilar but equally compelling amps (a Pass 30.5 and a BAT vk-56) both prodigeous producers of heat creating a sauna like environment in my library/listening room the HVAC system not withstanding. What, if anything, have you boys and girls found that might replicate the qualities of my beloved amps minus the potential for 3rd degree burns and heat prostration?
Cheers and good fortune to you all. 

williamjohnston

@helomech interesting. 
My Wilson Sabrinas are 87db and dip into 2ohm. 
I have 2 amps - CSIB and Boulder 866. Different bass but the Coda isn’t lacking. I’m slightly puzzled by your findings but it could be room and speakers. My system is in a pretty small room - 15x13

I started using class D am[lifiers in my space-constrained home office a few years ago.Earlier this year I picked up cherry, 4 yr-old pair of Bel Canto 600M monoblocks. I can't say enough good things about these amps.They have a smooth, refined, powerful sound. They're a real taste of the high end. And of course they put out very little heat.

I do the AGD Audions for the summer and switch to Primaluna mono blocks for the winter. I look at it as a space heater that sounds great! laugh

Go check out Derek Sanderson’s Fleawatt amps, you’ll be very surprised.  When I A/B’d it against a 6B4G SET amp, I had trouble justifying tubes, it just made no sense in running tubes when I listened to it….

You can go class D or you can just reduce the amount of power.  Think of it this way.  Class A is 25% efficient.  So you pass is delivering 30w x2 so that means 90w x 2 is just burning off as hear.  

You need 1 very good watt to drive those speakers.  Even Class A, 1-5 watts may remain extremely inefficient but if you you were to take say a 5w PX25 amp, it will burn off 15w x 2 instead of 90w.  

Flea watt tube amps are the way to go.  I offer Art Audio which are lovely amps and are magical with Avantgarde, particularly the PX25 but it is a lot more than your current amp.  Any good manufacturer that produces a 45, 2A3 or PX25 will give you what you want I think