What Power Amplifier Should I Buy?
I am looking to increase my system power. I currently am using a Bryston 2.5B cubed, which is specified at 135 Watts/CH. I am using Revel f208 speakers crossed over at 120 Hz to a 15" HSU sub. The f208 speakers have 88.5 dB sensitivity (Amir measured 88-89dB SPL at 1W into 8 ohms). I sit about 7.5 feet away from the speakers and listen up to 92 dB SPL, but mostly stay between 80-90 dB SPL at my listenin g location.
I have not had power issues. I've never seen a clipping light. I just want more oomph. I've never had a power amp with more power than the 2.5B cubed.
My budget is about $5K. I have been looking at some used 4b cubed amps.
My preamp is a vintage ML No. 38s. Digital from Bryston BDP-3/BDA-3 combo. Analog using Koetsu RS and Shelter 901 cartridges into an SUT (20x) followed by a very vintage Paragon System E used as a phono preamp (I have fully repaired this preamp, particularly the power supply).
I like the sound of the 2.5B cubed. I had a Cary 120 tube amp for some time, but grew tired of the heat and the continuous maintenance, including the insane prices for tubes. I did not experince that great "tube sound" that others rave about. I sold the Cary and went back to the 2.5B cubed.
Will the 4B cubed disappoint?
What other amps should I consifder, new or used?
Thanks for your help!
@zlone @hkfan Yeah, that’s why I’m throwing my hands up on this one. Something’s just outta sync here along with an insufficient description on what the OP is looking for. Sometimes ya just gotta punt, and hopefully someone else can help unlock this cryptic riddle. |
@soix Hi, I can understand your frustration. Please tell me how I can clarify. I would like to keep seeing your inputs to my questions, even if it is not complementary. I value what you have to say. I cannot explain why this XP-12 was a failure in my system. I did swap out other preamps such a couple of vintage APT/Holman ones. I had no problems with either. I even sent the XP-12 back to the factory. I live 30 mins from the Pass facility, so I hand carried the preamp to them and explained directly to the tech what I heard. He did find a problem with the older gain modules. He replaced them with modern ones and retested OK. However, when I put the XP-12 back in the system. the sibliance was still there, unlike all three of the other amps. So I just don't know why I had this experience with the XP-12. I did everything I could think of to make it work. The suspicion that the 38s preamp is masking a different problem may have some traction. The problem with the XP-12 occurred with all inputs, two phono cartridges Koetsu RS and Shelter 901, the Paragon as Phono preamp and the SUT, one Technics SL-1200G TT, a re-aligned Sansui TU-X1 tuner, and the Bryston BDP-3/BDA-3 combo. I can't see how each of these could separately create the same sibilance. I have looked at the Bryston BP-17 cubed before. Perhaps I should pick one up and give it a try. |
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