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Looking for Amp suggestions or Avalon speakers

I am in the process of downsizing due to a smaller living space and think i have settled on Avalons (either the Ascendants or the Ideas) for my new speakers as their footprint is acceptable to my spouse and i like their sound.

My old amps are the Sonic Frontier Power 3 monoblocks but sadly probably have to give those up as well due to the amount of space they take up. I have also always liked the Conrad Johnson sound (haven't heard alot of other amps so wanted to give an idea of a sound that i have liked over the years).

I have always preferred tubes to solid state but i have heard some say they think the Avalon's sound better with solid state?

In either case, i'm looking for suggestions for an amp that would mate well with the Avalon's. I'm fine with buying used equipment. Looking for something in the under $5,000 range (though of course would love to get away with spending less if i can).

Thanks in advance for all suggestions.
dkonstruction
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Ayre weakest point is depth. I compared Ayre with Pass Labs. Pass Labs gives a much wider and deeper stage. Avalon can give a deep and wide stage so this will work better with Pass Labs.Beside this; you need a warm sound with Avalon to get a good involving sound. With Ayre it is less involving. With warmer sounding speakers Ayre works better. I sold Avalon over 6 years of time.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hi Dkonstruction,
I generally prefer tube amplification same as you.If it is in any way practical
I'd advised you to listen to the Ayre prior to buying it (true for any
component if possible). I don't care for their sound quality based on several

listening experiences and they have little in common with good tube
amplifiers IMO. Their character is dry and a bit flat/sterile but again, others
will find them wonderful. They're recommended fairly regularly on this site,
so as always it depends on what your taste is. You may hear it and be
smitten by its sound, who knows? Audition with your Avalons if at all
possible. I've heard Avalon sound good with Jeff Rowland amps and not so
good with Spectral amps. You like the presentation of good tube power
amplifiers, that may
remain the best option for your long term satisfaction. Just one man's
humble opinion.
Good Luck,
Charles,
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
Charles is right, I prefered also Avalon with tubes. Personally I never liked any demo with spectral. Because in mu opneion classical music sounds in real a lot different.

In the last few years I sold to a few cleints with Avalon spakers Audioquest cables. This gave superior endresults compared to the MIT cables they used.

One of the weakest points of Avalon is an extreme fysical snall and realistic individual focus of instruments and voices. It can give a wide and deep stage, but within this stage instruments do not have the sharpest individuel focus.

In real instruemnts and voices are very direct and small in dimension. I call this intimate focus. Audioquest give a much sharper and fysical individual focus than MIT gives. But also in timing and in resolution it outperforms MIT with ease!
siddh
345 posts
 
A friend has Transcedents driven by Bat VK-75...happens to be one on Audiogon for asking price under $5000.00. I have heard Ascents coupled with early Rowland and Threshold amps. Both sounded very good to me. Front end, including preamp and cabling likely will contribute to the synergy.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
You need to be aware that the weakest point of Avalon is what I call intimate sound. This is a physical small and realistic proportion of instruments and voices. Avalon is very good in a wide and deep stage, but within this stage you want a superior physical touchable stage as well.

The biggest mistake I found in many sets is the use of MIT cables. Because there limtation is also the lack of a very small and physical image. In the last years I have sold Audioquest to many MIT owners who use Avalon. I invited people at my home to let them hear what a realistic 3 dimensional stage can be. After this I came to their hoem with Audioquest cables. And it was very easy to show them the difference.
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