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"Fast sounding tube amp" with plenty of power? any?

I recently had a chance to audition an ASL 1008 monoblocks to run my Thiel 3.6s and I found the amp to be able to run the Thiels and the warmth of tubes is there but it just sounds too slow.When I switch back to my Krell FPB 200's the music seems to sound normal again. I know this is not the best that tube amps has to offer and the Thiel 3.6's are not the best speakers for tubes,so I need your recommendation. Speakers that's at least at par with the Thiels 3.6s speed and transparency and a matching tube amp with balls.
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brianw
373 posts
 
I've found that Tube Research Labs amps are very fast (dynamic, especially compared to traditional tube sound. Info is available at www.savantaudio.com, though their prices aren't current.
vtvu
97 posts
 
Transcendent Sound SC150 monos. As fast as solid state.
I should know. I own them and have used many solid state amps (McCormack, Sim Audio, PSE, Meitner, Adcom, to name a few). I am auctioning my SC150 now on audiogon because I am using a lower power OTL amp with my Merlin VSM-M.
audiokinesis
2,754 posts
 
Among the fastest amps in the world are Atma-Sphere's line of OTL tube amps, which includes the 220-watt MA2 MK2 monoblocks. Atma-Sphere amps boast a slew rate of 600 volts per microsecond! Very few amplifiers even list their slew rate any more, but 50 volts per microsecond is typical for solid state, and 200 volts per microsecond would be quite fast. Tube amps are often down around 15 volts per microsecond. The only amps I know to be faster than the Atma-Spheres are the Spectrons and Goldmunds, but they don't have the magical midrange and relaxing voicing of a good OTL tube amp. Other OTL amps are probably quite fast as well - I just happen to be familiar with Atma-Spheres.
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