2. amps-preamps
  3. 1154464577

Choice of tube amp?

I`ve auditioned some tube poweramps lately, the Rogue Zeus and the VTL S-400. This has left me contemplating a change from SS to tube power amplification.
My system consists of: APL Hifi NWO-2 cd/tube preamp, Pass Labs X350.5 and Martin Logan Summit. The APL and Summits are here to stay :) The Pass is up for discussion :) The Pass, in my setup, is a little dry sounding and doesn`t involve me as much as I know the APL and Summits are capable of. I`ve researched a little more than Rogue and VTL. I`ve been talking to VAC, Audio Valve, Wolcott, CJ and Cary. Any suggestions? And how they will compare to the Pass in my setup? If you feel my question is dumb or that you need more information, just tell me :)
mibviking
mibviking OP
21 posts
 
I`m not interested in Jadis, I`ve heard some of their models and they sounded slow and dull IMHO. I`m looking in the direction of the new Supratek Malbec and Wolcott 140s or Wolcott 280Ms.
bartokfan
664 posts
 
Jadis as 'slow and dull". Hey its only your opinion, why should I even respond. I can name 3 slwo , dull, grainy famous american labs. But I' won't.
Love my JOR!
mibviking OP
21 posts
 
You say your opinion and I say mine. Isn`t that OK? You suggested them and I have auditioned them and found them of none interest. There was a reason for me not mentioning them in my first post :)
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
Ralph/Atmasphere,

I'm confused by your following statement made in your 08-02-06 post:

"If you are running ESLs it is the nature of the technology that you will have to run tubes for best results."

vacuum tubes have always been voltage devices & have traditionally never been good at driving low impedances. That's why McIntosh tube amps often use autoformers at the output. IMHO, that is also why your amps use several tubes in parallel to both get the output power up & the effective output impedance lower.
How, then, can you state that tubes work the best w/ ESLs?

Also confused by this statement from the same post: "but it is only half successful as you still deal with a dry coloration that is inescapable with most transistor amps due to the characteristics of the speaker (including the impedance curve)."

The low(er) impedance of the ESLs should play superbly into the hands of a ss power amp as sourcing/sinking current into a low impedance node is where such designs excel.
I can understand & concede on the "dry colouration" aspect of ss amps vs. tube amps.

Sorry for the ignorance/stupid questions. If you could shed more light on your statements, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
jmpwme
106 posts
 
What about the hybrid amps, the Blue Circle 206 for example. I'm currently using an original apl 3910, BC 3000MKII pre and BC 206 with the Summits. Pretty nice. Haven't tried the 3910 direct yet, will be trying that shortly just to get a listen. I can only drool at the thought of the NWO-2 with the summits.
More to discover