High-current tube amps

The KR Enterprises VT-8000 MK might interest you:(http://www.enjoythemusic.com/krpano.htm) (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/channel/chhifi98/chhifi98analog.htm)

If you don't need a lot of SPL, check out the Art Audio line. I have used their 13 watt Diavolo and 16 watt Carissa Signature on my Maggie 3.6's but they have a pretty flat impedance curve which SET's love. Their standard and high current version of their Jota has even more power and current which might be the best for your WP7s. SET may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think everyone should try it once in their lives. It's just essential that in doing so the amp is happy with the speaker. They do make more powerful PP's if you need to go to "11".

I don't believe there is such a thing as a high current tube amp. High current implies doubling output into lower impedences. But, I could be wrong.

>>High current implies doubling output into lower impedences.<<

No it doesn't.

>>But, I could be wrong.<<

Yes, you are.

WP7s are an easy load for tubes. The real issue is how much power do you need- and for that, in many rooms, the answer is that 100 watts/channel is a good minimum.

Just because an amplifier does not double power as impedance is cut in half (and no tube amp does that) does not mean it can't be 'high current'.

But first we have to be clear about what 'high current' means. In the world of tubes, there is no good answer for that, especially since in the past, many transistor amp manufacturers used the term to express how many amps were available in their power supplies!

These days 'high current' refers to the ability to provide the needed current when subjected to certain load impedances, for example 4 ohms as opposed to 8. Well, tube amps do not have the same behavior that transistors do, but its easy enough to get them to drive 4 ohms, although there really isn't any good argument for doing so if the best possible sound is your goal.

Tube amplifiers for the most part will exhibit a 'constant power' quality, that is to say they will attempt to make constant power regardless of the load impedance. Of course, no tube amp actually does this, but the more capable ones come pretty close.

This is quite a bit different from the ideal for a transistor amplifier, wherein the goal is 'constant voltage' into any load. Here is where you find amps that double power as impedance is halved.

The question is: what does that have to do with sound? Is that important to our ears? Most people who are looking into tube amps already know that tubes have a quality that is preferable to that of transistors; so it follows that the importance of doubling power is unimportant. IOW that has nothing to do with good sound. Matching speakers to amplifier is.

So- look at the intention of the speaker designer. If their speaker (in this case the Wilson) is designed to be easy for tubes, then the ability to double power ('high current') is unimportant to the designer's intent for best performance.

For more information see
http://www.atma-sphere.com/papers/paradigm_paper2.html