2. amps-preamps
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Still working on choosing a power amp

System: Rogue Audio Perseous Pre amp, Rogue Audio ST-90 Power amp, Krell SACD Standard, Project RM 10 TT, B&W 803s speakers, Staight wire cables. Have been researching options for a power amp. Thought about Rogue M-150 monoblocks and some others. Would there be a sound conflict if I use the Tube preamp w/ a solid state power amp? It seams there are more options for higher power amps that are SS. Therefore more headroom. So, what's the deal? Do you loose the tube sound?
dougdubin
dougdubin OP
8 posts
 
Bob,
The Rogue Perseus has an Output Impedance of 450 Ohms. Does that mean the input inpedance of the power amp should be 4500 ohms? So, for example the Mcintosh line of SS amps have an input impedance of 10,000 ohms... therefore would that be a poor match?
Doug
jylee
306 posts
 
Output impedance is lower the better, and input impedance is higher the better.
mingles
800 posts
 
07-21-08: Dougdubin
Bob,
The Rogue Perseus has an Output Impedance of 450 Ohms. Does that mean the input inpedance of the power amp should be 4500 ohms? So, for example the Mcintosh line of SS amps have an input impedance of 10,000 ohms... therefore would that be a poor match?
The 10x rule is a guideline. Your power amp should have an input impedance of *at least* 4500 ohms. If it's higher than that, that's better, as Jylee said.
07-21-08: Dougdubin
Yes, but do you think you loose a little of that tube sound?
SS amps sound different than tubes. Many people prefer tubes. Why do you want to change the ST-90s? Do you play your music loud? Are you running out of juice at high volume?
mechans
3,048 posts
 
I love big sound and like my music on the loud side. I had been searching for the amp that invariably made great music. I was using 400wpc SS amps. They had that dreaded glare and would cause listener's fatigue quickly forgettaboutit.
I finally listened to my old pal Trelja who in his philosophy page (Ultrvioletaudio.com) is very firm about the fact that only tube power amps or integrated with tubed power tubes could ever give you true tube sound.
I know, as does he, that this runs contrary to popular belief and is hard to accept. The idea to many, including myself, was put tubes in the signal path and that's all you need.
So I got the requisite tube preamp only to suffer more. Finally I sold the SS monoblocks and got tube monoblocks. Losing more than 300wpc. These amps put out 75-80 wpc and I can't get the amps to clip even playing in the high 90s dB ten feet away. My speakers are not all that sensitive JM labs Focal Elelectra 936s I think they are a 91dB perW/M speaker. The sound is pure glory you have a tube power amp correct? Why are you unhappy?
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