Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

Hi Rtn1 and Bvdiman,

Thanks. As you can see, my thinking has evolved towards Class A sound SS while still including some high powered tubes. i have heard great things about FM Acoustics, in large part due to the many A'philes who have praised them on this site. Yes, the CJ is RCA only...Gryphon provides their own adaptors into their balanced inputs. I will try to find a place to hear FMA's if i can...expensive, but so is Gryphon, Lamm, Wavac... perhaps second-hand/demo which is what this website is all about.

Given how many tubes one needs to have (and to replace!) for 300watt tubes, and given that i have a tube DAC and tube pre, i am starting to lean towards SS. i just have to audition carefully myself and decide. thanks for the advice!

Lloydelee21,
Another thing, try to avoid mixing and matching (pre-amp/amp) from various brands whenever possible. As I have found from lengthy trial, REF3 to best compliment the REF600mkIII, and so does the FMA to fully come into their own only when mated with their respective pre-amp (and cabling too!).

Somehow by doing this, I found the sound of each to be more rightly balanced (coherent and linear) top to bottom (synergy?). Thus, if you like your current sound, I would rather you look into upgrading from one of CJ's own stable. Unless of course you have a longer term plan of switching the pre as well eventually. Just my two cents.. Good luck.

Hi Bvdiman

I would somewhat agree that using the same brand pre and power does and should have a synergy that makes them sound like tea and biscuits.
the reality is that we are all looking for "our" sense of what we believe is the illusion of music. Some amp manufacturers do not make as good pre amps and visa versa.

If the amp or pre amp is designed correctly it should be able to interface with a large majority of systems and sound great - some more so of course.

I think this is why Krell has a lot more respect for amplifiers than their pre amps and having both maybe too much of a good/bad thing.
I used to own FMA 122 phono stage and it was great, however overall it was somewhat unforgiving and dry sounding. Couple that with a pre and power from FMA I am not sure if it would go too far in that direction - maybe not.

I guess that is why a LOT of audioiphiles couple SS amps with tube pre's, so they can get the so called best of both worlds. I have yet to hear a SS amp that I can personally live with, but that is me.

anyway, it is all good fun

Hi Downunder,
Yeah, I guess that is why there's that classic saying "many ways to Rome"??.. Well everyone's got their own/preffered cup of tea. I've tried lots, and this is where I'm at. And so have you I'm pretty sure. So to me, forums like these are basically just plain good ol' fun and genuine sharing..

Incidentally, I happened to be living in Sydney and started this undying hobby there! Still remembered started my first real system in '82. Bought my CLS from Seeto in Drumoyne, a Krell KSA80 from Len Wallis, and VTL Ultimate (first one imported to the country) from Joe (Audio Connection). Those guys were more/less my mentors, and as you see, they taught me that thing of having the best of both worlds right from the very beginning!! Great guys, hope they're still around? Missed Sydney too..

Re: FMA 122 Phono, 16yrs ago I came to a somewhat similar conclusion to yours with their FM266 pre. It was originally meant to be partnered with my 611 but ended up with some other tube pre at the time. Only to realize yeaaaaars later that it was actually the shortcomings of early premature digital gears that those FMA pre let through 'much more faithfully'. But then again back then, it's nice to have some cushions somewhere to soften my landing ..no ..make it hearing.. =) Cheers!

Bvdiman

Seeto is long gone - about 10 years ago at least. Len Wallis is still going strong - more home theatre I would believe than high end.
Joe is probably the No1 hi end dealer/importer in Australia these days. Joe has got lots of $$$ from me, including the thread mentioned Strad's and my mac amps.

cheers