Looking For Neutral Tube Amp Recommendation


Looking for recommendations for power tube amp that is neutral (not analytical) for speakers that are very efficient: Power handling- 100watts; sensitvity-93dB @1w@1m; nominal impedance 8ohms; minimum impedence- 6ohms. Speakers can not be bi-amped.
winston50
The room is 25'L X 17'W X 14'H. Budget can go up to $20,000

A member of my audio group has a room 42L X 25W X14 H and powered Kharma Exquisites which are less efficient than your speakers. He was on the edge, not really enough power but since your able to play loud with less and your space is a bit smaller the Lamm may work.

The speakers are analytical so I do not need amps that replicate this. Musicality is what I am looking for.
The Lamm is musical, as are many tube amps. I can think of tube amps that are very modern and almost pass for solid state but Lamm is not one of them.

The other amp that would work is the VTL 750. They are half your $20K budget or less and have similar personality (overall tonally) to the Lamm. The Lamm is better at low level detail, runs cooler and is a less complicated circuit and it's personality shows in the music. Still, the VTL is wonderful if you want power and great tonal balance.

I just typed Lamm in the search box on the front page of Audiogon, there's a pair for sale at $11,000.00 (within your budget). I know nothing about that seller or the amps but if typical resale price it does fit your budget.

The good thing about used is you don't take nearly so much risk. If you buy Lamm , VTL, Audio Research or other well known product and don't pay too much, it's as close as you can get to money in the bank and still be able to try it out.
If your pre puts out a balanced signal, a pair of Atma-sphere MA-1 or MA-2 monoblocks might be a good choice. They are not romantic; I would call them fast, transparent, dynamic and relatively neutral. They do not sound like solid state, that's for sure, but not colored, either.
The Lamms are always at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Go have a listen. Beware though. The 3.0's are out, and they are definitely out of your budget!
Your description and speaker screams a great match for Atma-Sphere. The current mk III versions are best. The MA1 mkIII would be more than powerful enough for your speakers, and perhaps even the M60s would be a good match and save you money/energy/heat. Mate w/balanced preamp to get the most out of the design.
My Dehavilland Aries 845G would also be a good fit. They are SET, but more powerful than most SET, and mate well w/wide range of speakers. A tad sweeter mids than the Atmas, but still not euphonic like many tube amps. The newer model with the GM70 tube is even higher power if you don't mind a less common tube.
The Lamms are also a good choice.
Cheers,
Spencer
Until I hear better, I'll keep suggesting the Dodd mono blocks with all the upgrades. My room is about half your size but with about the same imp & eff speakers. My musical tastes are quite similar to your own too.

I doubt if i ever tax these amps. they sound great with even complicated musical passages, are dynamic and definitely involving. Easy to maintain, and inexpensive to roll tubes in or re-supply tubes too. Are a slam dunk budget wise used, and a quarter of the budget new. the newer ones reportedly have still more headroom. They are single ended only however, no XLRs. Very nice however.

Albert P could shed more light I suspect, on the Dodds.

Good luck