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Smooth Sounding Tube Amps that Can drive ATC

Hello All,
I have just entered the world of ATC and just starting to realize the new ball game. I have bought a pair of ATC SCM40. I have upgraded from a decent Dynaudio so I do have some experience of neutrality + Musicality concept.

Dyns are in general more "homely" if thats something you can relate to. They also require good amplification but they mostly work well with good solid states. Thats why I use a Symphonic line which is a very nice SS amp. Powerful, Fast, Dynamic, Rich and Controlled sound. However I find that, with ATC in a small room I would enjoy a more forgiving amplifier. Thats because most of my recordings and musical preferences lean towards Rock, Pop, Blues etc. And I dont carry a lot of audiophile grade pressings.

I have heard the ATC being driven with a 50 watt Audio Space tube amp and it sang very well. No signs of strain or struggle in the sound but overall it was very smooth and with right amount of laid back nature. I normally like middle row presentation...anything forward is not for me.
So I just thought starting a discussion and analyzing what options I have if I plan to buy a smooth yet gutsy Tube amp which can Push the ATC well with Control and drive in the bass, liquid smooth mids and sweet highs. A tad bit of coloration on the sweeter side is Okay with me at this point.

The basic requirements that I have gathered are:

1. The amp should be at least around 50 watts at 8 ohms.

2. Should be known for driving insensitive loads. ATC is not a difficult load because its impedance doesnt vary much but they are insensitive and they like to be driven hard. They sound really good when played loud. Thats the way I listen to music as well...a bit loud.

3. Preferrably a fully tube design. Hybrids are okay but I am not very sure because they still have SS inside.

4. The amp should be very clean sounding, noise floor needs to be very low.

5. Brands that I have found make such amps are:
a) Graaf
b) Octave
c) Einstein
d) Audio Space
Please add your recommendations and opinion to this list.

I know there are good SS amps that are also very smooth and liquid sounding but my guess is they would be normally pure class A amps like Accuphase A30, Pass Labs etc...and they can get very expensive. Tube looks like an easier and more attainable path on this road.
But I am open to any suggestions, if you think it satisfies my requirement.
pani
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
I can't give any advice on a good tube amp but I can suggest you a few albums that will sound good.

Blues: Keb 'Mo
Rock: Dire Straits (although some of their live stuff is mixed a bit bright), Tom Petty Greatest Hits and Wildflowers, Midnight Oil Earth Sun & Moon, INXS (anything), Dr Hook Greatest Hits, Goo Goo Dolls, Creed, Third Eye Blind, Toto (not the remasters)
Pop: Stuff mastered for dance clubs will generally sound way better than stuff mastered for radio play. For example Duran Duran, Chic, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Grace Jones and suprisingly a few of The Clash tracks. The extended versions are usually given special treatment - leaving dynamics in tact. Steely Dan is good but it can sound a bit over engineered when played on ATC (you will be rather aware of how extremely precise/polished these recordings are).

Punk & some alternative (like Garbage, Green Day): Forget it - it will sound harsh if you play it too loud - it is meant to that is just the way it is (many of these have large amounts of digital flat top clipping on the CD).

Stuff from the early 80's - prior to audio compression (U2 Steve Lillywhite type sound starting to take over) are often very good (but beware of remasters from 1999 to 2005 - hit and miss in that group)
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blindjim
3,092 posts
 

Not for nothin' but why not a tube preamp instead of another amp entirely?

Personally, that's the way I'd go. Tube preamp.

One note though... there are those recordings which no matter what, simply can't be played on higher res systems. Some just plain suck.

I've found my answer for those sorts is to play them on less resolving systems... My PC for example, my BR HT system.

The bad pressings were aimed at a particular crowd. Geared to be played most often on boom boxes, mono radios, etc. Back in the 50', 60's, and through much of the 70's many Pop, rock, & RB genres were mixed down just that way... for use in car's with one 3x5 or 6 x 9 speakers... and so forth.

Taking them out of their orig element by replaying them on very good equipment, shows up their true nature quite clearly.

Dumb down the rig or use a lesser resolute one to play those bad discs with.... works for me... OR just deal with it.

it's like seeing a pretty girl across the dance hall room. She's great looking from that distanced and dim view. Up close in good llighting, the glamour disappears... sometimes.... or you see better any flaws which are there in fact.

trust me on this, if the source info isn't good to begin with just how is it supposed to get better down stream?

it won't. A tube pre will help some, specific cabling will too, but nothing fixes bad Cd's better than playing them on the stuff they were intended to be played on originally..
gregm
3,405 posts
 
Pani -- OK, the amps you're considering are top players! BUT having tried many of them as well as ATC's here goes. Trust me on this one :)...

a) Einstein: forget it. All are underpowered (even the big stereo). Great products, the integrated is the best IMO.
b) Graaf: forget it. The only product that *may* drive it is an old 200W otl. It now probably costs more than a Ferrari, so buy the Ferrari instead, it's a better deal. I love Graaf sound -- on horns.
c) Octave: another star sonically. Forget it. Only the big monos *might* work (called "Jubilee") and they cost a fortune.

d) Why don't you simply purchase a pair of S-Line RG4? You can probably buy 3pairs for the price of the big Octaves! If you already have these (if so, why are looking?), go for the classA Kraft.

e) DOn;t know the Audio Space. Maybe that's your ticket if the 50W rated product drives yr ATCs. The others don't. They may sound as if they do, but you're losing musical energy and information. NOT what you bought those ATCs for!
Regards
tsciame
88 posts
 
Have you considered VTL? They make great amps that can drive anything. You may want to look into a ST-150. It rocks!
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