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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
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!
soix
9,456 posts
 
Seems like you're pushing a bad hand here. ATCs may work with 50wpc tubes, but sounds like they really don't open up fully until you give them some real juice (even more of an issue because you listen to Rock/Pop). I would think to do that with tubes would require a fairly large investment that you don't seem willing to make (although I like the Moscode idea). By the way, how much are you looking to spend -- that would help? I liked the recommendation of trying a tube preamp -- seems to make much more sense in this situation.
xsacta
6 posts
 
Have you considered the Cary 120-S. It's pretty round sounding. Cary amps tend to be the polar oppositive of VTL where nuetrality is the goal. If not the 120-S, the SLM-100s or 200s maybe. The music you like dictates using amps that sound round and a tad lossy. Good luck
pani OP
1,219 posts
 
Hello Guys...Well, I think I was bit in a hurry.
After trying out few things, I have started to realize how good is the combo of Symphonic Line + ATC....YES, they go very well together.

The reason I was worried initially was some lack of warmth which I thought was not the fault of ATCs...but then I also discovered that its not the fault of the amp either. It was altogether the cabling and positioning issue. I borrowed a couple of cables from my friends and played around with toe in/out up/down and to my amazement, everything fell in to place once I had these things in optimized. There was warmth, musicality, speed, definition, dynamics....you name it.
I would agree with GregM here....that the killer dynamics and speed a Symphonic Line delivers is almost too much to expect from a tube amp with real world prices. I was looking at amps costing about $6k. I anyway use a tube preamp with my S-L power amp but the tube preamp is very neutral and clean type and not the typical sweet and romantic type. Its not analytical at all but neither does it make up for and lack of warmth else where.

Anyway, I would still want to keep this discussion alive for future reference of all our fellow members. Lets talk about what other options one can have withing $10k range for amplification with ATCs.

I am sure ATCs will love pure class A power (thats where I may want to get to in future). It definitely shines with ultra smooth, high quality power like very few other speakers out there. So what options are open for ATC users. Lets take into account that one is also open to used gears under 6k (like me).

1. Pass Labs X250.5, X350.5
2. Accuphase
3. McIntosh

I thought Octave would fit the bill because a friend of mine had visited RMAF last year and heard the entry level Octave V40 int amp driving a Dynaudio Sapphire to pretty loud levels and that was just a display by Octave of their capabilites. I think you guys would know that Dynaudio has officially tied up with Octave to be sold as a combo from the same dealership network. Howz that !!!!

Please share your opinions on this further.
soix
9,456 posts
 
I'd add to your list the new Clayton Audio S100 -- love to hear what that amp could do through an ATC midrange.
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