Good Amp for Martin Logan Monolith II

Minor1, I wish I could tell you I kept my 23.5, but I didn't. Wouldn't it be great if we still had every piece of stereo equipment we ever owned. I simply don't have the room.

Just think, with 4 VTM 120 monos you wouldn't have to worry about being cold in the winter.

Stereo amplifiers are less expensive and the VT 100 made a big hit, but I have always preferred mono amplifiers for their big soundstage. The Audio Research M 300 monos worked very well on the Monoliths full range.

Thanks for the recommendation, I will give it a listen.

Eliane Elias is brilliant. My Foolish Heart and Tangerine, also on that disc are great.

Are you familiar with Grant Green? On his CD, "Idle Moments", Blue Note, listen to the title track, almost 15 minutes long. This recording really says something about the resolving power of the big Martin Logan panels. Through my CLS while each musician takes their turn, there is a strange sound coming from the right speaker before the sax begins his solo. It is Joe Henderson blowing air through his horn to the tune of the song while he is warming up for his solo and it was picked up by his mic. I'm sure this was not audible during the recording session or by any other speaker for that matter.

Okay, Grant Green, Idle Moments is my next purchase.

Thanks for the recommendation. You know, the fun part of this is that I can actually borrow equipment from my favorite store in San Diego and they let me take it home for extended listening. I may borrow some AR Amps and take them home to listen. I am not in the amp of the month club, I'm not, I'm not!

enjoy

It's great you can borrow equipment from your local dealer. It would be a good way to find out if your system would be more coherent with all tubes and if it is meaningful to you.

I was runnig the Dunlavy SC IV speakers with Audio Research tube electronics. Dunlavy never believed in bi-wiring, but the dealers and reviewers pressured him until he started offering binding posts for bi-wiring or bi-amping. I tried the speakers both ways and I preferred the sound with single wire because the speakers were much more coherent.

I will be interested to know if you try another pair of tube amplifiers on the bottom and the results. Please keep me posted.

See, the problem with not being in the amp of the month club is that if I go to my favorite stereo equipment dealer, Stereo Design in San Diego, borrow two mono tube amps and take them home and use them instead of the ML3, and they sound better (which I really doubt by-the-way), then I'm in a situation where I may be stupid (for me) enough to buy them, when I really don't need to do that at this time. This year, I'm suppose to be saving money and not spending money (unnecessarily). Very subjective I know. I haven't heard a tube amp just powering bass woofers that really out do a very good solid state amp. They are typially slower and don't have the bass slam and bass realism that I hear from a good solid state amp. But, one day when I am very patient and have the strength to not do something stupid, I will do that. I wish I had friends nearby that I could borrow their amps and try this. But alas, no one nearby. My closest friend with massive VTL mono amps lives in northern California.

enjoy.