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My Final Amplifier Purchase - What Would You Buy?

I'm a lifelong audiophile/music lover and earlier this week, I had a life changing event. As a result, I am now in the position of purchasing what is almost certainly my last power amplifier.

To quickly explain, I was just notified that my entire department will be outsourced, effective September, following the completion of a transition. The buyout is not great, but they do extend my service time for an additional period, allowing me to begin receiving my full pension in September. So essentially I'll be okay financially, but certainly not enough to buy this level of audio gear down the road.

So, what this leads up to is that I was in the market to buy a quality used power amplifier (up to $4000.00 budget)to upgrade my system. I can still manage to do that, but clearly need to do it soon while the paychecks are still coming in. In the future, I simply won't have the financial means for a purchase like this.

Thankfully, the rest of my system is solid, and this should essentially complete things for the future. I'm very happy with the preamp, but I suppose that could "possibly" change one day, maybe to tubes,in a break even trade, but beyond that,if it even happens, the system should remain what it is.

Current system:

Meridian G02 Preamp
Meridian G08 cd player
Olive D4 Music Server
Silveline 17.5 speakers
Marantz SA8004 SACD player
Bryston BDA-1 DAC

and the power amplifier that I will be replacing:

Atma-Sphere S30 MK III.1

I truly love the S30, but a friend recently upset my satisfied audio world when he brought over his new Plinius SA-103 amp and that changed everything. Even more than the sound of that amplifier, which was superb, it became readily apparent that the Silverline 17.5's really only open up and fly when given that kind of power (100 wpc or more.) I also tested it further with a second amplifier and verified that the power is key to really getting the most out of the speakers.

I have long been an avowed tube lover, but there simply are not many options with the kind of power I am in need of, that fall within my budget. I've included a few as options below that put out 75wpc, because in my experience, thats roughly the equivalent of 100 wpc in solid state.

In a perfect world, I would just move up to the Atma-Sphere MA Series, but my budget is far insufficient. Also, a key factor is that I have a small room, even the M60's which (might) have enough power, would create a literally sweltering environment. Trust me on this, I've even talked to Ralph Karsten about it previously, and he agreed.

Based on that, some earlier suggestions here in the forum, and a massive amount of research, I have narrowed things down to a number of choices, which are, from my perspective, likely the best options. What I am truly in need of are any thoughts, expertise and experience you might have had, especially with multiple amplifiers on the list. I have not actually heard any of these. Also, if there are better options that I've missed, please mention them.

Lastly, remember that I would be buying used to maximize my options and value. Thanks in advance for any assistance in helping me choose my best path here. The help is greatly appreciated.

What I have identified as good possible options:

Parasound JC-1's

Pass X250.5

Pass XA 30.5

Jeff Rowland Model 6 Mono's -(I fear these only appear extremely rarely though, and given their age, may need servicing and new caps,etc. possibly putting them out of reach)

BAT VK-75

Modwright KWA 100SE

Primaluna Dialogue 7 Monoblocks

An old Threshold S series thats been refurbished? - These have always fascinated me, but would it last another 20 years?

nightfall
salectric
755 posts
 
A sensible question and sensible replies. For what it's worth, I think it would be a mistake to abandon tubes. Having been down that road a couple times in the past, I ended up unhappy and eventually returned to tubes. I also happen to think that tubes are the better choice for a "lifetime" amp in that a properly designed tube amp has the potential to be more reliable than solid state, plus the tube gear will always be fixable whereas the solid state may not be. Transistors get replaced by new models and equipment using the older transistors may end up obsolete. It's one of life's ironies but it seems that the supply of popular tubes will continue for the rest of our lives with no concern about obsolesence.

If I were you, I would consider two options: a higher-powered tube amp that can drive your present speakers or a change in speakers that will be a better match with your tube gear.

There was a time when I found myself in a position similar to yours in that I thought I had settled on the Martin-Logan CLS as my speaker for life and decided to go the high-power solid state route to drive the CLS properly. I started with a Classe DR-10 and when it didn't deliver the goods I was told I needed more power so traded it in on a Classe CA-300. Both Classe amps were impressive in many ways but over the years I missed the special qualities that only tubes can deliver IMO. Ultimately I ended up with higher efficiency speakers that were easier loads for tube amps, and now I fully expect to use tube amps for the rest of my days.
lindisfarne
511 posts
 
Naim 250 is the best I've heard (but, in the context of your system, who knows).
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Ditto Salectic
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Ag insider logo xs@2x
tonykay
1,302 posts
 
Nightfall,

I have seen Spectral DMA-80 monoblocks (the pair) for half of your $4,000 budget here on Audiogon. If you're looking for new, then you're right, they are out of reach. Used is a different story. Afterall, you asked what I would buy.
nightfall OP
188 posts
 
Again, thanks to everyone for the continuing comments and recommendations. I appreciate all of the advice and perspectives being offered.

Several people have mentioned the possibility of changing speakers and thats a fair question. I do really love the sonics of Atma-Sphere S30, and higher efficiency speakers would allow it to remain. Here is the challenge of going in that direction. The Silverline 17.5 are very good speakers, though granted, not an ideal match for the S30, as Ralph so accurately pointed out.

Replacing them will not be easy, for a number of reasons.

Martin G. DeWulf, editor and publisher of (Bound for Sound in / issue #181 / Sept 2007) said this of the 17.5's:

"Let's pretend: If someone were to ask you, "If you could have any 2-way bookshelf speaker on the market today, what would it be?" What would you say? I think my response would be the Silverline 17.5, Yes, the competition is heady, and it would include the Wilson Audio TinyTot and the Magico, amongst others. But I think I would stick with the Silverline."

One of the primary reasons I chose these speakers is the fact that they can play any kind of music very well, and I listen to acoustic music, singer songwriters, rock, female vocals, and even Gregorian Chants at times.

The small room they are in, and physically unchangeable aspects of it, also requires a bookshelf speaker, and one essentially no larger than the size of the 17.5's (14” x 9” x 15) and that are very effective in a somewhat nearfield configuration. The seating position of the listener is no more than seven feet from the speakers.

I'm not aware of any speakers of high efficiency, that are this small, which would also work optimally in the described nearfield setting, with all types of music (excepting large scale classical. That does not mean there arent any, and you may know of some.

Does a suitable replacement for these exist within the budget I have that meet my needs?
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