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Best Tube Amp/Preamp combination with Quad 2805s

Recently upgraded my Thiel 1.6 paired with Krell KAV-400xi integrated amp for a pair of Quad 2805s. Told that the Krell pairing probably won't bring out the best in the Quads. Looking at PrimaLuna Dialogue 3 preamp and Dialogue 7 mono amps. Also advised to look at an Audio Research combination of pre-owned LS17 preamp with pre-owned VS115 amp.
The price combination for the PrimaLuna and pre-owned Audio Research actually comes out pretty comparable. I love jazz, jazz vocals, and classical music. I really want to find a combination in the $6k-$10k range that gives me the closest approach to that "live" performance. I love a big, natural soundstage, front to back and side to side. I just don't want something too analytical with the Quads that becomes fatiguing to listen to.
Any thoughts out there between the PrimaLuna versus Audio Research sound? Any other classic pairings to look at for my price range?
vitman2020
philipwu
214 posts
 
hi Ralph,
base on your Paradigm theory, is ALL solid state amp belong to Voltage Paradigm? what about those amp which cannot double its power when impedence half?
regards.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,662 posts
 
Philipwu, now you see why the conflicts of these two paradigms has spawned the tube/transistors debate; yes, nearly all transistors are on the Voltage Paradigm, but not all- the Pass First Watt amps would be an example.

The Quad has a pretty variable impedance curve- which causes a lot of transistor amps to be bright in the highs and not play a lot of bass. If you investigate, you will find that most people that get bass out of Quads and transistors usually have the speakers only a couple of feet from the wall. This gets them some bass reinforcement, but only at one frequency.
don_s
271 posts
 
I would like to reinforce what Joe_appierto wrote. Legends can sometimes be a big pain. People who are not familiar with the newer models keep repeating the wrong mantra. The newer Quads (2805 & 2905) can handle more power than their ancestors. In fact, they prefer more power.

Cosider amplifiers capable of 150W or more.

philipwu
214 posts
 
hi Ralph,
may i refer you to an Amp called AMPZILLA 2000 ver.2 Its spec mentioned :100% stable into any load angle 0 to 90 degrees, capacitive or inductive, regardless of waveshape.
is this Power or voltage paradigms? Thanks again.
I've noticed electrical phase & impedence varies greatly especially in electrostatics, will this amp serve better if it is Power paradigm?
Regards.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,662 posts
 
Hi Phillip, If the amp can double power as the load is cut in half, then it is Voltage Paradigm. That is because the voltage stays constant regardless of the load.

The Ampzilla is an example of that.

The big variation of impedance in ESLs means that for most transistors, they can't make the same power into the bass regions that they can into the high frequency regions. Add to that that the speaker is really expecting the power of the amp to be the same at all frequencies. This causes transistor amps to not make enough bass and to make too much treble as I mentioned earlier.

That is why you generally want tube amps with Quads!
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