Amp Choice for Acapella Campaniles


I purchased a set of Campaniles last summer and have been trying to optimize them since then both with respect to room placement and amps. The speakers utilize a plasma tweeter, a midrange (non-compression) horn using a Dynaudio driver and four 10" SEAS drivers for woofers in individual rather large sealed boxes (2 woofers per 30" by 12" by 28" box). I have to date tried two very different amps (Parasound JC-1's and Wolcott 220 mono tubes). The JC-1's are still breaking in but thus far are promising, still lacking the dimensionality and warmth of the tubes but with superior control of the bass and dynamics. I understand from the designer that the JC-1's will gain in both of these areas as they break in. Any suggestions with respect to other possibilities with these very revealing speakers. By the way, the JC-1's exhibit absolutely no brightness or zip in the top end. I think that 100 watts would be the minimum amp size needed.
fcrowder

Showing 1 response by justacoder

Hi Fred,

It'll be interesting to hear how the JC-1s evolve over time. It is too bad we are so far apart (well, not that far in the overall scheme of things...) that we can't visit and hear each others systems without a lot of effort. Someday though...

Our new Edge Signature monoblocks are working out really nicely so far on our Campanile Highs, though they are still only a couple of weeks old. The Edge NL-10s are very nice with the Campaniles, but the Audio Aero Capitole (50 watt push-pull tubed) amplifier was more musical and satisfying and just plain wonderful in comparison (especially paired with Shunyata speaker cables) - with a richer texture and more engaging macro dynamics (this is an excellent system - the Audio Aero/Acapella Violin pair have won a number of best of shows in Frankfurt over the years).

But the Signature monoblocks with significantly more power - in an all Valhalla setup - is the best system, in terms of overall performace (especially PRaT, richness and general musicality), we have ever heard, anywhere (in the over 30hz frequency range - the amps still keep changing day-to-day in the deep bass regions - loose one day, overly constricted the next). And these amps are new, and Edge amps all take a very LONG time to break-in.

HP was right that these have the same character as the NL-10s - but the added power on the Campaniles really helps the notes to unfold and blossum, with huge amounts of richness and texture - both in time (amplitude) and timbre (frequency), effortlessly produced, with no overlap (lots of seperation), all against a clean dark background.

Yep, we like them :-) The musicality of tubes without all the bother. Of course, next week we get in the Lamm ML1.1's - an amp renowned for its musicality - and they will have to be broken-in as well. And at that time, when they are both fully broken-in, we will just have to see (hear) what tasty flavors of orgasmic sonic delights these two amps are capable of!

-Mike (Audio Federation)