A nice problem to have indeed - I still regret having sold my XA-30.5. I might get one again, but that would be three amps.... I think in both cases, from these two manufacturer's you are talking about two of finest designers around and choosing is ultimatley personal taste, they both excel at what they do. |
I mix RCA GTA Grey glass with Sylvania GTBs. Some argue that mixing is a good approach. |
What 200w Class A mono blocks do you have? I moved from CAT JL2 100 w Class A triode to Atma-sphere M-60 for use with my Merlin VSMs with no regrets at all. The OTLs are magical with the right speakers -- as sbank describes. |
Well then, you are used to heat - a good thing. Interesting that you are considering Atma; seems like a very different kind of amp. Obviously you have some very excellent SS amps, what is it about the MA-1s that are making you consider the move? |
Jtimothya, I know what you mean about gushing. I was thinking about Atma-sphere amps for a long time as I knew that my Merlins were very OTL friendly, but I was not so quick to change from my CAT JL2 which is a mighty fine amp. Well I finally pulled the trigger and let's just say I understand why there is so much brand loyalty for the Atma-sphere gear. With the right speakers (perhaps fewer limitations with the MA-1 and 2), OTLs are very special indeed, and the M-60 seems to be perfectly suited in terms of power for the needs of my speakers. I think Tim Aucremannk's review in Soundstage is very well written and captures the Atma-sphere sound very well.
As far as SS, I've not heard better than the Pass XA-30.5, and I assume Nelson's higher powered versions are just as good, and necessary for less efficient speakers. |
Rushton's comments on the driver tubes are right on. I found a combination of RCA GT Grey glass with Sylvania GTBs to be just right, the RCA are a bit more "romantic" sounding than the Sylvania and just right in combination for my ears. Same thing in the preamp, where tube rolling changes the sound a bit from neutral to warmer - in general RCA (warm) Sylvania more neutral. I'm not sure that tube rolling would address what Tom hears, but it might. |
In the preamp I use matched RCA GTs which are a bit more romantic than the Sylvanias. The GTs are generally not used in the amplifier because they can't handle as much voltage as the later GTA/Bs. RCA or Sylvanias are proably the most used NOS tubes by Atma-sphere owners as they are relatively available, affordable, and sound good. |
Tim, Tom, are both of your observations with Atma-sphere preamps? I do wonder about the issue of "pleasant" distortion, and no reason not to seek it if it sounds good, why not? - but is this the sort of thing you hear in live, unamplified music? |
Agree on no best at everything. I tend to prefer neutral because euphonic coloration is alays there, though possibly always pleasant. With equipment on the neutral side of things, different recording sound quite different from each other acoustically. The tradeoff for me is that good recording sound better and poorer recordings sound worse. It is a tradeoff for sure, and one chooses between these two approaches. |
Rushton, are your feelings about the MP3 based on the phonostage and the linestage? I'm using the MP3 with the VCAP and Powersupply upgrade and it sounds very good to me. I've heard more universal praise for the MP1, but I'm wondering if that is based on phono performance. If the MP1 is that much better as a line stage I would consider it. |
My favourite combination in the MP3 (2 12au7, 2 6sn7s, and a 12at7 not in audio circuit)is the 1940/50s RCA 12au7 Blackgate combined with the Sylvania 6sn7GTA (not sure GTB would make any difference). I tried the RCA Cleartop and Siemens 5814 which seem some what similar to me, compared to the Blackgate 12au7. I use the pre with the M60 amps and I think the 12au7 lends a touch of warmth which is a nice touch with the neutrality and transparency of the amps and my Merlins. The RCA 5814 seems very similar to the Blackgates. My combination definitely performs very well for my music and ears, but I don't doubt there may be even better combinations out there, but I'll stick with this for a while. P.S. I use RCA combined with Sylvania GTBs in the amp - 2 RCA in front 2 Sylv. in rear slots; I prefered this to all Sylvania. This being said, the Atma-spheres sounded great with any of this combinations, it is just a bit of spicing to a basic recipe. |
I think the GTAs and GTBs are essentially the same sonically. The older GTs are preferred by many, but can't be used in all the Atma-amp tube positions becuase the can't handle as much current as the GTA/Bs - they seem to be fine in the preamps. I think you hear more about the Bs because thet are more readily avaiable. |
Ralph, is there any problem using US made (e.g., GE) NOS 6AS7s with MKIII amps? I thought I read somewhere that they could be a problem with fixed bias amps (I take it the MKIIIs are not). |
Since we are on the topic, sort of, what are your preamps of choice with the Atma amps. I assume the Atma pre would be a natural pairing. Was that best for you? Have you preferred something else? Why? Or tried others and decided the Atma pre was best for mathcing with their amps? Why? Your thoughts? |
For some reason, the MP-3 doesn't seem to get the respect of the M60s, and I wonder if this is due to the phono stage. As a line stage it seems to let the M60s do the transparency, microdynamic detail, incredible timbral accuracy and expansive soundstaging thing that the amps are capable of. I've tried a Joule LA150MKII and Dodd Battery pre with the M60s and they sound quite different (and more similar to each other) than the MP-3 with the M60s (both warmer and plumper in comparison). To my ears, the Atma-spere pre is an important part of getting the Atma-sphere "sound" - for better or worse; I like what the whole package can do, and to my ears there is no better amp that I've heard with my Merlins than the Atma-spheres; that first amp after many tries, where I found an amp that let me sell my CAT JL2 with no regrets - at all; I prefer the Atmas with the Merlins - though I suspect the CAT can do its "thing" with a very wide array of speakers. |
Just a comment on NOS tubes. I have been rolling a few and I jst want let it be known that all tubes I have received from Andy Bowman at Vintage Tube Services are clearly matched and quiet, very quiet. With other sources I have not been so lucky. I'm sure you can get well matched from other sources, but Andy has never failed me. |
Has anyone tried the SED 6as7? How does it compare to Ralph's Chinees tubes? Anyone try 6080s? I'm using GE 6080s and it sounds wonderful, but want an extra set of 6as7s for backup. |
