I've owned the Ref 3's for several years and have powered them with a Marantz SR 7200, bel canto eVo 6, and recently, bel canto Ref 1000 mk IIs. The Ref 1000 mk IIs improved the stereo imaging and grabs the bass by the gonads with an iron grip.
I was weaned on watts even though I longed for warm SETs. |
Don't know the best, but I use a Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300. Silky smooth highs and solid bass. The mids are true to life with a coolish/dryish presentation. Plenty of power for sure. Typical preamp gain is 9 to 11 O'clock position. Rock'n out ear splitting Rolling Stones is 12 to 1 O'Clock with complete composure. |
I use a Music Reference rm-200 (100 w.p.c) in conjunction with the Gallo subwoofer amp powering the voice coils. Works very well. On occasion I'll crank up some heavy metal, and have never had a problem with too little power. |
My Two Cents:
I drive my 3.1's with the Bel Canto Ref 1000 monos which put out 500 watts into 8 ohms. I really love this combo and highly recommend it. As mentioned earlier in this thread Anthony Gallo himself uses the Spectron Musician III which is a 600W/ch stereo class D amp (similar to the Bel Canto). The only other advice I have is to avoid using a receiver to power these speakers if you like to listen with some real volume. Prior to the Bel Cantos I was using a Rotel 1057 with 100W/ch in stereo, and it would clip at not too unreasonable higher volumes. Speaker damage is mostly caused by too little power and rarely too much. |
Anthony Gallo uses Spectron amplifiers for the developments of his speakers and also present his speakers with Spectron amps only. This year at CES he presenteed his $17k flagship also with Spectron
Good Luck
Rafael |
I settled on an Odyssey Khartago upgraded to a stratos that I got on this site. PLENTY of power! Also, used the resistor tweak and have ended up with really nice bass, the Odyssey is a bit on the bright side, but not bad. Also the one I got has a broken post -- can't even connect a spade without tape! Does any one know where I can get connector posts. I figure for $840 including shipping I couldn't do too bad. |
I own Gallo 3.1's in two systems. I use a Classe DR-8 (70wpc but high current) and BAT VK-500 with BATPAK (250wpc and enough current to act as an arc welder). I don't think the 3.1's need a ton of juice, these happen to be the amps I use and I'm very happy with the results. |
Oceanica, sorry but you can't. My SET monoblocks were designed and built by a friend. I can provide a schematic if you contact me off line, but the builder has moved out of our area and AFAIK has not constructed any more than the 3 pairs he built a couple years ago. I was running Conrad Johnson Premier 12s (140wpc) at the time I first heard them and there was no contest at all. They use Magnequest trannies, 845W output tubes. EL-34 driver tubes (Mullard Xf1's currently in mine,) and 6N7 input tubes (Mullard ECC31's in mine) with solid state rectification. That's three tubes per side. Dave |
Rogue 150 mono blk. or try a good digital amp. with a tube preamplifier. |
Has anyone tried the resistor tweak for the Gallo's? While the bass rolls off significantly below about 60hz, I do not mind that so much as the somewhat bloated sound at the crossover point.... |
DPogue-- forgive my ignorance, but, where can i find the monoblocks you recommend? Price? |
How about the Odyssey stratos with 120,000pf capacitors? |
Dave Pogue's setup sounds truly marvelous, it's amazing what those little amps (with the BIG transformers) can do.
I'm driving my Gallos with an H/K Signature 2.1 amp. The Gallos really like to see a LOT of current. The H/K fits that bill nicely with +- 100 amps. It's also driving my Gallo Due (thanks Dave!) center channel as well as my Gallo Ref AVs in the rear...
Look for amps with manly, beefy transformers and buckets of current.
-RW- |
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Dear Oceanica1
Why not move up to the 200W/c Valve Audio Predator?
Regards |
I'm driving mine with 12wpc SET monoblocks (845 output tubes) with never a hint of strain. Humongous transformers, though. I have the Gallo subwoofer amp to drive the woofers' second voice coils, so there's no shortage of bass. The Gallos obviously have a very benign impedance curve (8 ohms nominal). This is in an 18 x 40' room, BTW. Dave |
I like the Edge M6m that I am using . |
They like alot of power. I didn't like them too much with a Parasound JC-1, but they sounded pretty good with VTL 450's. |
