Help with very low noise, SS amp for La Scalas?


I just bought a pair of Klipsch La Scalas and like them enough to build a system around them. I need some suggestions regarding the appropriate amplifier.
I really don't want to get into the tube amps. I've had them before and they are nice and warm, but I want to keep it simple and not mess with them. I also want the extreme clarity that clean, natural solid state will provide.

I need a SS amp that will provide 50-85 WPC and have a S/N ratio of >= 105 dB. The La Scalas are very efficient (104dB/W/m) so I don't need a lot of power at all, but I still want as much as would be prudent. I was looking at Bryston amps, the 3B-ST and 3B-SST but they are a little too powerful for my speakers, at 120 and 150 W/Ch. They have excellent noise floors though, at 105 and 110 dB above the noise floor. I'd like to get a very neutral, non-grainy amp that will pair with my Muse Model One preamp. I need to replace my CD source, but plan on getting something mildly musical and warm, like a Muse 296/8 pair, McIntosh MCD 7010 or Myryad player.

What other amps are out there that will have such a low noise floor and neutral presentation?

As an aside, I'm really impressed with the La Scalas after listening to them for only a few days. I can see they have the clarity, imaging and detail that approaches my previous ribbon speakers. I had Apogee Stages and some tall Maggies and have always looked for something that will mimic their detail and soundstage, but be less finicky and require less maintenance. Once I get the correct components and I replace the crossovers with the ALK design, I expect these to image as well as ribbon speakers with much more dynamics. The only weaknesss I see in these speakers, when properly set up, is that the bass does not extend very far at all. That doesn't bother me because I'm not a bass-o-phile, but it is noticable.
geojap

Showing 1 response by sean

Bare in mind that, due to their high efficiency, you'll only be using a watt or two at the very most for most listening unless you're listening to a recording that is very dynamic and / or you are "trying to raise the roof" and jamming. As such, you need something that is biased above this point. Otherwise, crossover distortion will come into play and the system will become more fatiguing than it should be.

Having said that, i would think that the Ayre and Pass suggestions above would be excellent candidates. I know that Bob Bundus is currently running an Ayre amp with his Belle Klipsch ( fancy La Scala's in beautiful cabinets ) and seems to be very happy with it. You might also think about a Muse amp too, even though i've never heard them. They are supposedly very well built and combined with your Muse preamp, i would imagine that there would be a relativey good amount of "synergy" taking place. Personally, i don't think that Bryston and Klipsch make for a good match.

As far as having "too much power", you can't have that. That is, so long as the quality remains consistent over the quantity delivered.

As a side note, the La Scala's are capable of sounding SO much better than how they work out of the factory. In order to achieve this though, you almost need to build a new cabinet or do some rather radical modifications to the existing cabinet. Sean
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