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Tube amp decision - Thoughts

Looking for a synergistic connection. I have, IMO, a very good setup. But I believe I errored in one important aspect. I always wanted a ruler flat response. I believe I achieved that. Great recordings sound great. But the majority of recordings seem to sound a bit thin in our system. Not to others audiophile types but I have to admit now that impact has got to be part of the quotient for greater enjoyment.

I have a pair of rather efficient Tyler Acoustic Decades. They sound very accurate as they're reputed to be and most folks run tube amps with them, perhaps to warm them up a bit.
My system consists of a Pass labs X350.5 which has played stellar through Dynaudio, MBL and AV123 Line Arrays.
An Allnic L3000 preamp really makes this system sing in 3D.
Sources are a VPI Scoutmaster and a modified Oppo BDP83SE backed by a BDP95 in stock form. A lot of attention has been paid to my AC.

It's all well and good but my family and I feel that it lacks impact and warmth with a lot of "modern" CD's or streamed FLAC files. I have Def Techs in our TV room which having built-in subs are pretty fun to listen to if not so transparent and refined. But it did drive home a weakness (perceived)in our 2 channel setup.

Having visited many audio shows, my wife and I always seemed to love the rooms with Prima Luna Dialogue amps playing in them. Of course they are generally partnered with NOLA speakers. That seemes to be an amazingingly synergistic combination. Rogue Audio amps as well seemed to captivate us. But there are a lot of great tube amps out there. Thus the post.

I'm going to build a pair of LS-9 line arrays. I owned the LS6's and sold them some time ago. These are also tube friendly speakers.

So given a $5500 dollar budget new or used, where to go?

Thanks for your responses.
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Showing 1 response by grannyring

grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,436 posts
 
I have been looking at your system and think you have some very nice components. I owned the very same speaker you have and found they like power and IMHO no tube amp of 50 to 70 watts will do. Sensitivity ratings on paper don't often tell the whole story and these like power.

From your comments you enjoy the sound of tubes and I have a suggestion that may help you. First, the D1's are not relaxed sounding and would benefit from an amp with with sweet and refined tonality. If you want to keep them I would consider these two Hybrid amps.

Monarchy SE260 monos
Aesethix Atlas stereo amp

Both will give you what you are looking for. The Atlas amp is the better of the two and will cost you $4500 IF you can find one used. I use one on my Nola Viper Reference speakers. I am also annoyed by thin sounding recordings and female voices that hurt my ears at louder volumes. I am more sensitive to this as I get older. What you are experiencing is exactly why I purchased Nola speakers and this Atlas amp.

I have not heard a Pass amp but understand they are very good sounding and wonder if replacing the amp is really what is called for? For what it is worth, I have heard tube amps that are brighter and more forward sounding then some SS amps. I ended up moving on from the D1's because they did seem to attack me when I wanted to be drawn in. Very good speakers to be sure and the builder is simply a great person.
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