Tube amps for Eggleston Andra II


I've noticed some discussion & recommendation for various ssolid state amps for the Andra II - but it seems many do not attempt using tubes with them. I'd like to hear from anyone who has Andras or heard them with tubes & their thoughts. My Wyetech Topaz monos were too weak for them so I went to the Levinson 23.5 but am not a solid state fan. I just borrowed a pair of Sonic Frontiers Power 3s from a cooperative dealer & they work much better than the Levy. My room is 25' x 13' x 8' with the speakers firing down the long side. Cement floor with carpeting & using ARC Ref 3 / PH7 / Jena Labs / Redpoint / Triplanar VII / Dynavector XV1S.
I'm especially interested in anyone who has heard the Andras with Lamm ML1 / Manley Neo 250 or 500 / VTL / CAT.
Any comments would be appreciated.
omegaman

Showing 5 responses by dev

The Andra 2's speakers are amazing, I just recently replaced my Wilson W/P 7's which I owned for two years with these and prior to that I had for 4 years Revel Salons.

This is a second system for me, not my main.

Tube amps, what I have found in the past in my systems is that no tube amp has done what a good solid state can in specific areas and the same goes with tube sound in other specific areas.

I seem to have more luck using good solid state amps with a tube pre.

I have only had the Andra's for two months now so I have not done allot of changes because I want to get use to their over all sound and presence.

Equipment that I do have is the McIntosh 501 mono blocks, Audio Research Ref300 mono blocks, Audio Research Ref3 pre, Audio Research Ref2 MK 2 pre. and VTL 7.5 pre.

Sources; Audio Research Ref CD7, ARC CD3 MK2 player, McIntosh 300 Music Server

I still don't really beleive what I currently have hooked up in my system right now. I have a Bel Canto Dac3 along with their Ref1000 mono blocks, no extra pre. I am using the Dac3's digital pre., my ARC cd player and Mac server hooked up via Stealth Sextet, AES digital cable for the ARC player and RCA digital for Mac. Server and the sound is shocking, solid state and tube sound.

I was exspecting the Bel product to be a joke and take it right back out immediately but so far this has not happened. The Bel set-up has about 50 hours on it and really impressing me wow! totally shocked.

I still have along ways to go though before prior to commenting and giving my opinion on the differences once I put other gear in and out. I will say this, if you know me personally and have heard my system set ups something has to be going on for me to say that I am impressed.

I really have to say the Andra's are amazing speakers, for my main system I sold the speakers and looking at replacing them.

I have in mind the Savoy's, MAXX 2'S, VON Schweikert but this is a tough call mainly because of the size of the speakers. If in the end you don't like them it's alot harder to sell plus the investment made is higher. I presently want to really get use to the sound of the Andra's with different gear and then I will go to the next step for the other speakers.
Okay, the wife went away for a few days on bussiness and I have turned the upstairs room into a mini audio room. I hooked up my ARC Ref300 mono blocks, ARC REF3 pre, ARC REF 7 cd player and now I'm wondering how can I get this same sound but in a smaller equipement scale and not loose out on the sound that I am getting. The only area I am having issues with is the bass, it's good but the bass on the Ref1000's was better in control and deep double bass notes which are important to me.

I have my Mac 501's that I'm going to try tommorow.

Regarding the Bel Canto, all I can say is it just isn't in the same league, not even close. It does do some nice things but not enough for me, next.

The more I hear these Andras they just keep impressing me more and more.

Mgottlieb, the McIntosh 501's with Audio Research Ref3 pre and ARC Ref7 cd player combo sounded the best.

I was at friends place doing some demoing on the weekend and got to demo a McIntosh 1000 pre and the new EMM all in one cd unit.

That was alot of fun, I can't wait to hear the Mac and EMM in my system. The EMM is a different flavour of sound than my ARC but I really liked it also.

The Mac pre piece wow! what a unit.

711 smilin, have you compared the Dodd and pw amperex on the Eggleston's? You feel the pw ampererex is that good? if so what does it do better than the Dodd.

Reason I ask this is that I also want to try some other tube besides what I have already tried.

Hey 711smilin, when I mentioned the pw amperex in my thread what I was refering to was over the other tubes that 1markr is using. What is the usual cost for a pair?

I just recently read some reviews regarding the Moscode 401HR, very interesting. The first time I saw this unit and started reading about it I felt there could be some possibilities. Well I came across it being reviewed directly up against the Dodd 120's and Bat SE600.

The Moscode 401HR was referred to being the better of the three.

You can go to Moscodes web site for the reviews, and the price is very reasonable being able to but direct.

I still do have a concern if it will drive the Eggleston's to their fullest potential.

This is very interesting because a unit of this size will work really well in the set-up that I am trying to accomplish.

Anyone heard this unit and what are your thoughts?