2. amps-preamps
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Upgrade Time Again.... please help

OK it’s upgrade time once again. Sometime this year I will be upgrading my amps so the hunt begins. I have compiled a “short” list of amps and would like constructive feedback on what else I should consider or not consider. First my system: Front End CAL Delta (next upgrade after amps), dCS Purcell/Delius combo and two Golden Tube monoblocks (re-tubed with 6L6GC and NOS driver tubes) and B&W Nautilus 802 Speakers. I listen to mostly to Jazz, a little Rock and some Classical music. What I like about the Golden Tubes – great midrange, deep and wide soundstage with instruments precisely placed. What I don’t like – flabby bass and highs are not as airy and delicate as I would like. What I am looking for in the amp – great midrange (not syrupy or overly warm, but not dry either), extended deep very well controlled bass, and delicate extended highs that are not in the least bit bright or harsh. The amp needs to throw a wide and deep soundstage without giving up accuracy in instrument placement (no fuzz around the instruments). JA had this to say about the impedance of the Nautilus 801 in Stereophile - “(The impedance for the 801) drops to 3 ohms through the midrange and to 4 ohms in the high treble. In addition, a punishingly high capacitive phase angle in the midbass, coupled with a low magnitude, will demand a good, current-worthy amplifier.” My absolute max budget is 10K and I prefer to buy used but if need be I will by new. Here’s the list: Bryston 7BST Monoblocks, Plinius SA-250 Mk IV, (2) Plinius SA-100 Mk III, Jeff Rowland 8TIHC, Jeff Rowland 10TI, Jeff Rowland Model 12, Ayre V-1x, Mark Levinson 336, 335, 334, Lamm 2.1 Monoblocks, Lamm 1.1 Monoblocks, AR VT-200, (2) AR VT-100, and Wolcott Presence 220 Mono Blocks. I am looking for informed feedback from owners of these amps or people with a similar system. If I had to make a choice today I think I would go with Levinson, Lamm, or Rowland. Cheers – Dan.
dan2112

Showing 2 responses by redkiwi

redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
I cannot see how you are going to be happy with solid state after having had tubes Dan - once the thrill of the bass is over. Wolcott sounds ideal and a good match for your speakers. I have heard a good number of the solid state power amps you have listed and could not get past the mechanical nature of the midrange. Sure some are warm and even syrupy, but it sounds like artificial sweetener to me.
redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
Hi Rosebud. I never wanted to become a tube guy. But I got to the stage where I felt I had put together about as good a system as I could, but when I went to live events I was always gobsmacked by the fact that there was a kind of beauty to voices and mid-range instruments that was not present in my system.. and, believe me I had gone through a large number of what are supposed to be the best solid state amps. So in desperation I ventured into tubes. My conclusions were that I did not in fact like tube preamps much, because they were all colored in some way and I was not looking for coloration. But when I heard what a good tube power amp could do, I suddenly heard some of that mid-range beauty, and it sounded like the real thing, not a coloration. So my quest for tube amps started there and I have never looked back. Now, when I hear any solid state amp I hear things badly wrong in the midrange, that I had never heard before. Previously I must have been filtering them out. I now hear a kind of wiry or grainy distortion with solid state amps that also (I suspect) bleeds natural color from the midrange. I recently debated this very thing with a friend. We were trying out the latest Naim power amp and the Classe 400 in his system. I could hear both amps screwing up the mids and he could not. So I drove back to my house and put my tube amps in the car and made him listen to them for two hours before we put the solid state amps back in place. I think I changed his life. I know tube amps are not perfect, and I hate the hassles, but I want a system to get as close to live music as I can, and tubes is what does this for me. I certainly do not agree that this is because I like coloration. It may be that the beauty is lost before the signal gets to the power amp and tubes add an artificial version, but I have tubes because I want that sound I hear when I hear live music.
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