What new tube amplifiers are good for Thiel CS7

Dear Zxzzorro: That a tube amplifier like the Vac can " hadle " the Thiels can't means in any way that that amplifier or IMHO any other tube amp really could honored your Thiel's quality performance level it has due to its electrical impedance curve, phase angle and low sensitivity.

If you want to change the electronics you own INHO with that speakers the best you can do is to looka good SS design amplifier with at least 200 watts at 8 Ohms and with a low output impedance as: 0.05 Ohms.

Matching the speakers electrical impedance curve with the amplifier output impedance IMHO is a must to have if any one aspire first rate quality performance with low low colorations. This matching speaker/amplifier subject is extremely important but we audiophiles don't take in count because we have a misunderstood about ( low knowledge. ) and because no one out there and inside the AHEE has interest to fully disclose it.

If the speaker/amplifier has a mistmatch on the electrical impedance what you achieve is only a colored, inaccurate and degraded quality performance level.

So what are your targets about? , any tube amp can makes " sound/noise " with those speakers but not any tube amps could be a good match. I think you have a lot of great SS options for those speakers where you can attain top quality performance level.

If I remember the ST reviewer use with those Thiels VAC, VTL, Lamm, Krell and ML ampliifers and at the end he prefered the ML's over not only the Krell but the other tube ones. But even if the reviewer was biased in anyway that does not change the Thiel's needs for a low output impedance amplifier that no tube design could give you.

Of course that this is only an opinion and the good one is the one from you.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Audpulse: Are you really recommending an OTL amplifier design for those Thiel's?, if yes then IMHO you have no single idea of what means matching speaker electrical impedance curve with an amplifier output impedance and obviously you don't have idea why that speaker/amplifier impedance matching is a must to have.

On this subject tube OTL amplifier design is the worst of the worst choice for those speakers, please read about Ohm Law before give that kind of advise.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Audpulse: David Berning is a designer from what I have great respect, IMHO he and Ralph ( Atmasphere ) are the ones that really bring the tube technology to a different league understanding the tube technology " problems " and though their designs solving many of those " problems ".

Even that and as good are the Berning items the trouble with the Thiel 7's is its electrical impedance curve that needs a very low amplifier output impedance to handle " seamless " in favor of quality performance.

These are the output impedance specs on the today top of the line amplifier Quadrature ZH270 that for a tube and OTL design is really good ( btw, Ralph use the OTL " road " on amplifiers. ):

" Typical output impedance (measured at 1 amp, 60 Hz): 0.8 ohms, NORM feedback; 2 ohms, MED feedback; 5 ohms, LOW feedback. "

IMHO it is not enough, those impedance values are higher that what Thiel's are asking for.
Maybe you could think that 0.8 ohms is a good one but even this does not made a good match and in this amplifier design you " pay " a fee because for you can get 0.8 ohm the feedback goes at 12db in that top of the line amplifier.
I'm still tink that you need for those speakers at least: 0.1 ohm in amplifier output impedance.

Now, you can choose whatever you want and this depend of what you are looking for, I almost look for excellence and this kind of level always needs a very carefully decisions on audio items.

Regards and enjoy the music,
raul.

Dear Audpulse: Last time I heard a Berning amp was mated with MBL speakers and sounds good. I don't want that you could have a misunderstood on my opinion.
If it is true that a tube amplifier ( like the Berning. ) could make that those Thiels makes " sound " that does not means IMHO that a tube amplifier is a better match that a good SS design.

For me it is not enough that " something " sounds good it is important that sounds good and be accurate. I don't know if you understand what I mean but I can't explain in other way due to my English limitations.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.