2. amps-preamps
  3. 1076020001

Amp Recommendations for Acoustat 1+1s

Hi all,

I juat scored a beautiful pair of Acoustat 1+1s in an auction last week (thanks AudiogoN!) and am looking for a suitable amp.

First, I have to tell you about the Acoustats. They were one of the last 3 pairs of 1+1/2+2s that Acoustat made. The owner was a friend of the folks at Windham Hill Records who were friends of Jim Strickland. They asked him to make three more pair for their personal use. Mine are in MINT condition with beautiful rosewood bases and brand new black socks ordered from Italy. They also have the latest "red" medallion transformers. I'm just smitten...Can you tell?

Anyway, I'm currently driving them with an Adcom GFA-555II and it sounds great, but I know that I could do better. I also know that the Acoustats are famously difficult to drive. That being said, I hear of people recommending everything from moderately powered tube amps to high current monoblocks. Do they need current (solid state) or voltage (tubes)?

I should also mention that my room is quite large. It's 25'X35'. The Adcom doesn't seem to have any problem driving them to concert levels and the "clipping" indicators on the front of the amp never so much as flicker. The amp also doesn't get particularly hot - although it does get warm.

I was thinking about finding an Acoustat TNT-200 since I know that it was designed specifically for the Acoustats.

So, what would you recommend (less than $1,000...the cheaper the better!) to extract the best from these speakers?

I appreciate your collective assistance.
gullahisland
theduke
372 posts
 
I use a Music Reference RM-9 tube amp (KT-88) on mine. 100wc/ch in a small/medium room. Sounds great! Use the 4 ohm tap.
dne
141 posts
 
I'll second Elgordo's comment on the Hafler 9505. I've used one for 7 years or so with Maggie 1.5's, 1.6's and now 3.6's. Outstanding sound IMHO and excellent durability. 250wpc @8 ohms, 375wpc @4 ohms. Rave review in S'hile in '92, including Sam Tellig, and many other publications. Now sold mainly for professional use and used in many a recording studio, since Hafler has exited the consumer market. This amp deserves more recognition.
asdf7e16
60 posts
 
I'm using a YBA DT on Acoustat 3s and it works extremely well. I used to use PS Model 2 Blocks in mono and they literally caught fire when I drove them hard. The Acoustats draw a lot of current and the YBA is up to the task without any hint of imaging loss and the bass is incredible.
gullahisland OP
83 posts
 
Thanks everybody. Sorry for the delayed reply. I was in an auto accident last week and have been trying to deal with the insurance company, etc.

I still didn't get a clear answer of whether a slightly lower rated (wattage) tube amp delivers the necessary voltage to drive the Acoustats or if it's strictly wattage and current that make the 1+1s go. Audiokinesis?? (Duke)

Anyway, I've contacted someone who appears to be parting with his TNT-200. I might try that first and take it from there.

Elgordo - those 9505s are hard to find. They come up very seldom and seem to go pretty quickly. Is it that much better than the TNT-200?

Plato - I like the idea of going with a tube pre and sticking with ss for amplification. I'm hearing some thickness in the midrange, particularly on female vocals, and I'm also hearing some graininess in the upper registers. I was thinking that it was probably the amp, but now I'm not so sure that it isn't the preamp. I'm using the GFP-555II preamp. I know, it sucks, but I picked it up on the cheap. In fact, my net cost (after trade) for the Adcom 555II amp and 555II preamp was $200 for both!

Add the $650 I paid for the Acoustats and $55 I paid for my Sony ES cdp, and it comes out to be a pretty nice little system for only $905!

Thanks again everyone.
tomryan
796 posts
 
I think you need lots of current for the 1 + 1s. I had a pair in the mid to late 1980s and loved them. I also used an Adcom 555 amp but also used a Janis W1 subwoofer - made a huge difference as this freed main amp from a lot of work. With a properly set up sub (I now use RELs and run main speakers full range)and cut off point at around 70-80 HZ, you should be able to use a number of amps. I would stick with SS (yet Im a tube-a-holic) with these particular speakers but would seriously consider a good tube pre-amp and even no pre-amp - go passive - Placette Audio is an excellent choice and I use one with my 300B amp.

The 1 + 1s do not have much bass and what's there does suck up a lot of current. You will have a much broader range of amp choices if you get a good subwoofer and cut off the speakers at 70-80 HZ. I think lots of current is needed more than high voltage. Good luck, these are great speakers for a large room.
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