Amplifier for Volti Lucerna Speakers

@dsper 

I have thought about biamping. It gets into logistics of additional amps and WAF. It also gets into my lack of understanding of how to do it. The main thing that escapes me is how you adjust for loudness differences between, say my DS Kooteney for the minds and highs and a SS amp for the bass. 

There are several ways to bi-amp, from simple to elaborate with pros and cons for every option. (passive/active, horizontal/vertical, or hyrid).  Adding a powered subwoofer is essentially bi-amping 101, and many subs have a gain level adjustment, and some form of an active crossover.  

My first attempt was to add an integrated amp to the woofers, and use the tube amps for midbass/treble.  (I split the preamp output, but some preamps have two outputs).   I used the volume knob on the integrated to balance the woofer levels with the tube amps and midbass/tweeters.  I left the passive crossovers in place at that time.  Later on I added an active low pass crossover for the woofers, replaced the integrated with a power amp, and bypassed my woofer’s passive crossover...the active crossover had it’s own gain level adjustment, so I used that for level control.  I’ve since added an inline high pass filter before the tube amps...some day I may add more active crossovers, but for now I’m quite happy with things, and it wasn’t expensive or overly complicated. 
 

I made my life very simple, got rid of all my dacs and streamers, took the Pass Labs preamp out went back and forth with the Pass Labs XA-25 and First Watt Sit-4 …so in the end and so much happier, Meitner MA3i dac, streamer,volume control all in one glorious box, hooked directly to the Sit-4 amplifier,to the Lucera….so much better in every way…less cables, simple and sweet sounding…

I've only heard my Rivals with 1 amp + Voltis at the Tampa show for the past 3 years.

My amp is a lowly Primaluna Evo 300 integrated with the following tubes:

Power: 2 KT-150 & 2 GE 6L6's - amp switch on high bias.

Pre: Up front: 1950s CBS Hytrons flanked by a set of Radiotechnique on one side and a pair of Mullards on the other.

The 2 150s give the low end some wallop and the 6L6s have a very well defined midrange. 

The CBS Hytron's gave more midrange definition and a bit more 3D.

I've had some "hifi friends" over with more listening experience and all of them are impressed with one stating it is the closest he has heard to live music.

I do have my Rivals on Townshend Podiums as well as some other good components (not super high end) in the chain which of course help.

On paper, the Primaluna is the weak spot of my system but it sounds so damn good I just don't see a reason to upgrade. 

I also just move my speakers from about a third into the room to stuffed back in the corners (wider) which made a significant improvement to the bass and enlarged the soundstage - which is now huge, but not fake sounding. Pinpoint imaging suffered from that change but the improved bass and SS are worth the tradoff IMO.

@laynes Hello, I had the PrimaLuna EVO 400 pre and amp, there is no comparison to the Sit-4 to the Lucera speakers. Tried about all the different tubes possible and went down that endless rabbit hole lol..I even tried the PrimaLuna Dac so all PrimaLuna …don’t miss it…just a little food for thought…

Hi Charles, I don't doubt that for one second but I do wonder if you were using the stock tubes or not? The difference between the stock tubes and what I have rolled is enormous and I think why my amp sounds so good - knowing that there is still a lot better out there.

And you may have rolled them - but I'll say that my system sounds as good as Greg's did at the show with the $25k Border Patrol amp - also knowing that he was in a hotel room and my room is treated - plus the front end and other differences.

At some point, the next thing for me to upgrade will be my amp but I'm pretty sure it will be something tubed and I have no idea what yet because I don't have a price range yet. So the Evo 300i serves me well for now...