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3-Way Crossover's and Amp selection?

I am having my Modified NEAR M50's with an Outboard Active Crossover Network being setup now and am wondering what I might use for Amps.I will be getting used amps.

First I have a Question pertaining to using Tubes.
Why are Tubes normally used to drive the Tweeter's when all the things I have read associate tubes for magnificent Midrange ,but that they Cutoff the extension of both Bass and High Frequency extreme's? It would sound to me that they would be better used to for the Midrange driver's and use SS for the Tweeter's and Bass Driver's.

The Amps I have gotten feedback to use for the NEARs which are Metal Driver's are.

White Audio\Llano
Atma-Sphere's
Aragon
Krell
Mark Lev's
Monarchy's

I have a Modified B&K ST-202 that I will use either on the tweeter's or Midrange driver's.

What amps that are economical would you think would be good matches to use in a Vertical Amp configuration.It was only recently that I decided on using a 3-Way Active for my setup.

Any thought's or experiences would be helpful.

TIA,ABEX
abex
abex OP
322 posts
 
TP-Yes,the Internal XO's are being Pulled in order to use an Active Outboard XO.

SEAN-I might just do as you say.I am reluctant to sell the B&K.I might try what your Bros. did.Looking at A-Gons Used list I saw a Krell for around $1400 and McCormicks for below $1K.I also have a B&K AV-2500 amp that I will use for the CC and Surround channel's.I am not in for the HT playback as much as the 2-channel so timbre matching might well be served using all B&K amps.

Zaikesman-Really not trying to bandaid,trying to get the best performance I can from the speaker's.I have seen alot of people try using Tubes for the Topend with mixed results,that is why I asked the question.Either way I go it should be intresting.
The Gain Levels will be controlled through the Active XO.
==========================================
On a further note.I found some references to Hafler's and McCormicks being used with my speaker's.I might opt for an ST-120 on the Top or use the ST-202 on the top .Another way to go is Monarchy's for the Mids and a McCormick for the Bottom and ST-202 for the Top.
The speaker's are very power hungry and having amps to drive seperate driver's is the best way to get performance from them.

Thanks for the help everybody!
abex OP
322 posts
 
SEAN
Where can I find info on Tweeking the old series B&K amps?
If I go that route I will definitly Mod all of the amps.I might even get a set of the Sonata's(?).
sean
6,231 posts
 
I don't know of any public source on suggested mods for the older B&K amps.

As far as amps go, you are asking for a LOT of headaches if you start mixing and matching amps. That is, unless you can have them all gain matched.

As far as mixing brands and / or different series of amps from the same manufacturer, you can run into various problems using that approach. You are best off sticking with one brand of amp or even identical amps unless you are technically knowledgable and / or know someone that is. Getting various amps to "blend" correctly can be a fine art and that is probably why some people have had problems when trying to mix / match tubes & SS amps.

Bare in mind that the ST-120 is a VERY different series from your ST-202. You should also find out what transistors are in your 202 as there were two different brands of output devices used in that amp. This is not to mention that there are different sized transformers that B&K used along the way. Sean
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