A tubed integrated amp for Joseph Audio Pulsars?

Manley Stingray.

Octave Audio

Is a tube amp the best pairing with the JAs in terms of synergy?  I was thinking the sensitivity in the 83db range may not be optimal but I suppose with enough power the pairing becomes less problematic.  

From Soundstage Hi-Fi: "The Pulsar is, at least on paper, a uniform and benign load with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms that never drops below 6 ohms -- perfect for tube amps."

So, the sensitivity and that statement appear to be in contrast, which is one of the primary reasons I’m seeking guidance here.

Thanks for the amp choices. Have you all ever actually driven the Pulsars with those amps?

By the way, twoleftears, that's a $20,000 amp.

Line Magnetic LM518

Rogue Cronus II with stock tube is just good.

But after changing 12Ax7 with Telefuken and 12au7 with Brinmar NOS tube it is a very good amplifier to drive your speaker.

Another +vote for Octave Audio.  Happy Listening!

Thanks. I think some of you are just throwing amps out there without comment. I mean, the Line Magnetic is 22wpc. Have you actually used this thing with Pulsars. Have any of you? I know ALL the amp companies practically. I'm looking for voices of experience WITH THESE SPEAKERS, not amp recommendations.

We may be able to help we have the Synthesis A 100T a 100 watt Class A/B Kt 66 tube integrarted from Italy it drives 87db efficient speakers beautifully.

We never sold the Pulsars but did sell their spiritual clones which are speakers from Source Technologies,

Source Technolgies is a small CT speaker company run by John Socilito the JS Engineering owner, which were the original infinite slope loudpeakers, John sold the rights to this technology to Jeff Joseph and Joseph Audiio was born.

We had a $3k set of monitors from Source that use the same Seas Magnesium woofer as the Pulsars with a different tweeter.

Many of the same hallmarks between the two speakers sonically, huge sundstage, very good bass response, a fast clean overall sound.

The Syntheis is a stunning sounding, very  powerful tube integraed using the famous KT 66 tube in a push pull configuration, the A100T also comes with a very good $3k dac board which was used in Synthesis’s outboard dac, this dac board sounds really good and  includes both usb and spdif inputs and the amp even has a full function remote.

So for $7.5 k you get a fantastic amp and a $3k dac just add a streamer and you are good to go. 

The A100T is very good in all parameters it has a great soundstage, is warm but not tuby, has good bass control throws a huge soundstage and is also low in noise. this is one of our favorite amplifiers below $10k 


http://synthesis.co.it/product.php?id=32

Syntheis is a relatively unknown brand in the US but is well respected in Italy.

If you are on the East coast you should come and hear this amp we have it on display it is really fantastic.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor Sythesis Audio dealers

Thanks guys.

I will say I've heard the little brother, the A40 Virtus, of the amp Audiotroy is recommending and its a great amp. I'm sure the A100 would do the trick and sound great and the built in Dac they use is very good and for the money great.

ARC VSi 75
McIntosh MA252 (hybrid with tubed pre section and SS power section)

I recently communicated with Jeff Joseph concerning my possible purchase of a tube power amp to drive my Pulsars. Jeff said that tube amps were fine for the Pulsars, but that he would recommend at least 60 wpc. 

Seigen, I auditioned the VSi 75 and just wasn't all that impressed, but people love it, so ears count. The MA252 looks lovely and maybe even a value.

Thanks, rlb61. That's great advice, and, currently (no pun intended), that's what I have running through them.

Dave and Troy, thanks for the introduction. Those amps I haven't heard of, though might have seen them down in Virginia at deja vu. I'd love to hear them. I know you're dealers, but: reliability and service?

beeswax they are at Deja Vu in VA that is where I heard the Synthesis A40 they are a Synthesis dealer.

Beeswax we have have never had an 
Issue with any of our  Synthesis display products  they have been very reliable.

If you are in our neighborhood come take a listen the 100t is a special product.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor Nj

Great speakers!  There's a nice VAC Sigma 160iSE available here (with extra tubes) now for $7500, which looks like half of retail so you can probably resell at little loss if for some reason she don't work out.  Reason I'm recommending VAC is I believe that they have a reputation for handling bass very well for tubes, they're built like tanks, and are said to have very good customer service.  Maybe read some reviews and see if you think it'd tickle your ivorys.  

As a possibly useless aside, I got to hear top VAC, VTL, and Zanden electronics back to back driving Grand Utopia speakers.  For my tastes VTL was a little to cold, Zanden a little too warm, but the VAC seemed juuuuuust right.  All three designers were there for the demo, and in the Q+A afterwards Kevin Hayes was extremely impressive in the level of his knowledge and his ability to explain complex issues. 

So, as a big fellow JA fan (I've heard just about all of'em) and hopeful future owner, if I was looking for an integrated I'd be leaning VAC's way hard if I couldn't audition in person.  But, I'd more likely contact Don Sachs and have him build me one of his preamps and amps if I didn't absolutely need an integrated.  Apparently his tube amps are something special, especially with how they handle bass.  Just had to muddy the waters a bit.  Heh heh.  Best of luck in whatever you decide.  BTW, what interconnects and cables are you using?  Cardas?

Both Synthesis and VAC look very interesting. This is getting tougher than craft beer!
SOIX, you are so enthusiastic! Yeah, I'm a JA fan. I moved up from the RM25si Signature to the Pulsars. I have just loved them from the get-go, although if I lived in a big house I might have horn speakers.
That said, I went to Capital Audiofest a few years ago and dropped "The Legendary Buster Smith" on them in the room showcasing JA Pearls/Luxman and mouths just dropped. What a grand combo that was. Moved into the Pulsar room next door and tried the same song. Obviously not the same, but I knew the Pulsars were the magic I wanted. It was them or Harbeth, and I think I bit on the dynamism of the Pulsars a little hard. No regrets, though, really. Interconnects by Kimber. Speaker cable is in old pair of Straightwire Maestro that one day might get replaced.

beeswax

OK, how about an Aesthetix Mimas.  Another great product.

@beeswax -- Nice!  I heard "St. James Infirmary" (on vinyl of course) through the Pearls years back at a NYC audio show, and it still lingers in my mind as one of the most impressive things I've heard from an audio system ever.  Would love to know how you'd characterize the Pulsars vs. the RM25s.  I've heard them both on several occasions, but never in my home or in the same system.  I know the RM25s can sound awfully good, so just curious what I could expect ponying up for the Pulsars.  Thanks for thoughts. 

The reason I mentioned Cardas, as you probably know, is that JA speakers are internally wired with them and has used them at shows every time I've seen them.  I have no experience with Cardas wires, but I have Acoustic Zen interconnects and cables and love them.  Anyway, best of luck with the amp, and by all means let us know what you end up getting. 

SOIX,
I'm perfectly content with my Kimber Hero interconnects and Kimber PK Base power cord. I'm not on a mad perfectionist pursuit; I just want a really fine system. As to your question: I purchased the Joseph Audio RM25si MKII Signature speakers and never sent them in for the upgrade when that came around. I found them light years better than the RM22si, and yet in my years with them (and there were a lot of them), I couldn't pinpoint why I didn't fully love them and always felt a desire for better, for more. I heard into the mix, and the bass was tight when I upgraded my tube complement in the amp, but I felt slighted in that representational fullness - the flesh, the weighty substance of how instruments and voices ought to sound. I learned a lot through those speakers, particularly about the importance of sources: The most important part of my system is my  media - the vinyl, the CD (for some, the file). The quality of that is No. 1. Then I don't know if it's source components or speakers, but it's pretty close. When I added - modded CD player, better cartridge, better cabling - all that showed up in the RM25si speakers. But honestly? In my 13x21 room, when I swapped in Rogers Ls3/5a speakers, classic British mini monitors vs. floor standers, all the bass disappeared but I found myself going, "Oh, my God," when putting on acoustic jazz, voice or even a track by Radiohead. Suddenly imaging and the rightness of the instrument sounds were so much better. I knew if I ever got a bigger place with a small room for a second system, the Rogers would own it, but the RM25si's now had to go. I think a lot of people would have left Joseph Audio right then and gone to other brands, but I had been in those rooms with the Pearls and Pulsars (and also in rooms with a lot of other speakers I liked, especially Harbeth and Audio Note and horns and big electrostatic Martin Logans, and crazy speakers like Oskar Heil) and knew I needed to just spend my way into a better place, and I did. The Pulsars remind me of my old '88 BMW 325i - they sound tightly torqued and really grip the music. The bass, whether electric rock or acoustic jazz or a bangin' trap producer's depth charges is so off-the-charts good it's not funny. There is some review out there where the guy at the show said he looked behind a curtain for a subwoofer when he heard them because he couldn't believe the bass. I laughed when I read it because it's like that. Yet there also is a huge soundstage, clear image, a lovely subtlety about them along with that torque sensation. They are startling at low and high volumes.  They don't present things passively or softly. They command attention with vividness, which the RM25si's did, but in your mind triple that and triple the representation of quality bass. I played Stephen Hough's "The Dream Album," last night (like an enchanted child's idea of a perfect classical piano recital) and wanted for nothing. But, then, I had upgraded my primary source player to a Bryston BCD-3 two days after I posted this, and realize now I might not even need to do a new amp. It's absurd how sweet the music is here. I've always been an audiophile yet only recently have had truly audiophile quality equipment. I can live contentedly without it, and most people do, but I don't need THE BEST; I just need great. I still might check out a VAC, but I'm wheeling back to the idea of components before amp and so, perhaps, that long-coveted turntable is now next in line.

As a fellow Pulsar owner, I would recommend sticking with SS for power. Although Jeff Joseph told me that a tube amp with at least 60 wpc would work, I have reservations about the efficacy of tube power given the 83dB sensitivity of the Pulsars. Also, I would recommend separates rather than an integrated as I think you will have much more control over the speakers and the overall sound of your rig.