2. amps-preamps
  3. 146789-85312

Tube amplifier suggestion for 101 dB speakers

Hello All,

I've been using the Tyler Acoustics PD30s with Classé Sigma solid state preamp and amp combination.
These speakers have two 15" woofers and a horn tweeter, 4 ohm, sensitivity 101 dB.
The above combination is not the best, especially for complex rock music, the highs start to distort, they are harsh, just bad. Never had tube gears, but after reading a bit, these speakers apparently scream for tubes. Actually somebody brought over a hobbyist-made tube amp and yes, the speakers were tamed.
I'm willing to switch to a tube amp but prefer to keep the ss preamp.
Can anybody recommend a few good tube amp matches here, for a max of 3K new or used. Room is just a good medium size. I want something that I can keep for many years if possible and being somehow flexible to tube rolling.

Thanks.
128x128piramis

Showing 2 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
piramis
  Tube amplifier suggestion for 101 dB speakers
Tyler Acoustics PD30
 
You've got good efficiency, so you don't need a lot of watts, 50 would do, but these speakers are spec'd by the manufacturer at 4ohms nominal, and you can bet they go down to 3 or maybe even 2ohms somewhere. So I would look at tube amps that have a 2ohm output tap as well as the normal 4 and 8.

 Roger Mojeski's Music Reference RM200 amp has this.
 http://www.ramlabs-musicreference.com/music_reference_rm-200_hybrid_power_tube_amplifer.html

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
piramis OP
 The speakers are highly efficient here with 101 dB, but also they are 4 Ω in impedance

Yes as I said before, and that’s a nominal 4ohm, it will have dips even lower than that.
Look for an amp that has a 2ohm speaker tap just in case beside 8 and 4ohm.

The 100w per channel Music Reference RM200 has a 2ohms tap which should still give enough watts from that 2ohm tap for your 101db speakers in case you need to use it.

http://www.ramlabs-musicreference.com/music_reference_rm-200_hybrid_power_tube_amplifer.html

Cheers George
More to discover