Tube Monoblocks for Revel Studis


Hello out there.
love these speakers but wondering if anyone out there is driving them with tubes. if so, what power rating are your amps and how do you like the match?
Any information on past or present amps that would mate well with these speakers would be appreciated
Also, amps that look as cool as the speakers are a plus.
dp37
I have been running them with SF Power3 amps for years now and that combination has yet to be supplanted.
Take a look at the Wolcotts! They make a great amp and don't have any really trouble driving speakers. They can be found used from time to time.

Those speakers are among the best I have ever heard. The Wolcott amps (monoblocks) are among the best amps made. It could be a match made in heaven, or at least AudiogoN!

I don't know of any reviews, but check out the systems here which employ these amps. They have many happy owners and are part of many big dollar systems. If you get them, I would love to hear that system!!!
I thought about tube amps for my Studios as well.
I eventually gave up, because of the cost.
And like Nrchy recommends, I figured that the Wolcotts would be my best bet. They have 220 W/ch.
Unfortunately, they run about $5K used, although there is a pair on Agon right now for $4.3K. ($10K new!)
Depending on your room, (size, shape, listening position, etc...), it may take less than that. (I have a fairly large, dampened, room and I figured it was going to take that much to really get me to realistic sound levels.)
Remember that the Studios like lots of power, since they are fairly inefficient (86db) and have an impedance of down to about 3 ohms. I definitely would not go less than 150 tube watts, and really think that you should stay at 200 W or better. (My opinion of course, based on my room.)

(FYI, I ended up keeping my trusty old Mark Levinson No. 23 amp (200W/ch.) and they sound great. I ended up spending my money on a new Ayre K-1X preamp instead.)

Good Luck in your search!
I went with Harmonic Precision HP mono amps. Not tube but incredibly efficient with tube like sound. Incredibly due to the efficiency these amps run very cool and are low wpc, which superficially turned me off in building a new main system. I was looking at the big levinson monos and thought I needed rated power. Obviously tubes kill that idea. These amps have huge dynamic power. The weird thing is that over a year down the line I still think they are openning up. They took an extensive dedicated breakin period. Anyone who thinks breakin is bogus ought to have heard the difference. My wife commented after a week breakin that she thought I had gotten a new piece of equipment again and at least this one sounded very good.
You may want to check these out.
Hi:

I am running Salons, which are presumably a bit harder to control and drive than the Studios because of the extra drivers, with VAC 140/140 Mark III's, at zero feedback, in a big room, with great success. It do note that 20 amp dedicated lines were needed to bring about real headroom for peaks.

Kr4 knows what he is talking about in general and with regard to Power 3's on Studios. I have heard a close friend's Salons with Power 3's and there is a definite synergy.

That same friend recently traded his Power 3's in on CAT limited edition monoblocks. They of course drive the Salons with utter grace and complete authority (see below).

It is crucial to remember that the VAC amps, and, especially, the CAT amps, have unusually good power supplies and output transformers, which explains why their power ratings (VAC: 130 watts/channel; CAT: 100 watts/channel) are meaningless and why they can drive current-hungry speakers like Salons in big rooms. They are both very expensive by most peoples' standards, however.

The Power 3's would be an affordable option. Extremely reliable, too.

Good luck.
thanks for the advice
it is certaily hard to fin tube monos with the power i think they need
i am considering rogue magnum 120's
and sonice frontiers power 3's (if they ever become avail!)
in the end, i will probably just go with an older levinson (like the 23) or a proceed hpa
I just think that tubes may take these amazing speakers to the next level
i looked into the wolcotts but i just dont like the way they look. im sure they sound amazing
i will look into the harmonic precision
thanks for all the advice thus far
Power isn't really the issue. I thought it was but to some extent it is the dynamic quality of the sound produced by the amps. There are several low power rated tubes which can fill the bill here. In the case of my selection the power is not high at all, but the sound is big.
well now i am looking into some sonic frontiers amps
still have not decided is i will go the tube route
bi-amping with a pair of proceed hpa-2's wouls also be a great option i think
we will have to see.
thanks for all of the input.
i htink we should set-up a forum area dedicated to trevel studio discussion as these are really unique and amazing speakers
just a thought
thanks again