Long list of suggestions, yet no one knows what the OPs power requirements are based on his speakers' specifications or room size. |
It's impossible to suggest an amp without knowing the sensitivity of your speakers, the size of your room, and the decibel levels at which you normally listen.
Class A is going to get you closer to what you are used to hearing with the tube amp. |
John "Columbo" McGrogan.
;) |
02-16-09: Philefreak
It's funny to me how Pass's pure class A sounds different from Plinius or Clayton pure class A. Would you mind briefly describing the differences? Thanks. |
Well, since we're all tossing out suggestions into the amplifier gene pool, I will suggest the Moscode 401HR. Outstanding amplifier that can change it's sound with some very simple tube changes.
However, I have no clue if it would be appropriate for the OP, since he has not mentioned what speakers he is using. |
Louisl, any of the speakers in this thread would work.
IMO, you don't need as much power as you think you do. You have 89dB speakers and listen at 90-93dB. 4 watts will produce 92dB. 8 watts will produce 95dB. 32 watts will produce 101dB peaks.
So, with this in mind, you might consider Pass Labs XA-60.5. Frankly, you could probably get away with an XA-30.5. |
I'm pusing 100 watts now, and sometimes it runs low on steam.
Louisl (System | Threads | Answers) Pushing 100 watts into an 89dB speaker is running out of steam when you state you listen at 90dB - 93dB? Something doesn't add up here. Perhaps the problem is that your tube amp's impedance curve doesn't match the impedance curve of your speakers (which dip down to 3 ohms...I've owned them), and therefore the bass response is anemic. This could be interpreted as running out of steam. I know firsthand the Moscode 401HR is an excellent match with the VR4 Gen III HSE. I owned this combo for a couple of years. |
When I owned the VR4 Gen III HSE, I owned or auditioned the following amps: VAC Phi 110/110, Channel Islands Audio D100 and D200, McCormack DNA-2 Platinum, McCormack DNA-500, Nuforce Reference 8, Odyssey Stratos Extreme Monoblocks, Moscode 401HR, and a few others that I've forgotten.
The Moscode 401HR and VAC Phi110/110 were a level above the rest. The Moscode had better bass control and bass extension and was less fussy about matching components. The VAC Phi 110/110 had the magical VAC midrange and overall clarity. It was a little fussy about the electronics in front of it, regardless of their excellence, and it could sound a little bright at times...a quality that I was always fighting with the VR4 Gen III HSE. The Moscode was extended and did not produce brightness in the speakers. |
Having owned VR4 Gen III HSE, I believe adding subwoofers would be unnecessary and a mistake.
Buy an amp that drives them properly and you're going to be very happy. |
Louis1, what you describe sounds like classic impedance mismatch to me.
There are about a dozen excellent options mentioned. |
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Louisl, basically what will serve you well is an amplifier that doubles its power output as impedance is halved, i.e.100wpc into 8 ohms and 200wpc into 4 ohms, etc.
The reason for this is that some speakers, such as your VR4 Gen III HSE have low impedances in the bass frequencies relative to the rest of the frequency spectrum. If an amp does not double power output into lower impedances (bass frequencies), then the result is less volume in the bass relative to the mids and highs. We often perceive this imbalance as brightness because the speakers are not producing the bass frequencies that would balance the highs.
For more in depth info, I suggest Robert Harley's "The Complete Guide to High End Audio".
Having said this, the Moscode 401HR, which I know matches well with the VR4 Gen III HSE, does not double its power as impedance is halved...yet it works really well with the speaker.
BTW, you can also run into impedance mismatches between preamp and amps. A preamp with high output impedance matched with an amp with low input impedance can result in rolled off bass (and rolled off highs) as well. |
...Belles 350a run in mono. $8K new $5K or less used. Plenty of power, clean, big soundstage. Now I'm ready, tell me why not.
Mrmatt (Threads | Answers) Terrific combo. I can think of no reason not to recommend them. I have owned Belles 150A Reference monos (had some problems with intermittent transformer hum in my home), and a Belles 350A Reference stereo amp (no hum issues whatsoever). I would suggest buying used as Belles has poor resale from my experience. But, they are excellent amplifiers. |
