Most music is in the midrange and to hear it all clearly as was recorded you need full or near full range speakers. Unless you only listen to violin solo perhaps. You also need powerful, life like dynamics. Lamm's SET watts are said to be the most powerful SET watts anywhere, they will drive some dynamic speakers well - you wouldn't have to consider horns only. Give them a listen if you can, if you do and like them a lot - don't call me and Bill names, OK? They are expensive, even used. Vladimir Lamm is good to deal with.
Anyway, you probably need a list of a dozen or so amps to audition. Of course, it's an amp/speakers unit, but still - do you prefer to do speakers first or amp first approach? I myself at this level would try both, in the end I would find the right sound. |
I thought I would just mention tube and hybrid amps that I would want to audition first: LAMM, Ypsilon, VAC, Atma-Sphere, Wavac, Allnic, Jadis, Octave, CAT. Ralph is right - pay attention to the sound not the design. You really need to know what kind of sound you are looking for and the compromises you are prepared to take, and if you already know that - it's both easier and more difficult.
But give horns a listen too if you can unless they are out of the question. In addition to Avant-Garde I would listen to Acapella.
As I said in another thread, $35k for the entire set-up including cables is tough. Yes, I understand you might consider spending more if you see that it's worth it. Some people save $500 on cables after spending $25k on equipment, not wise. |
You can tell that this is a great sound, though the base probably doesn't go too low and that it lacks the ultimate authority of much bigger systems. But for a normal medium size rooms it should be just about perfect. However, it's analog source and an excellent one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ8YIow9m2s&t=419s |
You would do me and us all a favour if you listened to Ypsilon before buying anything. By many accounts, including Michael Fremer's, it is one of the finest brands available. Yes, their 100 wt/ch integrated is $25k new. And Gryphon Diablo 300 is another one to hear. Both designers are highly respected. |
Ralph, there is usually a lot of distortion in the recording already. How do you try to correct that? Or you simply live with it and do your best not to make it worse?
Artificially lush and shouty sound is something that I realy hate. |
So I thought. Those recording engineers from seventies, what did they think they were doing? Best jazzrock albums, starting with Bitches Brew, were very poorly recorded and probably mastered too. Japanese pro records are the best but still so much distortion. Pink Floyd is not particularly good either. |
Yeah, Ralph confirmed what I have always felt. SET amps are not for most of us, this includes cost. Low impedance speakers is not how it should be.
Ralph, besides Classic Audio, what would you recommend to use with your amps? Also, do you believe that short length Mogami RCA cables are just as good as XLR? I mean 2497 wire. |
No need for Wavac. LAMM ML2.2 would do for many situations. Only $20k or so used. |
Ralph, thank you, appreciate your response.
So.. 8 ohm average 89db two way speakers with one 8" woofer and 1" tweeter schould work well enough in a medium size room, generally speaking. |
Ralph, would you like to tell us about disadvantages of OTL amp design? 0.5% distortion at full power is quite an achievement.
One thing is certain - more powerful SET amps done right are very expensive. |
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If " dumping the output transformer " were the best way - everyone would be doing it. Ralph and Davis are not the only capable tube amp designers in the world. This is a complete nonsense. |
Yup, not paying enough is the biggest mistake audiophiles make. Paying too much is the second biggest mistake.
SETs done right? I already mentioned LAMM and Wavac. Never heard the latter but some here did. |
Ralph, thank you, now I got it. Yeah, relatively limited speakers choice. Number of tubes would not be a problem for me unless each cost $1k and lasted only for a year. It's a bit more difficult to do amp first approach than speakers first approach. But with Atma-Sphere and LAMM I would still do exactly that. |
We are chasing great sound not good. Good is easy. |
" she found that she was wanting more power "
Right. Women are always wanting more power. So are men.
I agree with Ralph philosophically. Just because it overall sounds good doesn't mean that that's enough. Double the power while maintaining the rest. At least double. |
Amps probably not, speakers probably yes. Have taste in musical genres. Unless speakers are stupid, of course. |
