Avantgarde Trios, SETs, and Impedance Curves

Gotta check out the Mactone MA300, 22 watts, push/pull fast, dynamic, 3d soundstage, prefer this over ML2.

The Trio is tricky to set up because the impedance curve is very unusual for a horn- high in the bass and low in the highs, due to the design of the crossover, which is mostly capacitors. A lot of SETs have difficulty with the speaker as a result.

FWIW It is very easy to set up the M-60 to work with the speaker, by using the same technique that the designer used: negative feedback. The speaker is so sensitive that about 6 db of feedback can be employed in the M-60, solving any rolloff issues. This is easy to set up with an external jumper arrangement.

We don't regard the arrangement as ideal, but since the designer's amps used feedback, that's what you have to use. Neither the Duo or the Uno seem to have this requirement.

Why not solid state class A amplification, like Accuphase A-20, 20 class A. You can biamp or triamp the Trio's.

Chris

The problem is that really low output impedance amplifiers don't sound right on highly reactive/high efficiency speakers (like most horns). There are interactions that result in shrillness. So a tube amp is indicated...

I was using my Trios with Audio Note Kageki (really beatiful combination) then with EAR 834T, not as smooth as the Kageki, but no shrill and dynamic like hell then I am using an Altmann BYOB amp with the Trio and my REL Stentor II sub. The most musical combination I have ever heard, period. The battery driven Altmann amp is perfectly quiet absolutely no noise through the speakers at all, which makes all kind of music detailed, rythmic, smooth and flowing, quiteness is an important aspect when the speaker sensitivity is above 108 dB/W/m.