2. amps-preamps
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Clayton Audio Class A amps. Need amp advice

Hi Guys,

I am looking to change my amps and for a few reasons.

First because I just upgraded my DAC from the great PS Audio DirectStream to the incredible Bricasti M1 DSD USB DAC. I love the Bricasti and it has shown that in my system it could offer me more with a more resolving and neutral amp IMO.

I am currently am using the wonderful sounding CJ Premier 12 mono tube amps. I love them and tubes in general but my speakers are the great Ascendo C8 Renaissance and look to present a somewhat benign load being 88 efficient and 6ohm but they are unique and have an internal firing 21 cm Kevlar Bass driver that is great but stubborn and the speakers I think will really shine with a iron fist control of that driver.

I love tubes, always have and always will but I grown tires of a flabby bottom which is exasperated by a unique and somewhat difficult to grip bass driver set up I spoke about above.

I want an amp that can give me as much tube sound as possible but with Grip and bottom end. I know this is a lot to ask for in the used $5k to $7k price range.

I have read and it seem like the Clayton offer exactly what I am looking for but wanted to hear from some of you guys if anyone has ever heard them or know of them or anything. Any info would really be appreciated. Here is the info on my speakers and I will also list the rest of my system in case you think that is helpful. Thanks

C8 Renaissance
Technical Data
Principle
• Three-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS Off)
(current damped outer driver with semi symmetrical band pass)
• Four-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS On)
Dimensions (W/H/D)
• 28 / 80 / 40 (without Base)
• 28 / 108 / 40 (with Base)
Weight
35 kg
Frequency Range
29 Hz (-3 dB) – 32.000 Hz
Power Rating
350 W Program (min)
Impedance
6 Ohm
Sensivity
88 dB / 1W/m
Outer Chassis (COAX)
• 25 mm Neodymium-fabric-tweeter
• 18 cm Woofer with XP cone
Inner Chassis
• 21 cm Chassis, Kevlar cone
TOS Chassis
• Ribbon-tweeter
TOS Function
• switchable (TOS Unit - Dipole AN / AUS)
Sockets
• Single / BiWiring Base
Dimensions (W/H/D)
28 / 18 / 40 cm
Weight
11 kg

Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Speaker
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Bricasti M1 USB / DSD / Volume Control DAC (New) DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 MK II w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's Tube amp
Salamander Amplifier Stands (2) Synergy System AV Furniture Stand
BMI Shark Jeweler Grade Platinum 9 AWG AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier 11 AWG Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M 7 AWG AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M 8 AWG AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
Fidelizer Pro Version 6.1
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
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unsound
6,115 posts
 
Every time I've heard the Clayton amps I left thinking what lovely amps they were, and can easily imagine them being especially appealing to those that usually prefer tubes, but FWIW, I also thought that compared to other comparable ss amps they might be a bit soft in the bass. Other considerations might include: Wolcott, VTL, Manley, Audio Research or c-j solid state?
soix
2,133 posts
 
Think it's fantastic you found the speakers that really do it for you. That's such a huge accomplishment. Given you seem to like a relatively tubey sound and that your speakers are a bit of a tough load, a better way to go may be to get the grunt of a good Class A solid state amp with good bass handling properties and if needed change to a more traditional tubey sounding preamp if you feel you've lost too much of that tube magic (perhaps a CJ pre?). Or maybe even try some tube rolling with your ARC pre? Anyway, congrats on the speaks and best of luck.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
A few questions. Do you use the Decware Zstage and if so, how? Have you tried the Bricasti without a preamp, direct into the CJs?
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fsmithjack OP
605 posts
 
Knghifi

You are right the M300 sure did have some serious hum problems. 600 watt pure class into 4/ohm is a crazy amount of juice of class a and requires a behemoth power supply.

A few years back they fixed it and offered a retro upgrade and the pair I am fixing to buy were manufactured with the fix in place.

They are big, heavy, plain looking, run hot but I am told have all the power to get the most out of my speakers and have a lot of the tube sound but I am worried will miss the tubes too much but hoping the trade off is that they offer so much more on the other side the trade off is worth it. There is a pair of CJ LP140M tube amps that will cost about the same from a trade deal as the Clayton M300 monos.

Thanks so much for the comments and recommendations.

So what one would you guys choose between these two if you were me with my system and had my situation:

Both retail about the same and trade deal is about the same:

Clayton M300 monos 300watt class a ss

or

C J LP140M monos 140watt tubes

I really appreciate. I have looked into and read everyone's input and would love any more recommendations and feedback I can get. For this is the best place for me to get feedback. I am doing a trade deal far away and there is no chance to hear either in my system so my gut, brain and your feedback is what I am going to roll with. Thanks so much for all thehelp guys / gals !!!
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fsmithjack OP
605 posts
 
Onhwy61

I always used the Decware in the past with all my gear it just made such and improvement. I did tons of A/B and couldn't get it out of my system but since I got the Bricasti it takes too much away. I love it and I can recommend to anyone but with my Bricasti it sounds wonderful but adds a bit too much and with my tubes I tried with or with out pre/direct and all the combo and with the Bricasti and my amps I don't use it. It is nice to know if I go SS it injects a bunch of tube sound if needed.

Thanks
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