1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 136264-91665

Tube amp/integrated with bass grip for Aerial 7Ts

So I’ve upgraded my speakers from Aerial bookshelves (5B in the kitchen and 5T in the living room) to Aerial 7T in the living room. Amazing difference in both low end and clarity of midrange when powered by my Luxman integrated vs 5Ts. That amp just grips the woofers and produces the most realistic drums and low piano notes I’ve ever heard in my life (even better than my old Classe Omicron and Aerial 10T combo I sold years ago due to space issues in my prior living arrangement). My other amp is Cary SLI-80 F1 integrated, an amp I always loved powering smaller speakers, but it simply falls apart in the low end powering the 7Ts Looking to upgrade to either a tube amplifier or integrated (not picky, my DAC has volume control and is my only source) that will come close to Luxman in the low end grip. Thinking Audio Research 75SE or 150SE? What other amps should I be looking at. My budget is under 10K used. I'm keeping the Luxman as I listen 8 hours a day while working, tube amp would be for evenings and weekends.
astelmaszek
astelmaszek OP
78 posts
 
@shredder I had Ayre AX-5/20 for a while. Ayre has never done anything for me. No matter what speakers I hooked up to it, it sounds like my desktop system which usually is some high end studio monitors. Doesn’t sound like live music, sounds like I’m monitoring a recording. My preference for solid state has always been Luxman. It makes music. Ayre just sound sterile to me. Don't get me wrong, sound staging is amazing, but no better than a $2200 pair of Focal Shape Twins (my current desk setup), actually a bit worse, everything else is the same. Just not worth the $$$ for me. I need my midrange magic.

Played with a borrowed ARC 75SE hooked up to my Aerial 7Ts. Best amp I’ve ever heard, the bass grip is there, not exactly like Luxman, but pretty damn close, everything else is a just right 110%, bass is 95%. Can't live with the ascetics (my wife didn’t like the hidden tubes), so I grabbed a VT80SE. We’ll see how close it is to 75SE.
luxmancl38
129 posts
 
The VAC 160i integrated would be an excellent match w/your 7T's.
adg101
408 posts
 
ModWright KWI 200 if you’re looking for an integrated or Pass X250.8 if only looking for an amp.

I’ve not dragged home an ARC Ref 75SE but have heard it many times at my local dealership and it’s a great amp but knowing my 7B’s I can’t imagine it really waking up the 7T’s unless they’re a lot easier to drive. Before I picked up my Pass X250 I had a couple 100 to 150 watt amps that sounded nice on my Aerials but I always felt something was missing and there was... power. If you’re looking for real control I think you should be looking for 250 watts and up to really hear what your 7T’s can do.
jwincville
24 posts
 
Has anyone paired the 7T's with Mark Levinson 532H or any of the Krell Chorus amps?  I wonder what the synergy would be between the ML and Aerials.  Mids to drool over?  or too much of a good thing?
astelmaszek OP
78 posts
 
@adg101 ARC LS28/VT80SE has now been in the system connected to the Aerial 7Ts for a couple of months. No regrets. Drives them with ease well past comfortable volume levels. Bass is actually as good as it is with luxman which is to say superb and everything else has just a little bit of that tube goodness I was missing. 75 Watts seems plenty. 
More to discover