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Amplifiers and Horn Loudspeakers

Greetings,

Wasn't sure where to post this (Amps or Speakers), but here goes.....

Horn loudspeakers of course are high in efficiency, and don't tpyically require high-powered amplifiers. Most horn users prefer tubes. With highly efficient horns, folks seem to prefer SET's.

Some solid state amps operate in Class A up to a certain point, which is said to be close in some respects to the sound of tubes. I have a solid state amplifier that puts out 250wpc (Class A/B), however it operates in Class A mode up to 25wpc. I'm curious if this amplifier, operating in Class A mode, would be a good match for a high efficiency horn system.

Thanks!
seadweller
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
class a ss and tubes are quite different. that said, horns are going to sound like horns no matter what kind of power you feed them.
brawny
51 posts
 
I own Avanatgarde Horn loudspeakers and have used primarily tube amplifers to drive them. However, I recently purchased Avantgarde's Model 5+ solid-state integrated amplifer that sounds very good. It runs in Class A for the first 1.1 watts. Other solid-state amplifers that I thought sounded good with my horns were the Pass Labs Aleph 3 and First Watt F-3. The problem with most solid-state amps driving horns is when you turn up the volume. The sound becomes very harsh. Using a good sounding solid-state amp with horns will give your system an adrenaline boost.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I would suggest taking what most people use with horns as a cue for what works best.
vman71
218 posts
 
My Klipsch speakers, both KLF-20's and Chorus II's, sound very good with my Plinius 8100 (int. SS). I will tell you that they sound even better with my restored Eico HF-81 (int. tube).

Hope this helps,
Mike
acresverde
170 posts
 
I think you will find that most amps with specs like you state for your own will, in most cases, employ undesirably large amounts of negative feedback, a sonic no-no IMHO.

When I first got my A/G Duos, all I had in house was my Bryston 4B NRB so that's what I used 'til my Atmaspere M60s came in. 250 watts/ch, claimed to operate in class A up to about 15 watts and definitely swathed in global NFB. Great for specs but not so great for purity of sound.
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