Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

Lloyd,

I too really like the sound of Strads. I hope you find an amp that really works well for you. The Strads do not strike me as being particularly tempermental so you should not have too much difficulty finding a good match.

Let me make it clear that I have not actually heard an Atmasphere amp with this particular speaker, although I've heard and really liked their amps in general. I've also heard, and liked the Joule OTLs. The Joules struck me as being warmer sounding (richer upper bass), but the particular unit I heard had problems with bad tube sockets (caused an intermittent, but extremely loud BANG), so I can recommend Joule on sound quality, but I would be concerned about reliability.

I am generally partial to OTLs when it comes to higher power from tubes. I personally have found some higher powered pentode tube amps to have a brittle edge to the sound and a "glassiness" that is worse than most solid state amps. OTL's can sound a bit rough and tumble and they may have a bit of brittleness too, but, the compensating payoff with OTLs is their unmatched liveliness and vividness.

The top line VTL monoblocks--the Reference or the Siegfried. This is the best-sounding, most seductively addicting and at the same time most dynamic amp I have *ever* heard.

They give you the best of everything: Magic of tubes, wickedly powerful, and regulated by a complex solid state circuit that maintains proper bias, speed, and linearity.

Have you considered the McIntosh 2301 dual mono pair?

They come straight to mind when you say powerful and tube in the same sentence! :-)

Try the new Eternal arts OTL amp. Just got a rave review in German mag "image hifi". I bought one 6 months ago and it is simply amazing. Best of both worlds: tube sound with Dartzeel speed. Look it up at www.audioclassica.de. I run mine withg Audionote AN-E loudspeakers, Bliss.

I don't question the quality if the Eternal Arts - never having heard them, but I would stick with Atma-sphere for OTLs which are outstanding soundwise, U.S. made, very reliable, can repaired here in the US should it ever need it, and has a healthy afetermarket if you should ever tire of it. In fact you can by used here and sell back for roughly the same should it not be your cup of tea.