Coincident Dragon Amplifier

Al,

Your posts on this forum are informative and helpful. Good luck in your search. I meant to say that if the Coincident Dragons appealed to you based on design/specs, and if they also can deliver relatively high current, then it would be a good place to begin your investigation. I only write this to rebuke myself for writing something that suggests that you'd like something just based on design/specs alone. :)

And Lou can definitely give you some ideas. Even though he usually shows them with Modwright gear, he'll be a good resource for considering alternatives.

At 2007 RMAF, I think Lou was showing with Red Dragon.

At 2007 RMAF, I think Lou was showing with Red Dragon.

Well, then perhaps it could have been '06 because it definitely was not Red Dragon. It was in a huge room and I'm pretty certain it was Art Audio.

Looks like Marco is correct about RMAF 2007. Scroll down about 1/3 of the way on this page.

Finsup, no self-rebuke is called for. I interpreted your comment in a positive manner, as you intended.

Thanks to all once again.

-- Al

My amplifier upgrade recently occurred, and so I thought I would provide an update to this thread:

While the thread was active I received a helpful, credible, and experience-based email about the original (and then current) version of the Dragon from a member, which caused me to have some doubt that it would be all that I was hoping for sonically. At around the same time, a post by a different member in an unrelated thread made me aware that a Mark II version of the Dragon was in the works. I decided to wait until it was introduced, and the details became known.

That introduction occurred in the past couple of months. The Coincident website describes several very substantial changes and improvements in the Mark II version, reflected in part in a considerable increase in weight, and an increase in size as well. Its price, though, increased by $2K, which strikes me as very reasonable in relation to the described improvements, but which put it beyond the limit of what I wanted to spend.

Meanwhile, the more I researched and reflected upon the suggestion that was made by Drake (“Raquel”), of the VAC Renaissance 70/70 MK III, the more enthused I became about the idea. An opportunity recently arose for me to purchase one in excellent condition, at a very reasonable price, and within local pickup distance. And that’s what I did.

It came with a brand new set of Chinese 300B-98 and 6SN7 tubes which the previous owner had purchased from VAC. I emailed Kevin Hayes at VAC to confirm that those 300B’s are suitable for use in this amp, and that they could have been purchased from VAC. His very gracious and almost instant response provided both confirmations.

I am thrilled with this amp. Its combination of purity (for want of a better word) and power amazes me.

I did have a very anxious several hours, though, when after about two hours of use all of a sudden there was an eruption of loud static and squealing (through the speakers). I eventually determined that one of the new 6SN7’s had failed, developing a high impedance grid-to-plate short. I then replaced all four small signal tubes with 1960 CBS 6SN7GTB’s which I happened to have on hand. All has been well since, and I think the vintage CBS’s sound slightly better than the new Chinese tubes did, during the brief amount of time I was able to listen to them.

Thanks again to all who responded, and especially of course to Drake.

Best regards,
--Al