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Amp advice sought for Coincident Total Victory

I had driven my Coincident Total Victory II's with 100 W el34's. Now It's a 12 W 300b. I like the tonal accuracy and low level detail much more but do miss two things about the higher powered amp. One is the ability to occasionally turn it up. The other is the headroom needed to to accurately reproduce the fast rise of, for example, a piano or drum. For me, the TV II's are just below the efficiency needed for 300b amplification. Does anyone have experience with a sub $4k used tube amp or amplifier topology that would be a good compromise?

Thanks in advance,

Dave
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larryken
537 posts
 
my amp would give you what you want...Almarro 318B...18 high current watts a side...big Russian power tubes.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
If you like the sound of SET, it will be difficult to move away from it. So how about a pair of Cary cad-805c? You can find them used for around $4K. 211 based SET usually has more punch than 300b. It might not be a compromise at all.
mechans
2,999 posts
 
You might want to try an OTL by Atmasphere for example. There are other OTL like circuits which combine speed and power . You might find a used 6C33B based one by Joule Electra. I don't know if you be able to find a Berning amp for the money, not the new one, but the older one not the ZTOL the? 70- 60 watt model.
montejay
285 posts
 
I have auditioned the Coincident Statement linestage using my 8 watt Coincident 300b and achieved the results that you are looking for.Our speakers have very simular characteristics.Head room was no issue but the things of value about low powered DHT was preserved.

Regards,
rfogel8's avatar
rfogel8
192 posts
 
I tend to agree with both Sidssp and Mechans, either the Cary or AtmaSphere would give you the extra power to get the job done.

The Cary would no doubt be warmer, sweeter and more "romantic" while the AtmaSphere would be way more transparent, faster and more extended in both directions. I'd look for a used pair of A/S M-60 monos(60wpc), change out the stock 6SN7's for some reasonably priced NOS and live happily ever after.

For the life of me, I can't understand how anybody can expect an 8 watt 300b(or 12 watt) to do justice to a speaker with nine drivers(four 8" per box!). I don't care how efficient or how easy the load(impedance).

A while back, I heard a friend's 300b Frankensteins mated to my A/S MP-1 preamp, powering my 2-way sats(part of a larger system) and they sounded wonderful; great midrange as you'd expect. But... we're talking an easy to drive tweeter and 5.5" midrange(good to 50Hz) and even then, to my ears, they(300b's) sounded rolled off at the extremes and not nearly as transparent or detailed as my OTLs.

Just my 2 cents!
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