bigaltx24
Super Member
I know this sounds like serious overkill, but I'm hooked. My W70Ds have been powered by a EL84 SEP tube amp, nice but a touch lazy with the bass. Sansui 881, very tube like with great mids, good bass, but a bit rolled off on the highs. Marantz 2250B better balance than the Sansui but not as engaging. Luxman R-113 a more modern neutral sound that is very detailed. I've been rotating between these amps for about a year and a half now. The Luxman got the lions share of listening time. Then I picked up the Carver M.10t two weekends ago.
At first I was going to use it for my Polks but I had it in the garage cleaning it up and checking offset and bias. The Wharfedales were sitting there in the garage system hooked up to the Luxman which has pre outs so it was a real easy hook up. I figured what the hell and boy I'm glad I did. I threw Maceo Parker's Roots Revisited in the CD player and was blown away. A very neutral but tube like sound with great detail and killer dynamics, especially in the bass. Beautiful midrange with tons of presence but doesn't step on the rest of the spectrum. Nice sweet high end with no graininess or harshness and a big soundstage with a lot of depth.
Needless to say the Carver hasn't moved since. I did try my Kenwood Basic C1 as the pre, but lost some depth of the soundstage so I went back to the Luxman. I don't play it real loud, maybe 90db or so, in fact I haven't got the second row of meter lights lit up yet and probably never will. Any real danger of hurting these speakers if I keep the volume to a decent level?
At first I was going to use it for my Polks but I had it in the garage cleaning it up and checking offset and bias. The Wharfedales were sitting there in the garage system hooked up to the Luxman which has pre outs so it was a real easy hook up. I figured what the hell and boy I'm glad I did. I threw Maceo Parker's Roots Revisited in the CD player and was blown away. A very neutral but tube like sound with great detail and killer dynamics, especially in the bass. Beautiful midrange with tons of presence but doesn't step on the rest of the spectrum. Nice sweet high end with no graininess or harshness and a big soundstage with a lot of depth.
Needless to say the Carver hasn't moved since. I did try my Kenwood Basic C1 as the pre, but lost some depth of the soundstage so I went back to the Luxman. I don't play it real loud, maybe 90db or so, in fact I haven't got the second row of meter lights lit up yet and probably never will. Any real danger of hurting these speakers if I keep the volume to a decent level?
