Power Amp in a tri-amp system

[Coolhandjjl]

My speakers are custom designed horn loaded bass bins, mid horn and Lineaum dipole ribbon tweets, all tri amped.

I was driving my bass bins with an SAE 2401 High Resolution Power Amp (fully restored) but the bass was too detailed, like being hit with pile drivers. The SAE is a fine power amp, just not the right amp for a horn loaded bass bin. I swapped in my Marantz 250M, and the bass was much warmer, thicker, not so overly detailed as with the SAE. Much more comfortable listening experience.

The Marantz 250M that I temporarily hijacked will have to go back to my other system, looking for another 250M. They're pretty hard to come by.

I was considering looking at other power amps with a reputation of bass warmth like vintage Marantz gear. A pair of tube mono blocks like Dynaco MKIII's could certainly be in the future, but for now, my budget is not that high. I'd like to stay close to the $500 mark. Anyone heard of Classe?

 

[SoCal Sam]

Classe is high resolution, similar to the SAE you tried and didn't like.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I've read the Spec 4 leans towards the warm side. And if one can get over the build quality, the Carver TFM-15cb and TFM-35 gets mentioned here and there.

 

[Binkman]

Sounds like too much low hz and perhaps a little too much amp gain.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I've done the usual fiddling with settings. I have found that different amps have very different sonic characteristics even in the 20~400 Hz range. I swapped in a few other power amps I had on hand, a Crest CA9, Carver PM300, Marantz 250M, and two SAE's. The SAE's seemed to clinical with my speakers. Impedance, damping factor, slew rate, etc., all come into play. Believe it or not, the Carver PM300, which is a PA amp, sounded about as nice as the Marantz 250M. Maybe I'll stick with the PM300 and resist the urge to buy.