The one watt lie….
- Thread starter 6.5CM
- Start date
I drove Maggie .7s with Pass X150.8. I thought it to be a bad match. I found it uninteresting. It worked, but Ive heard far better with the amp matched to other speakers. I wasnt prepared to buy a high current amp at the time, like a Parasound A2+ so I just let the Maggies go.
This post and others actually tells me something. A lot of people can like a flimsy sound. I cant stand hearing a grand piano through a megaphone. Thats not me.
What speakers are you yourself using and how loud do you typically listen?
The 2A3 amps I've heard havent sounded full at atl. But then I've seen matching and amp design produce highly unexpected results.
I will no longer pursue 15 watts and under power with what ever speaker match. Thats not for me. The 20-35 watt range, I own a singular amp thats been the exception for me. The Audion Super Sterling. It is full and huge with a strict upper limit after which it falls apart. I am inclined to pursue 50 wpc tube units like multi tube EL34s designs. I feel that is as low as I can go and still fulfill my needs.
The one 20+ wpc amp that delivered a full sound for me. Its an oddball though. I think only Dennis Had makes a similar design.
asilker
Super Member
dude 25-50 wpc is not high wattage
It's certainly not low wattage, but I am surprised to hear you talk about 20 watts after your original post.
So basically you don't like 45 tubes. That's what this thread is about.
Edit: for the record I am cool with high wattage amps, I don't really have a horse in the race. I just don't understand your perspective
It's certainly not low wattage, but I am surprised to hear you talk about 20 watts after your original post.
So basically you don't like 45 tubes. That's what this thread is about.
Edit: for the record I am cool with high wattage amps, I don't really have a horse in the race. I just don't understand your perspective
Lavane
Lunatic Member
I've gotten plenty of bass out of old console tube amps. The problem was more with the speakers of the time I think. Small Alinco magnets, stiff paper surrounds, etc. But I agree there was a lot of puffery when it came to specs with some brands. There were a lot of very nice <30w tube amps with decent iron. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. Two of my PP amps are 17wpc and 35wpc. Both have very nice sounding transformers that are plenty big enough.
Most SS equipment lists midband only distortion specs as well.
True. But then this is not a dissertation so pardon me if the posts are not all put together like it is.
Low wattage to me is under 15 watts.8 watts generally. 20-30 would still be low-mid. Average 40-80 wpc. High power, is 100 and over.
I've owned a few tube amps. The best thus far has been an old 1995 Audio Research VT100 mkI. It died and AR itself gave up on fixing it. I replaced it with a VT80SE, which didnt do it for me. Thats just to say I have had tube with power and it is amazing.
Admittedly, I envy you. I really do want to get a full sound with the sweetness of low power tube amps. I will have to continue experimentation. The truth is out there.
For high efficiency, this is what I had. Zu Omen Def with Radian tweeters. Rated at 102db. I think its more like 98db.
That doesn't impress me per se, based on my experience of listening to PA sound over many years.
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asilker
Super Member
Looks like you're running Gibbon X's? If so then I envy you too! Those look wonderful. And by the way, reading through your other thread, seems like you have a great amp stable. I would love to try out some Pass Labs stuff (specifically the XA25), and I am running a First Watt amp too
Looks like the Gibbons clock in around 90-91db sensitivity. The difference between a 3 way @ 90db VS a 16" lightweight paper driver 2 way @ 101db is enormous
If I was running 90 db/w I would also not be interested in anything under 10-15 watts
But again, I don't know how universal your conclusions are about low wattage
EDIT: we posted at the same time, just saw your Zu's. NICE!
I had speakers that were high efficiency, posted above, and was thoroughly happy with them. At this stage of my life, I am fascinated by the many different philosophies in 2 channel audio and have been trying to experience the ones that interest me. Low wattage high efficiency nirvana was elusive. Ive moved on to 20-30 wpc and experiencing whats there.
With all due respect, there are people far more experienced than you who disagree. Like for instance the guy from Arkansas who founded the company which has been manufacturing some of the most world-renown loudspeaker products since 1946.
asilker
Super Member
I'm kind of moving in the same direction. Looking at lower efficiency, more modern speaker builds. Wondering how low I can go with only 25 watts. Also sniffing around Tube Lab schematics and wondering if I can build up around a KT120 like the amp you talked about above.