snilsen13 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I'm still trying to settle down on the right amplification for my Cornwalls that match my current needs/budget. So far, I've now gone through gain clone, tripath, two PP tube amps, an under powered SET, but I've been most happy with a finally dropping some cash on a good tubed pre-amp (MFA Magus) and have been using it with a decent SS amp (H/K 630 amp section). This last combo sounds the most satisfying to me. To my ears it is obvious that SS can't match up to SET for the qualities I like most in music, but after a myriad of discuusion of professional amps, I wonder what the "line" is on some highly reguarded yet affordable, at <$500 used, home audio amps, such as: Forte 1A Bryston 3B NRB others? As a follow up, how much do these improve on the amplifiaction supplied by the h/k? -Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steamer Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Steven, I am a big fan of Bryston SS,currently have 2 in my system.The 3B NRB can be found on Ebay at a reasonable price. Another aspect of Bryston is the 20 yr warranty,hard to beat.They started out making amps for professional musicians and use in recording studios. I read an interview of them and their attitude on the warranty was unless it fell off a 3 story bldg.or fell out of a moving vehicle they would repair it and update components that were offered later in the production run no questions asked. And they do sound good! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Greg, Do you have 2 different model Bryston or you using them as monoblocks? If they're different can you report on your listening impressions? Thanks, Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steamer Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Greg, Do you have 2 different model Bryston or you using them as monoblocks? If they're different can you report on your listening impressions? Thanks, Steven Steven, I guess you would have to look at my system porfile. I operate my LaScala's 2way with a dedicated sub system. I am using the Bryston 3B PRO on my Scala bass bins and then I use a Bryston 4B PRO on my BagEnd subs. The highs are powered by Decware SET tube monoblocks. The Brystons are being used as 2 channel amps,4 bass speakers total so 4 channels of bass. I have owned Bryston amps for 20 yrs and one of their strenghts they are famous for is bass reproduction.I think they have nice mids and highs as well,very clean and detailed not to bright.I am fairly new to tube amps and prefer that smooth seductive midrange over SS(not to say SS is bad)just a preference.I ran Bryston SS only for a long time and was very happy with the sound. If you can get a ST model cheap it is even more detailed but maybe more bright?Had 7B ST monos for awhile and seemed that way but had different speakers which I thought were bright. Greg My Brystons are the same sound just different power outputs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Now that you have a tube preamp -- I think you should revisit Tripath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgeraci Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 What do you feel is lacking in the sound of your Cornwalls or what do you want to improve on? You've done the first, best thing and gone to a tube pre - that has the greatest overall impact on the sound. What do you need more or better of? The only reason I put it that way is because without listening to an amp beforehand in your system - you are starting another wildcard process. If you are looking for reasonable solid state because you want better and tighter bass response, I would also add Rotel to the list (985, 1080). Used Rotels is a decent option for tighter and more pronounced bass response and they generally have a warmer sound. However, it should be noted that Rotel amps (only in my experience and my opinion) MIGHT cause slight ear irritation (especially the buzzsaw Cornwall squawker) at moderate to higher volumes - and even with a tube pre. I have also heard Brystons on Klipsch, and this also may be a concern with some of the Bryston (again, only in my opinion). If low volume listening only is your thing then this would not be a concern. I agree with Dean that maybe you should give Tripath another shot - which sounds much different behind a good tube pre. Also, I went from moderately-priced solid state "home" amps to a pro amp(QSC PLX) because of the smoothness quotient but it sounds like you have been down that road. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I like a tube pre-amp with a ss amp for music - IMHO there is no better value in ss amps than the Outlaw Audio line. Top reviews; low prices due to internet only sales. Great customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Now that you have a tube preamp -- I think you should revisit Tripath. So, I tried that too. Adding a tube preamp allows me recognize more of the instuments textures and some more detail, this is a TEAC tripath I'm speaking of, no mods at all. I like this amp, for the price, incredible. My criticism of this amp is somewhat weak, but it motivates me. The image is balanced but narrow compared to the SS and FWIW, that dullens the excitement I can get from the amp. My guess is that it lack the umph. Even at low volumes the h/k takes more formidable control of the music. On the other hand, the TEAC gets more details out of the music... still, something exciting about music is just plain -gone-. Wish I knew how to explain it better - could it be the PRAT? Maybe the mods give this back, but I would have to hear it to believe it. Nobody here has really A-B'd those Redwine mods ... at least not in the big threads I read. I think if I rebuild my gainclone, which is currently faulty, I may have something to compare with a SS. Gainclones have the umph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 What is lacking is the big difference between my SS and tube amps I've listened to. When I had a 3/4 W SET I had no bass, but many instruments sooo real sounding I almost didn't care about the bass. Now, that amp had mechanical issues too, so it's gone. With the h/k SS I like the image width and the total clarity of what I can hear, but I would like to find a SS that can deliver more detail with the same clarity and perhaps a better soundstage. I can hear depth in the soundstage, when it's there, I would like to hear some depth again. This h/k doesn't deliver in that respect. So, some think that the SS gets harsh with louder volumes? That's certainly true about the h/k too. Cranking it reveals all kinds of distortions that never revealed themselves when I listened to the tubes I've used. I don't think I need a bigger amp, but I think pure class A might be the route to go. Some folk have compared Forte amps to tube amps, and I guess folks here think those QSC are smooth tooo, however, smooth is not the adjective I would use to describe tubes, unless we're taling about their physical proprties. Tell me about a SS amp that can make a pin drop sound like a pin drop, that has nothing to do with sounding "smooth". Can you get that from SS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Take a look at the Classe Audio Model Seventy. You should be able to find one used in your price range. I once had this amp and it was very impressive, especially at its price point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I've always liked the old carver ss amps....though I'm not sure if they're still around anymore. Very clean and smooth, but still ballsy enough for rocking it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Steve, Glad to hear that you like the Magus Pre. I love the circuit board layout , very clean.I am running a QSC 1202 (you should be able to get one for $500 or so) and am very satisfied with it. may want to give it a try if you can't find what you are looking for.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 - could it be the PRAT? . Please Please do not start that here the last refuge of common sense regarding : speaker wire PRaT and all the "other" crap thank you sincerely, Duke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 woooo hoooooo...turn 'em to 11. Seriously, that PRAT statement is fightin' words...for Max. You're gonna hear from him later, I bet. Also, you gave me a real good idea. I'm thinking a cable company named "PRAT" would be a money maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Also, if you still have that gainclone laying around, I'd be curious to hear your impressions of that behind the tube pre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 I've always liked the old carver ss amps....though I'm not sure if they're still around anymore. Very clean and smooth, but still ballsy enough for rocking it out. Dr. Who, I thought you were a Crown'd man? Don't you have a K2? I've seen K1 go for under $1000. Are you serious about the Carver? Maybe knowing how "old" you mean could help, but I've read a lot of negative opinions on Carver, compared to say, Bryston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 - could it be the PRAT? . Please Please do not start that here the last refuge of common sense Okay, I won't "start" that. How then do people describe this obvious defficiency in the tripath? It's also missing in the SI too (the $30 jobby). I think that whatever it is could come back with some more muscle, but maybe not. I'll take back the "PRAT", and just leave it at this, they're reasonably detailed but for mysterious reasons, uninvolving. Here's an example of what make tripath weird to me: when I get a pop from the turntable, I'm used to hearing a quick like "pop" but with the tripath I hear "pft", more like the crackle of burning logs than a turntable. This happens with both chip amps, either of several phono amps (but was most striking with the Lehman I sold), and either of my turntables, so I think it might apply to all amps using this architecture. What the heck is that about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I'm still trying to settle down on the right amplification for my Cornwalls that match my current needs/budget. So far, I've now gone through gain clone, tripath, two PP tube amps, an under powered SET, but I've been most happy with a finally dropping some cash on a good tubed pre-amp (MFA Magus) and have been using it with a decent SS amp (H/K 630 amp section). This last combo sounds the most satisfying to me. To my ears it is obvious that SS can't match up to SET for the qualities I like most in music, but after a myriad of discuusion of professional amps, I wonder what the "line" is on some highly reguarded yet affordable, at <$500 used, home audio amps, such as: Forte 1A Bryston 3B NRB others? As a follow up, how much do these improve on the amplifiaction supplied by the h/k? -Steven This Acurus is rather nice for the price: http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1143661749 Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 http://www.aksaonline.com/products/products.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snilsen13 Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Well, maybe I should wait a while londer, but I've been obsessively reading over the last 24 hours and I need to get back to work. So, there's a nice Forte 1a for sale right now that I just put dibs on. It's reported less dark than Classe, which was more than I wanted to $. I think it's probably better for high efficiency than Bryston, for the $ too. In reading I've become fascinated with the idea of pure class A SS behind a tube preamp. I'm convinced that this amp should let the preamp's 12AX7 sound shine through beautifully. This unit's price is fair and I think it's resale value it very solid. Thanks for all the suggestions. FWIW, whatever PRaT is, I think it's missing in digital amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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