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Looking for good tube amplifier options to use with Quad ESL-63
thanks
Edits: 01/16/17 01/16/17Follow Ups:
Updated HK Citation 11 sounds good with ESL-63's.
What problems have you had? I have tried quite a few tube amplifiers and haven't had any amplifier problems. Each had it's own strengths and weaknesses.
One thing that has helped is crossing them over around 150 Hz and running with subs. It takes a lot of the stress off of the panels.
nt
"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
I had success driving ESL63USAs with:
Dehavilland Aries 845s
Berning ZH270
Cary Rocket 88 monos (although these didn't sound nearly as good as the first 2 listed above).
Agree that the speakers are unlikely to be the cause of any of the random issues you've experienced. Ralph @ Atma-Sphere would be the first person I'd ask this question.
My old VTL amp had trouble holding bias on tubes and that was inherent to the amp not anything to do with the speaker. Atma's are rock solid, something weird there. Re: the Lamm sound, is the impedance match with the Thor pre a good fit?
Cheers,
Spencer
VTL MB-185 Signatures...developed a problem with holding bias on tubes...
I've used MB-450s with Acoustat 2+2s (five years) and Sound Lab U-1s (eleven years) with no such difficulties. Those stats present a slightly difference impedance profile having dual transformers, but both are reactive and generally speaking, difficult to drive.
Sorry to hear about the problems. Probably a good idea to get them back to KC so I can give them an inspection.
My guess is there is nothing wrong with the speakers. No problem with the Quad would account for the problems you are having if the speakers are sounding good.
The issue with the VTL and AS sound like output tube problems. The Shindo amp does not like to see any load below 8 ohms weird for a tube amp but that is Shindo. The Lamm may not like the load either.
If the Quads did indeed have a problem that was blowing up amplifiers I would imagine you would have large amounts of distortion at any drive level. The Quad either works properly and sounds great or it sounds awful because there is a problem somewhere there is really no middle ground with this design.
Thanks for the response.
Edits: 01/16/17
FWIW: I drive my ESL 63s that were rebuilt by Kent about 6 months ago with a variety of tube amps, none of the amps have anything resembling the problems you are having.
I ran my older pair, long since sold, with tube amps for 15 years with no amp problems at all.
Thanks for the additional info.
There are so many variables involved that is can be hard to determine what is happening. But I do not believe it has anything to do with the speakers. The load is not an amp killer but will reveal amps that are less than stellar in their design or stability.
Amps that cannot handle the load are not very good designs IMO no matter their reputation or claimed sonic merits. My cheap NAD 7020 receiver has been driving Quads with ease for 35 years. Even stacked original Quads and that can be a brutal load.
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