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I have decided I probably need more power to get the most out of my LS3/5A. I currently have my eyes on a ~20 W Class A Tube 6L6 amp, which I have heard with my speakers, and enjoyed very much, but I am moving cautiously and thinking about SS.
Looking for something, preferably an integrated SS amp, between 30-50W, unless some LS3/5A owners think differently. The price would have to be under $8K and class A is preferred to A/B, but not required.
Any suggestions?
Follow Ups:
Seems your speakers may not be able to handle much power but if going SS, consider the McIntosh integrated amps, they use autoformers in the output stage. This should provide your speakers the same power despite impedance.
I find that tube amps at 20 to 30 watts work better with the LS3/5A Speakers than Solid State amps and you are less likely to damage your speakers. The LS3/5A really cannot handle that much power.
I have the 15 ohm Rogers LS3/5A speakers (that i bought in 1985) and 1st used a Marantz receiver of about 30 watts that did not have enough power drive the speakers properly. I then bought a Belles Model 1 amp with 100 watts which drove the speakers fine but had too much power you had to be careful not to overdrive the speakers. Recently I have used a Fisher 400 which worked great and currently using a Mcintosh MC225 which has plenty of power. To me the tube amps I have used are a match better with these speakers and brings out the qualities LS3/5a's are known for ie mid range and imaging, than Solid State amps.
gator
I miss my Fisher 400 I purchased from Allied Radio or was it Lafayette Electronics? Can't remember, it was only 1965 or so.
"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok
should do the job perfectly.
Warmest
Tim Bailey
Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
I tried the Sony amp and IMO it is not up to Sony usual standard.. Best integrated amp will be Naim Supernait 2 , excellent bass & superb with vocals. British speaker, best to have a British amp. Period as you Yanks say. Forget antique tubes.
Edits: 07/25/17 07/25/17 07/25/17
Is more than 50w device unacceptable?
in that the sensitivity of the LS3/5a is about 83-84db, i suggest at least 100wpc. quick answers-bel canto, or to surprise yourself for cheap/great-emotiva
http://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/amplifier/power-amplifier/bel-canto-s500-power-amplifier/
https://emotiva.com/products/amplifiers/300
i use an adcom 555II on my spendor s3/5s (84db sens.) and i am never wanting, even for loudness without distortion.
...regards...tr
If you can swing $4900. This the only reasonably priced SS amp that could get me away from tubes.
bigshow
You can get a new-condition demo XA-25 from Reno Hi Fi for $3995.
Or you can get a new-condition demo First Watt J-2 for $2495 from the same source.
Unless you're listening in a barn or are a thrash metal fan (nothing wrong with either of those), I think you'll find that 25 watts of Nelson Pass's class A power will be ample.
I have no affiliation with Reno Hi Fi other than being a very satisfied repeat customer.
Happy listening,
Jim
"The passage of my life is measured out in shirts."
- Brian Eno
Agreed... I'm sometimes amazed at how big Nelson's small amps can sound. Huge First Watt fan here, and would love to hear the XA25.
I was with our Broadcasting corp when the reps came round with these BBC generated speakers.
We listened and we listened some more,
then we unanimously said :"No thank You"
We bought 3000 pairs of Tannoy Golds instead.
Short answer: these are Teeny Bookshelf speakers that sound better than they look, No arguement.
But despite the Fan Boys, simply weren't that great.. period.
Even when the Fabled First BBC design, of which few remainders are.. today
Sooo a decent quality (not Chinese) LM3886 Chip type amp will plumb their performance envelope to it's deepest corners.
Try it?
They are not all that efficient either, but they sound nice. They are designed for near-field listening, such as at the other side of console at which you are sitting, mixing the music in a recording session or the like. So they don't need efficiency.
If they are newer, this may not apply so much.
Pass 30 watt integrated based on the XA30.8?
Right power in class 'a' and gigantic (maybe 6db) headroom.
Too much is never enough
I had 3 pairs of 11 ohms LS3/5a ( Harbeth & Rogers) in the past . I used my all tube audio research D79B and they sound sublime. What's funny is the amp is much bigger than the pair of LS3/5a's . I did not have the chance to use a solid state amp . Almost all setup I've auditioned use a 30-35W / ch tube amp .
If it were me, I would stay with tubes and get a Music Reference RM-200 Mk II. Rodger Modjeski designs are extremely reliable (I have a 35 year-old RM-5 preamp that works like new). Look at reviews in Stereophile. Cost is about $4200 new. The RM-200 delivers 100 wpc which is more than you are looking for, but the LS3/5A is pretty inefficient (82 db) and generally requires more than 50 watts despite it's small size.
I married the perfect woman. The downside is everything that goes wrong is my fault.
Edits: 07/23/17
The high impedance of the LS3/5A compensates in some ways for its lack of sensitivity. If I use these speakers at my winter place, I drive it with an 8-9W 300B amp. The tonality is correct, but many people believe you need more power and a beefy power supply in terms of reserve capacity in the PS caps to get good dynamics on fast symphonic music.
Edits: 07/24/17 07/24/17
Stay with tubes.Check out Quicksilver. Outstanding with any LS3/5A type speaker that I have owned!
Edits: 07/24/17
One amp that meets your criteria and is incredibly underrated and totally flying under the radar is the Sony TA-A1ES.
He positively raves about it.
"To Learn Who Rules Over You, Simply Find Out Who You Are Not Allowed to Criticize."
-Voltaire
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