Advice on amplifier for tweeters

[opp]

Request - some advice on selecting an amplifier for tweeters.

I am currently building a 3-way system with active xover (24db Linkwiz). For the woofers (bass/mid) I use an old Quad 405 (recently restored) and a newly build Hypex UCD180. For the tweeters I currently use an old small NAD. It is the latter that has to be replaced.

I imagine something with emphasis on quality rather than power – e.g. 20W high quality, preferably DIY.

Any suggestions - Zen, Mini-A..........?

The tweeter is Vifa XT 25, the woofers are Vifa PL14 and PL22.

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time flies like an arrow ... and fruit flies like a banana

[Sjef]

HAve you ever tried the Hypex on the tweeter and the NAD on the midrange ? It might sound strange but I have heard it a couple of times on active systems that it sounded best with the most powerfull amp on the tweeter.

[opp]

Yes, in fact I have, and it sounded fine in the treble, but the NAT is a very old piece of equipment and I find it very hard to assess the treble without equal high quality midrange. So no conclusion on that occasion.

But you got a point, the Hypes is easy to work with and is extraordinary god value for money.

High power for tweeters hmm……… maybe it is demand high power in a short time? Maybe large caps relative the transformer is the answer (e.g. an UCD 180 with 125VA/20.000uF). Let me elaborate a little on my considerations.
- A 4th order Linkwitz xover ads a lot ringing to pulses so the power amplifier should not ad any thing to that at all (distortion)
- Hypes is god value for money because of the relative high power (beside high sound quality) – if, however there is an amplifier concept with special treble quality, at the cost of power it might be ideal.

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time flies like an arrow ... and fruit flies like a banana

[Jay]

I have bad experience with mosfet on tweeters, and good listening experiences with tube amp for tweeters. How about Gainclone? I don't like the bottom end of Gainclone, so it may tell that the treble is okay?

[planet10]

The way Julian Vereker put it (over beers in Chicago one CES) was to put the highest quality amp on the top (ie if you could only afford 2 NAIm 160s & a NAIM 250, then put the 250 on top -- not because it had more power but because it was a better amp)

dave

[opp]

So far, so good - you are confirming my thoughts, but I guess I just want it all, high quality and low price. . I think however it might be possible in this case, because tweeters only need a small part of the total system power consumption – smaller thus cheaper?

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time flies like an arrow ... and fruit flies like a banana

[planet10]

For SS a miniA might be a good choice... I'd worry less about the rated power than its synamic capabilities.

dave

[opp]

How about Nelson Pass PLH or Elliott Sound’s 10W class A http://sound.westhost.com/project10.htm?

Neither seems to be offering PCB, can anyone suggest a suitable pro-ject with PCB or a complete kit?