Looking for a partnering poweramp

Ralph · 6th May 2002, 12:20 PM

Hi all,

After having built the PRE-II/PSU preamp from WorldAudioDesign, I'm looking for suggestions on a partnering poweramp kit of high quality. Loudspeakers are home-built ScanSpeak Reference Monitor (eff: 86-89 Db, 4 Ohm). They need quiet a bit of power. What kit would you suggest? The poweramp I'm currently using is a Linn LK85.

Ralph

AudioFreak · 6th May 2002, 12:51 PM

3 more questions ....

1. What is the max rms power handling of the speakers

2. How much are you willing to spend

3. How much experience do you have building amps etc?

Ralph · 6th May 2002, 01:04 PM

3. Not too experienced, I know how to solder, the preamp was my first DIY-kit.

2. Difficult, looking for quality in the first place. 1100 EURO/£ 700 or so?

1. 100W, but they are the best units you can get from ScanSpeak, so power handling is no problem.

AudioFreak · 7th May 2002, 02:27 PM

Well you'll probably want an amp with at least 50W per channel and therefore i'd tend to move away from tubes and toward the solid state arena. If you dont mind the heat produced by Class A, i'd probably recommend an Aleph from Pass Labs, see www.passdiy.com for details. You might also like to look at the leach amps if the heat is a problem.

Thatch_Ear · 7th May 2002, 06:57 PM

Another option is to get an active crossover and bi-amp your speakers using SS to drive the woofers. Hopefully that will allow your Linn to drive your mid/highs where you really want the tubes. 88/89 db drivers and tubes just don't go well together but if you aren't into really loud music and want to keep the tube warmth in the mids and avoid the harsh highs it is an option. I looked at some reviews of your amp and there was a lot of praise of the ability to plug in an active card for bi-amping but I got the impression that that won't work with your speakers. Just an idea and not knowing if the mids are sealed or open framed you might give some thought to changing out the mids and tweeters to something more in the 93 db range and still bi-amp. Ask about that in the speaker section. There are tube amps out there that have the power to run your speakers like some 100 watt mono blocks made by Bogen in the 50s but I can't really say what it would take to get someting like that rebuilt for great sound.

Ralph · 8th May 2002, 06:17 PM

Thanks for the suggestions about active filters for the Linn. They're not compatible with my speakers, as you mentioned. In the end I'll be looking for a serious ss amp for partnering my tube preamp.

Ralph

phil · 8th May 2002, 06:35 PM

Have a look here http://www.diyhifisupply.com/
Phil.

6th May 2002, 12:20 PM	#1
Ralph diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Culemborg, The Netherlands	Looking for a partnering poweramp Hi all, After having built the PRE-II/PSU preamp from WorldAudioDesign, I'm looking for suggestions on a partnering poweramp kit of high quality. Loudspeakers are home-built ScanSpeak Reference Monitor (eff: 86-89 Db, 4 Ohm). They need quiet a bit of power. What kit would you suggest? The poweramp I'm currently using is a Linn LK85. Ralph

6th May 2002, 01:04 PM	#3
Ralph diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Culemborg, The Netherlands	3 answers 3. Not too experienced, I know how to solder, the preamp was my first DIY-kit. 2. Difficult, looking for quality in the first place. 1100 EURO/£ 700 or so? 1. 100W, but they are the best units you can get from ScanSpeak, so power handling is no problem.

7th May 2002, 06:57 PM	#5
Thatch_Ear diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Dallas,Tx	Another option is to get an active crossover and bi-amp your speakers using SS to drive the woofers. Hopefully that will allow your Linn to drive your mid/highs where you really want the tubes. 88/89 db drivers and tubes just don't go well together but if you aren't into really loud music and want to keep the tube warmth in the mids and avoid the harsh highs it is an option. I looked at some reviews of your amp and there was a lot of praise of the ability to plug in an active card for bi-amping but I got the impression that that won't work with your speakers. Just an idea and not knowing if the mids are sealed or open framed you might give some thought to changing out the mids and tweeters to something more in the 93 db range and still bi-amp. Ask about that in the speaker section. There are tube amps out there that have the power to run your speakers like some 100 watt mono blocks made by Bogen in the 50s but I can't really say what it would take to get someting like that rebuilt for great sound. __________________ Thatch

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6th May 2002, 12:51 PM	#2
AudioFreak Warp Engineer On Holiday Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Queensland, Australia	3 more questions .... 1. What is the max rms power handling of the speakers 2. How much are you willing to spend 3. How much experience do you have building amps etc?

7th May 2002, 02:27 PM	#4
AudioFreak Warp Engineer On Holiday Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Queensland, Australia	Well you'll probably want an amp with at least 50W per channel and therefore i'd tend to move away from tubes and toward the solid state arena. If you dont mind the heat produced by Class A, i'd probably recommend an Aleph from Pass Labs, see www.passdiy.com for details. You might also like to look at the leach amps if the heat is a problem.

8th May 2002, 06:17 PM	#6
Ralph diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Culemborg, The Netherlands	Thanks for the suggestions about active filters for the Linn. They're not compatible with my speakers, as you mentioned. In the end I'll be looking for a serious ss amp for partnering my tube preamp. Ralph

8th May 2002, 06:35 PM	#7
phil diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2001	Have a look here http://www.diyhifisupply.com/ Phil.

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