I bought my brother a restored pair of these amazing speakers. His local high-end guy convinced him to pair them with transistor amps because of their power requirements. However, his system now decidedly lacks fluidity and musicality and has a clinical, almost digital sound. When I fell in love with the 1+1s, I was driving them with an Audio Research D70. They sounded heavenly (at low levels). We only listen to classical and old jazz. Is there any tube amp that you can recommend with these?
Thank you, and happy holidays!
Thank you, and happy holidays!
Hehe, the world is small...
I'm the local high-end gui you mentioned.
Give your brother my best regards.
You are right, the ncore amp is sounding less warm, call it analytical. Not everyones liking.
A tube amp in combination with the one+one let the high frequencies decline, because the impedance drops to a low value the more you reach 20 kHz.
So regarding this aspect, a tube amp could sound warmer, maybe more musical in combination with the acoustats.
A fine tube amp is the octave R320.
Maybe a dealer could give your brother one for testing with his acoustats.
Does he still use his Audio Research Pre Amp?
Best regards
I'm the local high-end gui you mentioned.
Give your brother my best regards.
You are right, the ncore amp is sounding less warm, call it analytical. Not everyones liking.
A tube amp in combination with the one+one let the high frequencies decline, because the impedance drops to a low value the more you reach 20 kHz.
So regarding this aspect, a tube amp could sound warmer, maybe more musical in combination with the acoustats.
A fine tube amp is the octave R320.
Maybe a dealer could give your brother one for testing with his acoustats.
Does he still use his Audio Research Pre Amp?
Best regards
Ah, forgot to mention: Inside the acoustats is a variable resistor. This resistor influence the amount of high frequencies. So if you like tweaking, maybe give it a go. I voiced them on the neutral side. Eventually you both more like it with declining highs.
It's not complicated.
It's not complicated.
Thank you for your suggestions! The setup demands monoblocks and the budget would have to be more in sync with the rest (i.e lower). What about the original direct drive amps like I used to have on my Monitor X Acoustats? They sounded like a good match on those. Could they drive the 1+1s?
Alternatively, there is another now unfortunately deceased amp guru who custom-made such amps until about 10 years ago for Acoustats.
Alternatively, there is another now unfortunately deceased amp guru who custom-made such amps until about 10 years ago for Acoustats.
Unfortunately the direct drive amps from the X for one+one are not usable without drastic surgery.
Perhaps possible, but not an easy task.
Also nice amps and perhaps more in line with the budget are quicksilver mono amps (https://quicksilveraudio.com/products/kt-mono-amplifier/).
The Mid mono amps shown on this webpage are eventually also usable, maybe slightly on the low side concerning power output.
Another possible solution is to get older Audio research tube amps and let them be overhauled if necessary. For example the Modell M-100 or the Classic 120.
Regards
Olaf
Perhaps possible, but not an easy task.
Also nice amps and perhaps more in line with the budget are quicksilver mono amps (https://quicksilveraudio.com/products/kt-mono-amplifier/).
The Mid mono amps shown on this webpage are eventually also usable, maybe slightly on the low side concerning power output.
Another possible solution is to get older Audio research tube amps and let them be overhauled if necessary. For example the Modell M-100 or the Classic 120.
Regards
Olaf
I have owned Acoustats since 1986. I now have 7 pair of Acoustats. 2 pair of 1+1's, 2 pair of model 3's, 2 pair of model 6's (1 pair with modified direct drive servo amps, the other pair with Red Medallion interfaces) and a pair of 2+2's. I have used a variety of SS and tube amps over the years. I now have 11 VTL amplifiers to drive my various Acoustat set ups. The VTL's have a tonal quality I have not found with any other amplifier. To me they are a perfect match for the Acoustat's for all types of music. They have the perfect balance of taught, tight, deep bass and beautifully rendered mids and highs. The VTL's I own are rated from 85 wpc up to 225 wpc. I hope you can find either a pair of monoblocks or a stereo amp to try with your 1+1's. I have bought all used VTL amps and have had great reliability with them.
Attachments
SS amps are great at reproducing whatever you put into them. So, use a tube preamp and they should sound strongly tube amp ish.
I agree with djn that a tube preamp should be used. VTL makes some amps that are similar in power to the AR D70 you mentioned. I owned 2 AR amps in the past. I feel the VTL sounds more like the real thing, less like hi-fi. Can you tell me what kind of budget you have for a pair of amps? I am using a VTL ST-85 (65 wpc) stereo amp on my 2+2's and they sound incredible. I looked on Hifi-Shark a few minutes ago and saw a pair of 100 wpc VTL's that have an auction ending Sunday. There are a pair of MB125"s in Ca. for $2500 a pair.
Below is both links if you are interested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1767697623...customid=d5b69bce-cd81-11ef-8a87-616335613662
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649640695-vtl-mb125/
Below is both links if you are interested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1767697623...customid=d5b69bce-cd81-11ef-8a87-616335613662
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649640695-vtl-mb125/
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Or perhaps better yet, if you like distortion, get a Hypex or Purifi amp which is essentially a wire with gain, add dsp which allows you to use any sort of distortion profile you want to emulate the tube "sound". You can tailor the amount and kind of distortion this way to you liking.
Thank you for all your answers. There are definitely few leads among them. Just to clarify a few points:
A) The rest of the system is an EMT turntable with all original but restored components (a very good-sounding and fun unit) an AR SP11 (IMHO, not as natural as my former SP10 or SP8+step-up transformer) and the before mentioned monoblock transistor power amps that taotao who kindly responded here installed (brand?).
B) With my ears educated by a lifelong exposure to classical, world music and early jazz listening and involvement I certainly appreciate clarity of sound in a variety of natural performance venues.(In fact if is one of the main challenges to find good listening and playing positions as a listener, player, recoding engineer etc). I, however, agree with gurus like Doug Fearn that the better tube and analogue equipments still come closer to reality in recording and replay. And importantly, this has nothing to do with warmth or additional tube distortion. It is more related to headroom, precise representation of space surrounding the instruments, natural clarity, fluidity, attack and transients. This is for some reason more audible with certain ‘critical’ instruments like good pianos, voice, percussion, large orchestras and less with guitar, string quartets, plugged bass, or organ that tend to sound pretty good on many systems.
Doug Fearn has many lectures on why this is the case and I very much recommend his teachings. All this is seems to matter only to people who listen to and play life un-amplified music. Most Pop musicians strenuously deny hearing a difference or automatically go for the ‘brighter=cleaner’ sound. Perhaps this a language confusion. These two words describe very different unrelated properties of sound.
A) The rest of the system is an EMT turntable with all original but restored components (a very good-sounding and fun unit) an AR SP11 (IMHO, not as natural as my former SP10 or SP8+step-up transformer) and the before mentioned monoblock transistor power amps that taotao who kindly responded here installed (brand?).
B) With my ears educated by a lifelong exposure to classical, world music and early jazz listening and involvement I certainly appreciate clarity of sound in a variety of natural performance venues.(In fact if is one of the main challenges to find good listening and playing positions as a listener, player, recoding engineer etc). I, however, agree with gurus like Doug Fearn that the better tube and analogue equipments still come closer to reality in recording and replay. And importantly, this has nothing to do with warmth or additional tube distortion. It is more related to headroom, precise representation of space surrounding the instruments, natural clarity, fluidity, attack and transients. This is for some reason more audible with certain ‘critical’ instruments like good pianos, voice, percussion, large orchestras and less with guitar, string quartets, plugged bass, or organ that tend to sound pretty good on many systems.
Doug Fearn has many lectures on why this is the case and I very much recommend his teachings. All this is seems to matter only to people who listen to and play life un-amplified music. Most Pop musicians strenuously deny hearing a difference or automatically go for the ‘brighter=cleaner’ sound. Perhaps this a language confusion. These two words describe very different unrelated properties of sound.
Look at the 100W/CH Rogue audio tube amp. I hear good things about it and not crazy priced, especially look at the used hi end market. I used to drive my 2+2s with a Counterpoint SA 5.1 and a Adcom 555. Had to put some muffin fans on back of heat sinks. Used to play loud rock back then. Would also consider the NP AB100 built as two amps used as monoblocks with bridging. The AB100 in my opinion is a build close to the 555. Has same kind of darlington output stage. Definitely liked the Tube Pre/SS power amp.