Over the last few years I was on a buying spree collecting vintage [from the 40's - 70s, maybe one or two from the 80's ?] mid and high power PP A/AB amps. (That was some serious iron in the old old Bogen, NTS, Dukane amps) All with the intention of using one amp per horn of each 3-way in each of the 3 front channels, and maybe bi-amp the side channels too. ...that's 13 amp channels (not counting the subs). (I do have need for some in another room too with my Martin Logans I ripped the passive x-over out of, and supplement with a 4' ribbon teeter) ...problem is, I don't have enough current going to the outlets to start the amps up and run at idle.
However, I've had an epiphany since getting my 1st single ended Class A amp. That power is over kill. For the front of the room at least with the ultra hi efficiency drivers, I'm considering getting 3 of the same stereo valve amps, in the 13w - 25w range, to drive the mids and highs. Mids are custom made hard-wood Smith horn clones driven by JBL 2446 drivers, and large size JBL butt cheeks driven by JBL 2407 drivers; maybe ... or treble may end up being baby butt cheeks, or just its drivers on micro smith horns. I have them all and will continue to experiment as I've been doing for quite some time now. I will continue to use the Bass horn of the Klipsch La Scalas, but the mid and high will be JBL.
So given those horns and drivers as the target, the question I'm hoping the community might provide insight into is, for articulation, clarity and crispness in the mids (500hz up) and highs, do you think I should go SE, or PP? (neither necessarily triode but I think I'd be fine running in pentode mode, but my ears are open). I expect PP would have lower 2nd order distortion (and maybe 4th too). Should that be a higher priority for me in the mids to highs than the fluidity SE can offer? Or do you think I'd be surprised and happy with 1/2 the power and a SE topology? (heck, I already am with the newly acquired 5w SE 6P1 amp driving Tannoy System 8 monitors about a meter away from my ears.)
Hoping to hear your thoughts.
However, I've had an epiphany since getting my 1st single ended Class A amp. That power is over kill. For the front of the room at least with the ultra hi efficiency drivers, I'm considering getting 3 of the same stereo valve amps, in the 13w - 25w range, to drive the mids and highs. Mids are custom made hard-wood Smith horn clones driven by JBL 2446 drivers, and large size JBL butt cheeks driven by JBL 2407 drivers; maybe ... or treble may end up being baby butt cheeks, or just its drivers on micro smith horns. I have them all and will continue to experiment as I've been doing for quite some time now. I will continue to use the Bass horn of the Klipsch La Scalas, but the mid and high will be JBL.
So given those horns and drivers as the target, the question I'm hoping the community might provide insight into is, for articulation, clarity and crispness in the mids (500hz up) and highs, do you think I should go SE, or PP? (neither necessarily triode but I think I'd be fine running in pentode mode, but my ears are open). I expect PP would have lower 2nd order distortion (and maybe 4th too). Should that be a higher priority for me in the mids to highs than the fluidity SE can offer? Or do you think I'd be surprised and happy with 1/2 the power and a SE topology? (heck, I already am with the newly acquired 5w SE 6P1 amp driving Tannoy System 8 monitors about a meter away from my ears.)
Hoping to hear your thoughts.