What Amp do you use with your Mark Audio Drivers?

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wcwc

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Joined 2011
I came across Mark audio drivers when I was researching small SET amps which led to single driver speakers. Compared to other full range speakers the efficiency of the speaker is lower. I have a few different SS amps that I could use with the driver, but I am curious about tube amps since I have not heard one to compare it to a SS amp. I have a pretty large room 20' x 20' which is open to a 10' x 17' dining room, 11' x 12' loft area, and 9' x 13' additional room with ceiling that start at 12' and goes to 24' high. How would a Pensil 12 work in this space? I don't listen to real loud SPL. How large of an amp would I need? Tube or SS amp?

Thanks,

Mike
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
larryldspkr said:
I use a KT88 se amp, 5 watts in triode with Alpair CHR 70.3 and 10.2 speakers. Both can play reasonably loud in my 12X19 foot room! I'm VERY happy with this set-up.

Larry
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a range of them:

dual EL70 - Tubelab Simple PP EL84 (12-ish watts pentode) - 400sqft + room

Alpair 7 & 6M- Denon AVR 1610 HT receiver (70-ish "Denon" watts - whatever that really means) 320 sq ft room

Alpair 7.3 & 10.2 - EL34 SE triode & DIY hack-job EL84 PP class A/triode - in bedroom closet, oops, 8x20ft "man-cave'

none of these combinations can't play louder than I care to listen to, but of course for some folks less than a measurable 120dB on peaks is simply not realistic enough - live and let live I say - (except for the cochlear cilia destroyed by sustained listening at above levels , or 20+ years in a commercial woodworking shop, where SPLs can exceed an average 95 dB, with peaks well over 110)
 
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chrisb

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Joined 2002
planet10 said:
No, but the MA drivers are really going to telegraph the ST70s shortcomings.

dave
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It's certainly not without reason that a substantial market for not only replacement clone OPTs, but revised driver boards, etc.for the ST70 long predated Mark's drivers.

Tubelab Simple PP should definitely be on anyone's short list - simple terminal strips allow for quick testing of all 3 operating modes. Not a full kit, per se, so more time is required to collect hardware, iron, etc and fabricate chassis.

My daily drivers are single A7.3 (Pensil) & dual EL70 (Castle micro-towers) - in pentode mode the SPP has all the power I need in moderate sized rooms (320 and well over 400 ft Sq). In a much smaller room (under 200ft) a pair of 2A3 or EL34 SE are more than enough - the room acoustics start becoming far more of a problem before the amps compress/distort objectionably.
 
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toobhed

Member
Joined 2010
For my MA Alpair7.3 pencils, CHR70 double-till and various mFonken cabs I switch between Ladyday 300b monoblks (about 8w/ch) and a FirstWatt J2 (25w/ch). I think the FWJ2 is outstanding and is my favorite unless the recording is too bright/"digital" in which case I prefer the LD monoblocks. I also enjoy my bottlehead 2A3 monoblocks on these speakers at lower levels for a fleshier presentation.
 
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