2. amps-preamps
  3. 1399439075

25 watts Class A or 70 watts Class A/B ?

I understand these days there are many good examples of both Class A and Class A/B amps. To the point that a well designed Class A/B can beat a similar pedigree Class A amp. However my question is in particular related to these two amps:

1. First Watt F5 (Pass Labs)
2. Naim NAP 300

The speaker to be driven is a Tannoy dual concentric Turnberry SE. It is a 93 db sensitive 8 ohm load and in general considered to go well with both high powered and low powered amps.

F5 is a highly purist class A 25 watts design with a robust power supply. It is a push-pull design so it can generally drive difficult loads better than typical single ended first watt models (F3, F4 etc). I have heard the F5 on an Altec horn system and I loved its pure and direct sound.

Naim amps in general has always appealed to me, again because of their very direct presentation. Music has a certain excitement and bounce through them. The NAP 300 is one of their top models and I am sure it will be a very refined amp.

However I will only buy one. Both these amps must be having few fundamental differences in the way they present music considering they are coming from very different designers. Even the topology is different here.

The first question here is, can a 25 watts F5 drive the Tannoys well ? My room size is 200 sqft and I listen to music at reasonably medium to loud levels. I dont play very loud though. I listen to all kinds of music from Mozart to Metallica.

Qualitatively, sound per sound, how do these two amps compare ?
pani

Showing 4 responses by islandmandan

islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
I've recently gone from a 35 Wpc push-pull VAC, to a First Watt M2, to drive my 12" Tannoy HPD's. The M2 is 25 Wpc, Class A, and sounds extremely good driving the HPD's.

The M2 serves as a back-up and change-of-pace amp, from my SET 300B amp.

Talk to Mark at Reno HiFi, he will send you an amp you can try at home for 10 days, if you don't like it, send it back. You have to pay for shipping there and back if you don't keep it. Shipping is free if you keep it.

Regards,
Dan
islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Pani, you might consider making a speaker change. With your Wavac, which you seem quite attached to, a move to a higher sensitivity speaker would seem to be in order.

My custom Tannoy HPD's, at 94db, with either the 300B SET (9 Wpc), or the First Watt M2 (25 Wpc) give all the dynamics and slam necessary in my large (16.5 X 34' w/ cathedral ceilings) listening room.

Obviously, you can't have it both ways, if low powered SET amps is what you want, a high sensitivity speaker is in order. A Wavac 300B amp is a fine thing, a more suitable speaker match for that amp is, perhaps, what you should consider.

Regards,
Dan
islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Pani, from what little I delved into the design of your Turnberry's, and from listening to a pair of them at a friend's home, I gleaned they are a more difficult load than Monitor Gold's or HPD Tannoy drivers.

I am in the position where I just couldn't afford one of the top of the line Prestige speakers. Being in Singapore, a hotbed of vintage audio enthusiasts, you should have access to many vintage Tannoy drivers.

I know in recent years, prices for older Tannoy drivers has risen to near ridiculous levels, but where you are located, you may be able to find a bargain.

I spent a max of $4500 US to build my custom HPD's, which includes reconing the woofers with Hard Edge surrounds, custom crossovers using Mundorf SIO caps, Dueland reisitors, and Alpha Core inductors. The cabinets I had built of a total of 1 7/8" MDF @ 150 liters, and weigh 192lbs. bare weight.

They haven't disappointed in any way yet, no matter what amplification I've thrown at them. My point in all this is, especially in Singapore, having some custom built Tannoys should be very doable. I wish you luck.

Best regards,
Dan
islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Charles, from what little info I could find on the subject, the Turnberry's seem to benefit from a bit more power than that available from the typical 8-9 Wpc produced by SET 300B amps.

There was reference made to phase irregularities stemming from the Tulip Wave Guide/crossover interaction.

The Turnberry's seem to perform better with a bit more power, as a result.

Dan
More to discover