Amp for Martin logan CLS Originals


Hi,

I have been considering a couple of amps to pair with Martin logan CLS originals.

Any thoughts on the Mcintosh 2205(or other 200+ watt Mcintosh Solid states), Mark Levinson 23, Harmon Kardon 7.1 ?

Advice would be greatly appreciated.
dfelkai
If you click on my system, you'll see I have the Sound Anchor stands which are still in production at ~ $575 a pair I think. I like them better than the Arcicis (aesthetically, and structurally) although I think you should ask SA to make your stands about 4" shorter (they're OK the way they come if you are sitting way back; otherwise they're just a bit too tall ;--)

If you like the way the Arcicis look, I can email you the address of a CLS owner who made (much nicer) copies of the originals; you could probably get him to make you a pair for a reasonable price.
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It may well be that the original CLS 1 had a lower impedance at high frequencies. Usually how that behaves with any tube amp is that the amp will be rolled in the highs.

Our amps did not roll off with the CLS 1, the same as with other tube amps, but when you put those same amps on the later CLS models, they all rolled off.

So empirically it is logical to assume that the original model had a higher impedance. Based on this experience, I am inclined to think that ML's history of their products is not accurately portrayed, but if it is, then they had something quite unusual- perhaps an increase in efficiency that compensated for the lower impedance.

At any rate: the CLS 1 was an easy load for tubes where none of the succeeding models were.
VTL Ichiban’s would be the ultimate amp (imho) to drive any Martin Logan speaker, true Class A High Power Triode with EL34’s! Cut it out no solid state comes close to this rare and amazing amp.