Amp/preamp recommendations for Quad ESL 2905

One of my friends has a 2905 and he thinks that valve amps are ideally suited for Quads. When I pointed out the very low impedance and questioned the ability of a flea powered valve amp to drive the speaker, he said that that is why valve amps are ideal. Because apparently valve amps have higher current delivery than SS amps. That's what he said :)

He is using a pair of Audio Innovations valve monoblocks, rated at 50W/ch.

I'll get him to come to A'gon to give his point of view.

Daniel here (Amfibius's friend). Congrats on your ESL's! Valves are ideal for ESL's as they are inherently a voltage amplifier (SS are current amplifiers), and that's exactly what electrostatics need. Whilst solid states amps start to get a bit shut-in due to some of the high impedences, the valves just eat it up.

I'd suggest a good well designed 50watt PushPull amplifier. Don't waste your time with 8watt SE amp's, you don't need their exagerated top end to hear detail on QUAD's, but you do need some power and drive.

Sometime in 2007 I'll be in the process of having a push pull 300B type amplifier made using Emission Labs 520B (http://www.emissionlabs.com/datasheets/EML520B.htm). Its an oversise 300B tube which should get my 50 watt per channel of triode power. Going to specify the use of the transformer based phase splitter. If you don't know anyone who can build you a custom made valve amp, look up Sun Audio.

They have a 20w PP 300B amplifier (http://www2.big.or.jp/~sunaudio/sv/sv300bmk2_e.html) and a lovely pre-amp. All tamura iron etc.. yummm!!!

Cheers,

Daniel.

PS. I post on Audio Asylum as SnaggS if you want to contact me.

Amfibius and Daniel
Many thanks for your comments and your time.I would love to audition the Emission Labs amp but that may not be possible as I live in India. Would really appreciate feedback based on experience of the Conrad Johnson CT 5 and LP70S. Perhaps I should be posting on the amp forum ?
Cheers

Hi Sunnyboy, you cannot audition the Emission Labs amp because they don't make one :) Daniel is getting someone to make an amp for him based on valves supplied by Emission Labs. So, he hasn't heard them either.

I am not familiar with CJ gear, so I won't comment.

I think the same people on the amp forum read this forum, so there may not be much benefit in posting there.

Why don't you want to stay with MF? I run my ESL 989s with a MF NuVista M300 integrated. It sounds marvellous. I was stunned by how loud the Quads play with this amp - I have so far not managed to trigger the safety switch on the Quads - and i have played at levels beyond what i found reasonable...
The MF is stable enough to deal with any impedance problem, so no need to tube magic...