Amp to drive PSB Goldi ??


Am interested in a good amp to drive the PSB Goldi. Considering these used amps: 1. B&K 4420 225 Watt/Ch approx $600.00 2. NAD 218THX 225 Watt/Ch $570.00 3. Bryston 4B-ST $1800.00 4. Odesyee Stratus $900.00 Am using a B&K PT-3 preamp/tuner and was thinking that the B&K amp would somehow match better??? Anyway, I need help! Thanks
kevin_haskinsc35d
Please note I must respectfully disagree with Trelja and all who purport the Golds present SUCH a difficult load. I have owned the Gold i's for a year and a half and though not the easiest load, for what they ARE, I have found them to be a most forgiving speaker. The fact is, by merely employing a little bit of common sense in my choice of amps with which to experiment, I have yet to find an amp that has NOT made for a very DECENT match! Specifically, I have tried the Bryston 3B, 3BST, 4BST, McCormack DNA-1, Belles 150A, Andy Bartha modified Belles 150A, Belles 150A Hot Rod Edition and most recently, VAC Vintage 100 Mk II (VT 100 Mk II), read---*T U B E* monoblocks---which I happen to absolutely LOVE with the Golds! Moreover, I have found I prefer on most source material, running the VACs in their single-ended mode (57 wpc approx.) as opposed to the ultralinear mode (100 wpc approx.)! Further, after experiencing these rather startling results with the VACs, I am truly tempted to temporarily rewire my newly built Welborne Laurel 300B SET monoblocks for 4 Ohms, just to try them out with the Golds for the heck of seeing what they can do. Finally, the second best match up was with the Bartha modified Belles amp, followed closely by the Belles 150A Hot Rod. *Please note the Bartha modified amp and VACs are very rare to come across and that is why I opted to recommend solely the stock, readily available Belles Hot Rod in my first response in this thread. Again, for your reference, my listening room is 25x23x16.
I have a pair of golds that I have driven with a Carver TFM 45 amp.It has never caused a problem and gets worked very hard at times.
Tm12, I do not like the hassle of tubes and own the PSB Gold I speakers. I love the tube sound but would pose the opposite question, who would want to be limited by an amplifier as to what speakers one could chose? Once I owned a Japanese reciever and it provented me from buying a lot of speakers because it could not drive them. I vowed never again. I use Aragon amps now and I can chose any speaker I like because those amps will drive anything.
Tm12, thanks for the response. I own Coincident Loudspeaker Technology Digital Master/Troubass subwoofers. Basically, they are like Wilson WATT/Puppies, but ala Coincident. As you are very familiar with the brand, you know what that means. Easy to drive(high sensitivity/impedence) and easy to listen to. I looked at speakers for about two years, when I heard them, I bought them. They were THAT good! The only speaker in the two years I looked that gave me an emotional response. Three years later, I am still in love. And still haven't heard anything better. This model was not very well known, but was their flagship in the days when they were making unusual cabinet designs. The problem was, as the company grew, the demand for their speakers grew. These designs were murder to build(according to Coincident). As you know, the cabinets of the new models are conventional. But, I think everything Israel Blume builds is a winner. I am correct in believing you have one of the Conquest iterations? I am sure you love them! Maybe we can converse on Coincident further... By the way, I used to sell PSB speakers. I always felt they sounded great, provided you were able to drive them.