Best AMP for Avalon Eidolon, ARC, CAT, VAC..?


I´m the owner of the Avalon eidolon, my current amp is a silvaweld OTL, but I need more power.

I´m looking for great dynamics and as the Eidolon is a little cool and lean, perhaps I need one amp that can compensate them.

My list is ARC 210, CAT JL signature, VAC Phi and as SS amps MBL 9007 and Lamm 1.2 reference.

The true is that I want one universal amp, that can use with differents speakers, now are Eidolon, after can be kharma, sound lab, Venture, Magico minis, Ayon... or any other brand and model.

Thanks for your advice
emigene

Showing 3 responses by johnsonwu

VAC PHI 70. They have enough power for 95% of the music anyone would want to listen to.

I have tried all these over the last 7 years:
Levinson 333 (sucks allround)
VT200 (metallic, sucks allround)
VT130 (acceptable only with Auricap mod and KT88)
Classic 120 (acceptable only with extensive mods)
Classic 150 (lacks extreme high and extreme low)
VAC Vintage 100 (Triode mode sounds good but may break up / distort when playing piano @ loud volumes)
Canary 309 (no juice)
and the latest Counterpoint NPM with basic Altavista mod.
(great all round, has bass, but not as transparent as Phi 70)
Nothing, absolutely nothing, comes close to the transparency, mid-high dynamic contrast (note mid-high only), and most of all, musicality, of the PHI70s.
BTW dont bother experimenting with tubes, the stock ones are the best tuned for the PHi 70.
CAT amps... are you referring to JL2?
Not sure if I can even think about go back to listening EL34 or KT88 amps with many tubes on each side anymore.
Perhaps the VAC Phi 70s all round performance, including low frequency material playback, already kicks the derrier of the CAT when driving the Eidolons ;)