Best high current SS Mono amps


I am searching for the best SS amp for 4 ohm electrostat speakers. I would consider tube monos, but I just can not take any buzzing or humming those tube amps have from time to time. I have a very quiet room and often play at low volumes.

Please help me out with your thoughts. I have spent a lot of time on the archives and I just can't tell what to buy. I would like to spend no more than 11,000 used on some balanced monoblocks with high current.

If there is a dead quiet tube amp that fits the bill, please mention it.
yada

Showing 1 response by audiokinesis

Hello Yada,

I'm a dealer for several of the amps mentioned here (Parasound JC-1's, InnerSound, Wolcott) as well as a few not mentioned here (Clayton, Atma-Sphere) that also work very well with electrostats. My experience is mostly with Sound Labs since that's what I sell, though I do have a few customers with CLS's who have bought (and are happy with) either Wolcott or InnerSound amps. Some very good amps that I'm not a dealer for include Accuphase, Jeff Rowland, and Pass Labs. Someone mentioned the Halcros, but one of my customers tried Halcros on his Sound Labs and found that it wasn't a good match.

Each of these amps brings a slightly to significantly different set of qualities to the table, and I'd want to dig a bit more into your personal priorities before making a specific recommendation. For example, do you think you'd be more interested in a neutral-voiced solid state amp, or one that's voiced a bit on the warm side?

By the way, Yada, I think the CLS is the most physically beautiful loudspeaker ever made. And among the very finest sonically as well. In my experience the amplifier/speaker matchup is considerably more critical with electrostats than with dynamic speakers. But there are plenty of excellent amplifier choices well within your budget - the thing to do is to match up the right amplifier for your personal priorities.

Best wishes,

Duke