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Calling B&W speaker users with tube power amp

Hi,

Am currently using a B&W Matrix 803 series 2 speakers, driving it with a solid state power and tube pre. Am actually preferring tube sounds. Therefore, am toying with the idea of getting a tube power to replace the ss. Big question in mind is whether tube power amp is able to drive the speakers.

Could anyone who is using B&W speakers driven by tube power amp share experiences pls? pls also inform what brand/watt of the tube power amp used.

Thanks.
audiodb

Showing 2 responses by gliderguider

gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
As I mentioned, I'd previously used a Sugden Au51P with my 804's, and also a SimAudio 4070 - a 60 wpc SS amp. The tubes were better than either in terms of vocal quality, soundstaging, treble smoothness, bass extension and overall realism.
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
I've driven my B&W N804's with a KR 18 BSI - a 20 watt 300B SET integrated. It kicked the snot out of the 125 wpc Sugden Au51P sand amp I'd been using before. It just sounded sooo much better - including deeper, fuller, richer bass! The mids were to die for, the highs were smooth, sweet and clear, and I've never heard the 804's sound so overall lifelike.

Now, I wouldn't use a garden-variety 8 watt 300B SET on them, but any tube amp of 15 watts or better and the ability to source a good amount of current should make them very happy. Lots of good push-pull tube amps in the 40 watt range should do the trick. The notion that "B&W's can't run on tubes" is parochial nonsense.

The only reason I've gone back to using the Sugden on them is that they're in the living room system, and the KR was a bit much for the kids to handle.
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