Class A or AB Solid State Integrated Amp for Spendor D9's - Coming from Tubes

I have a pair of Spendor BC1 with the matching amplifier sold by Spendor. Those amplifiers we're made by Exposure. I hope this helps...

Krell k300i...sublime Class A and delivers beyond it’s specifications!  

I agree as the Gryphon Diablo 300 is my choice to acquire when I decide to replace the VAC/Ayre combination I currently use.

I would go the Diablo also, if anything they have that non fatiguing, slightly darker Class-A sound.

Here’s a great review.
https://www.whathifi.com/au/reviews/gryphon-diablo-300

Thanks for the input! I look forward to trying the Diablo. The Class A output is very intriguing as I do like a more warm sound, coming from tubes. 

The D9s are such an easy speaker to pair with different amps and get great sound; good choice on speakers! :)   Good luck, it shouldn't be hard to find a nice match...

Thanks man. They do sound good no matter what I throw at them. They seem to especially love tubes and warmer sounding amps though (to my ears). 

I have D9s with a Pass 250.8 and I think the pair sounds excellent together.   I find the Pass offers a bit of warmth that goes nice with the neutral-ish sound of the D9 and the soundstage depth the D9 throws with the Pass amp is very nice!

The 250.8 puts out ~25w class A and I've never got the bias meter to move with the D9s at the levels I listen to.   If you like the Pass house sound checkout the INT-25 or INT-60.   The XA25 really tempts me to try it with the D9, but I run all balanced and it is singled ended only.

I've also tried a Bryston 4B3 and Benchmark AHB2 with the D9s, and both were very good, with the AHB2 making me think for a short moment about selling the big Pass as it sounded excellent with the D9s, not as warm or as rounded as the Pass but incredibly clean (like removing a layer of grease from a window) with great bass control too.  I did not find the D9/AHB2 pair sounded bright or forward, just lots of very clean musical detail.   For me, the D9s just throw the most life like 3d image with the Pass compared to the other amps I've tried which is why I have kept the Pass amplifier after trying others.

The D9s are such an easy speaker to pair with different amps and get great sound; good choice on speakers! :)    Good luck, it shouldn't be hard to find a nice match...

freesole OP I would still like to find a warmer/sweeter sound

I think I will go for the Diablo 300 instead.

I would go the Diablo also, if anything they have that non fatiguing, slightly darker Class-A sound.

Here’s a great review.
https://www.whathifi.com/au/reviews/gryphon-diablo-300

A little excerpt from it, driving Wilson Alexia’s of all things, one of the worst speaker loads know to man.

"The Diablo 300, on the other hand, is expertly balanced to sound natural without undue highlighting or exaggeration. And all this is offered in a soundscape of massive dimensions both laterally and in the depth perspective."

Cheers George

Scratch that, seems that Boulder doesn't want me to work with a dealer that isn't close to me. Even though that dealer that I was working with was giving me great customer service and advocated for the brand too. They lost a customer here. I think I will go for the Diablo 300 instead. 

I got the all-in-one digital one. Should arrive in the next week or two. I'm curious about that as well! 

From what I am reading it sounds incredible. Did you get the analog or all-in-one digital version? Would love to hear how it compares to the LM805ia. 

Decided to go with the Boulder 866! I'll update on how it goes but I think I will be mighty pleased :) 

Try Dartzeel!

spendors are amp friendly, not hard to drive, not too inefficient, not too prone to high frequency stridency

any well regarded top flight solid state amp that has decent power 50-75-100 wpc and is free of typical solid state nasties will shine

ayre
hegel
exposure
naim
luxman
croft
belles ... on and on...

Um no you don't need 300 watts to drive Spendors. Your list is a good one I would lean towards Luxman but I also like goldprintaudio's Sugden suggestion. Great speakers btw congrats!

SPENDOR speakers - EXPOSURE integrated amp - VAN DEN HUL cables array 
I heard these systems at a Toronto audiofest .... terrific 
https://www.stereophile.com/ssi2009/spendor-exposure-van_den_hul/index.html

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bluebird-music-spendor-and-exposure

Currently using the Ayre VX5/20 175 watts/channel into 8 ohms with my D9s with excellent results. The Ayre AX5/20 integrated should be on you list.

Parasound!

I own D7.2’s and a LM805ia. You probably know this, but a sound profile like the LM is a bad match for TV/movie audio, where one actually does want sterile/analytical with lots of watts. If you must combine the music and tv in one system, I think that @jjss49 recommendations were very good. Move the warm/sweet/tubes to the music source/stage before quality SS amplification. Lumin is a good streamer but you could improve  sound with a separate tube dac/line stage. Unclear on how you are sourcing your tv audio input but if you could find an integrated amp with pre-in/bypass then you could use that for the music side and use a ‘normal’ input with volume/gain for the tv source.

Speakers are semi at 90db. 
 Don’t let this deter you from a high powered amp.
said this 500X.
 Get min 300WPC!
YOUMWILL NEED THE headroom for crescendos and power chords.

 Little 5, 10, 100,,150, 200,WPC amps,,while great, there is no match for 300WPC plus in this business.  
Thank me later.

 My speakers rated at 250W.  I use 650Wpc/rms. Exclusively, always a flawless sound, no clipping of any kind. Everything is just sublime!

 Don’t believe the hype, watts are your friend.
any good high quality amp is great.

 Sunfire
mccormack
Sanders
pass


 go big, or go home.
 Will a 100W amp sound good, sure, will 300 W sound great,...YES?
effortless, easy going, tight bass,  ice mids, highs, and all the above!

 Enjoy

 

I think you’ve got a pretty damn fine list and not sure you could go wrong with any of them.  I’d only add to the confusion and suggest putting Vitus on your list as well.  Or maybe a hybrid like Unison Research Unico where tubes only in the input stage.  Best of luck. 

I’m also looking at Spendor D9.2 for my next system, and considering either Luxman L-590AXii or BHK250 and BHK preamp separates. 
I’ve got D7 and D1 now and absolutely love the D series Spendor. Have the older SA1 in office system and not nearly as good as D series IMO. 
Good luck. 

there are a number of very refined, powerful solid state choices out there

pass
ayre
hegel
naim

in addition to luxman or accuphase already mentioned

but if you like the sound of your line mag tube amp you are not going to get that lush rounded off sound from any of the above

suggest you 'split the difference' with a tube linestage feeding a solid state power amp, or get a tubey sounding dac, of which there are several good ones on the market presently

The Sugden IA4 is a fantastic sounding unit that would save you a few bucks over the options you posted.

https://www.sugdenaudio.com/ia-4-integrated-amplifier


Or go all out and go for the new Riviera Labs Levante! 

https://www.rivieralabs.com/en/products/electronics/levante/


I've heard the Luxman, and it's a nice piece.  Not had the chance to hear the other 3 you have listed.

The D9 is quoted at 90 dB sensitivity and 8 ohms nominal impedance, so even allowing for typical manufacturer hyperbole, along with the Luxman and Accuphase you could also look at one of the lower powered Pass amps.  You want something that runs in class A, or runs several watts in class A before transitioning to A/B.