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Clayton Audio Class A amps. Need amp advice

Hi Guys,

I am looking to change my amps and for a few reasons.

First because I just upgraded my DAC from the great PS Audio DirectStream to the incredible Bricasti M1 DSD USB DAC. I love the Bricasti and it has shown that in my system it could offer me more with a more resolving and neutral amp IMO.

I am currently am using the wonderful sounding CJ Premier 12 mono tube amps. I love them and tubes in general but my speakers are the great Ascendo C8 Renaissance and look to present a somewhat benign load being 88 efficient and 6ohm but they are unique and have an internal firing 21 cm Kevlar Bass driver that is great but stubborn and the speakers I think will really shine with a iron fist control of that driver.

I love tubes, always have and always will but I grown tires of a flabby bottom which is exasperated by a unique and somewhat difficult to grip bass driver set up I spoke about above.

I want an amp that can give me as much tube sound as possible but with Grip and bottom end. I know this is a lot to ask for in the used $5k to $7k price range.

I have read and it seem like the Clayton offer exactly what I am looking for but wanted to hear from some of you guys if anyone has ever heard them or know of them or anything. Any info would really be appreciated. Here is the info on my speakers and I will also list the rest of my system in case you think that is helpful. Thanks

C8 Renaissance
Technical Data
Principle
• Three-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS Off)
(current damped outer driver with semi symmetrical band pass)
• Four-Way with SASB bass unit (TOS On)
Dimensions (W/H/D)
• 28 / 80 / 40 (without Base)
• 28 / 108 / 40 (with Base)
Weight
35 kg
Frequency Range
29 Hz (-3 dB) – 32.000 Hz
Power Rating
350 W Program (min)
Impedance
6 Ohm
Sensivity
88 dB / 1W/m
Outer Chassis (COAX)
• 25 mm Neodymium-fabric-tweeter
• 18 cm Woofer with XP cone
Inner Chassis
• 21 cm Chassis, Kevlar cone
TOS Chassis
• Ribbon-tweeter
TOS Function
• switchable (TOS Unit - Dipole AN / AUS)
Sockets
• Single / BiWiring Base
Dimensions (W/H/D)
28 / 18 / 40 cm
Weight
11 kg

Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Speaker
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Bricasti M1 USB / DSD / Volume Control DAC (New) DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 MK II w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's Tube amp
Salamander Amplifier Stands (2) Synergy System AV Furniture Stand
BMI Shark Jeweler Grade Platinum 9 AWG AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier 11 AWG Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M 7 AWG AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M 8 AWG AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
Fidelizer Pro Version 6.1
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack

Showing 7 responses by jmcgrogan2

jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Well if you love the speakers that much, then obviously, stick with them. I would probably look to try ZD542's advice, and look for a more modern tube amp. CJ Premier 12's do have that classic tube sound, sweet, syrupy, but can be a bit sluggish. My VAC tube amp is as tight in the bass as any SS I've owned. More modern tube gear has better control and definition down there than the older designs.

I'm sure the M300's would sound great though, but I would think that 300 wpc would be overkill for those speakers, but hey, if you got the dough, why not? I would go that route and stick with a tube preamp before giving up tubes altogether and going with an Ayre integrated amp.
As always, YMMV.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Well, the Plinius SA-103 is nice, but it's no Clayton M300.
You said you needed the power, 125 wpc is not 300 wpc.

I would go with the Clayton M300 mono's, sell you BAT VK-30 and look for a VAC, Aesthetix , or ARC preamp. All three are more resolving than BAT or CJ tube gear.

Happy hunting.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Well it sounds like you are walking that fine line of balance that we all try to attain, the perfect balance of resolution and musicality.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how you make out once the gear arrives.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
So it sounds as if the Clayton M300's are for you then. They will have more bass slam, like that Krell, plus the refinement of the Clayton.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Very interesting.... where did you audition these?
I never heard of Rethm before, but they do sound intriguing.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I am not familiar with your speakers, but maybe that is part of the problem. Just looking though a review in Stereo Times, the reviewer seemed to really love the speakers except for this:
"If there was one caveat, one single area I felt the C8 Renaissance needed improvement, it would be in respect to low bass slam."

That said, I too love tube amps, and I have owned a pair of Clayton Audio M100 monoblocks. While Wilson Shen knows how to make some very good solid state amps, they are definitely not as palpable as tube amps, IMHO.
The M-100's were very full bodied and had great bass control, so they will probably work better with those speakers than your CJ monoblocks.

However, if it were me, I'd be looking for some speakers that worked with my tube amps, and not looking for SS amps to mate with my speakers.

Cheers,
John
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I'm sure the Clayton M300's will sound great, especially if they have the hum issue fixed. My M100's also had that transformer hum issue, but did sound great.

On another note, many audiophiles are prone to hyperbole. Nothing I've heard in audio "kills" anything else unless you are comparing it to something broken. We all have our tastes and system synergy is involved too. I have a friend who owns the CAT JL2's who has a LOT of experience. I'm sure he would find Tfl303's comment quite humorous. That is why I tend to disregard sales-speak like X kills Y, or Y blows Z out of the water. I find that it really is not useful information, especially when the poster is not experienced enough to post IMHO, or YMMV. Showing that they understand enough about this hobby to respect synergy and individual tastes.

I'm off my soapbox now. Good luck with your purchase Fsmithjack.
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