Cool running, low powered power amp


My regular amp is a Class A, all tube (KT 88’s) affair that runs very warm. For most of the year, it doesn’t matter. But in the dog days of summer, it can become unpleasant in my smallish listening room, where the AC doesn’t reach as well.

My speakers are Volti Razz, which are something like 97 db efficient. My big tube amp is out in California getting repaired, and at the moment, the Volti are enjoying time spent with a Scott 299A. Those 17 wpc are plenty (and sound way better than a 65 year-old amp with original tubes (or at least, tubes marked "H.H. Scott") should. Volti says it only needs to be 8 watts to do the job.

I was thinking of First Watt, or maybe Pass Labs XA 25. But both of those are also Class A. But maybe all Class A are not alike in terms of generating heat. I am not anti-class D, and have had two Class D amps that sounded good, but I’d be more interested in A/B, or cooler running Class A. I'd like to bring it in under $3000, and I am a big fan of used equipment.

Thanks,

David

 

dtorc

Showing 1 response by fredapplegate

Consider the Schiit Aegir. No, really.

I just swapped a pair of Aegirs for an ARC VT100MkIII and they are no joke. You'd probably only need one. And the resale on Schiit is so good... I mean, why not?

It's less than you spent on your cartridge, isn't it? 

www.schiit.com

It really only fails on the sexy quotient.

Have fun!