Devore 0/96 - Integrated AMP help

For serious listening I run a Line Magnetic 805ia with my O/96's with fantastic results...very emotionally engaging with a dynamic, massive, immersive soundstage full of air and detail while providing a rich textured sound and a bit of that SET magic.  I also have a SugdenA21SE that I run mainly for casual/background streaming music while I'm working during long periods of the day.  I'd say the Sugden gets me 75% of the sonics of the Line Magnetic.  While the Sugden is great match with the DeVore, delivering a very rich and dynamic sound, it's presentation sounds almost 2D in comparison without the air and soundstage of the LM.  The Sugden also sounds a tad rolled off in the bass comparatively and loses in details. 

I strongly recommend going the SET tubed route with the O/96's.  Having some extra power (like the 48W of the LM805) really helps control the O/96 woofers.  A 20W-40W push-pull amp using EL34/6L6GC (like the Leben) would sound very good as well.  The Leben CS600x will give you a ton of flexibility to tube roll.  Head to head I think the LM805 sounds more dynamic and brings that SET magic to the table that the Leben doesn't but it's a matter of preference.

I think 300b could be a magical combo for certain music but the more I talk to other O/96 owners the more I realize that a 300b probably shouldn't be a primary amp for the DeVore's as you may feel that the combo doesn't shine across a full range of musical tastes - focusing mainly on its brilliance with vocals and simple instruments.

@grinnell   I'd really like to hear the O/96's with an amp like the Decware TORII MK4.  On paper it looks like a really good match.  My only "concern" is the 36 lb weight of the entire amp.  The quality of the transformers is so critical and it makes me wonder how these lightweight transformers perform.  The similarly designed EL34 amps that I've heard and sound nice come in around 50 lbs.  My LM805 weighs 90 lbs, much of it attributable to the beefy transformers which play a huge role.

@essrand 

I don't think amplifiers should be judged by weightage.

I totally agree and I think my sentiment about transformer weight was overstated.  Great sound trumps weight by far - it's just that so many truly great sounding similar topographies weigh more, with an emphasis on high qualities transformers, that I'd want to confirm with my ears.  I wouldn't hesitate to buy a wonderful sounding amp regardless of weight!

It’s interesting that @rs67 felt his Pass edged out the LM805 when my experience was just the opposite - I had the Pass XA30.8 paired with a VAC Ren MKV pre and the LM805 was actually quite a bit better when paired with O/96’s. The only caveat I will add is that I do tend towards jazz much of the time but the bass extension, texture, air, and 3D soundstage was simply much more impressive to me with the LM amp. I do run the LM805 with the VAC pre and found it makes a material improvement versus running the 805 as an integrated. I suspect VAC integrated the volume control much better than LM.

@crandell The LM805 does benefit greatly from replacing all of the stock tubes and it can get a bit pricey depending on your tolerance, but it doesn’t have to. I run a vintage Mullard ECC35, a pair of 60 yr old Tung Sol 6SN7GT round plates, a pair of Psvane ACME 805’s ,and a pair of EML 300b-XLS tubes. Really a stunning presentation of music.

The Leben is a well-known great match with the O/96’s and offers more flexibility because of the tube choices it accepts but you may feel it doesn’t quite comparatively deliver the dynamics and certainly the "SET magic" of the LM805.

@rh67

The XA25 has a different SQ compared to any other Pass amp.

I was wondering if perhaps I extrapolated my XA30.8 experience too far when comparing it to the XA25. This is good to know!

@pingvin   You're not the first person I've heard make really favorable comments about the NAF amps paired with DeVores - particularly their 2a3 and 300b amps.  A bit out of my price range but I'd love to try one someday.

I would love to check out the LTA amps at some point.  Hearing so many good things about them.

@kw6   You'd be shocked how well the Luxman MQ-88uC pairs with O/96's.  And the MQ-300 pairing is stellar - even more so.

@kw6   Did you hear the MQ-88uC paired with O/96's specifically?  I own a Leben CS-300xs as well and they both sound good but the Luxman does most things better than the Leben in my room with O/96's - including much more lifelike tonality, air, finesse, and neutrality.  Both very enjoyable!