So, I'm building a new (older gear) kit around a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 line-stage and a soon to be rebuilt to spec Cary "Rocket 88" 20-30 watt tuber. Pretty excited by the pairing but don't currently have many speaker options that will perform at optimum with these two components. I have some JM Reynaud, Twins MkII that should be great but also know my Focal, Profile 908 and Linn, Keilidh are not a fit as they're both a bit power hungry. Can anyone report on what they've played with this amp successfully? If you had this combo of pre/power in your kit I'd be interested in knowing how you felt they meshed together. Have a smaller music specific room with standard 8' ceilings and 36'Lx22'W dimensions. Room is well furnished but has great acoustics. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. - B
Hi - glad you like your Rocket 88... I have since swapped out a couple of other components and its performance has now proven even better. Sonic Frontiers (wonderful linestage) replaced by a Manley Shrimp & Rega DAC replaced by a Line Magnetic 502ca. Also, I have the Cary 808R version which is 30/60 triode/ultra-linear. Just a super piece.
I have paired the Rocket 88 with a Bluenode. Fantastic in so many ways. And the end product comes out my first generation of the raised Klipsch Forte. Immense, immersed sound from the 95db, at the lower 20 watts flick of the toggles.
The more I play these Equation, 7s the more I realize that they are, playing in this system, nothing short of breathtaking. These are straight up keepers!
@bgross Keep us posted on how it goes with the Spendor Sp1/2e combo if you got that path. While I’ve never heard those, always wanted to test them too. Agree on your comments on the box/design and sound. A buddy has some Harbeth 3-ways like those Spendors you are looking at. I heard them with some nice Cary amps, similar to the Rocket88.. That spendor is a neat speaker design, nice midrange, that could be a fun match with your amp. Good luck.
I'm always rotating speakers and right now these Equation 7s are doing the job nicely. The owner drove them effortlessly with a lovely Audiomat, Aria; it's 30watts per side... they may stay with me. I also have a rare set of Reference 3a, Baccarat that will be getting listed here on Audiogon soon. They are for a larger room than my current space but wow, they are truly extraordinary. Going to look for some Spendor SP1/2e. I like the big box/thin walled "Britt Sound"... 8ohm, 88db should be a terrific match. Thanks for your insight. - B
@bgross I fully understand, and have owned multiple amps from DH, Cary, Inspire, and R models which included his design and love for the grainy sounding 12BZ7 tube. He use to call them easy-to-find TV tubes... And, of course while all of these amps I used had 4/8 ohm taps, I’m simply noting his amps do much better with speakers above 4ohms. Lots of the lower power Inspire owners enjoy 8-ohm and 16-ohm speakers with great results with these lower power tube amps by DH. I too run my own 4 ohm custom designed and built speakers now. Ended up reluctantly selling my amps from Cary and Inspire by DH and went with another brand of Mono amps to better drive my own larger 4ohm custom speakers. If I could change them to 8ohm in the right way, I would have, but other issues to contend with. With 8ohm speakers and above, its just seems to drive the speakers more effortlessly, more "dynamics", they just "flow" better with these lower power tube amps. Speaker matching is the key to success with these amps. Best of luck. Enjoy!
@dcooney thanks for your response... I don’t think I’m going to be happy with the Raytheons. Yes, they are true NOS however maybe they do need a bit more burn-in? The 12BZ7 tube is becoming increasingly difficult to find and the options are few. I’m changing the output tubes to Genelex Red Lion EL34 or Tung Sol... can pick up a pair of NOS Tung Sol 12BZ7 so might change those two sets of tubes and see what it yields. Maybe the tube (1) 12AT7A, in the SFL-1 is failing although I’m not experiencing any of the tell-tale signs that it is. I don’t play the Sonus Fabers loud and really enjoy them. Also, playing a set of Equation "7" towers and they are fabulous with this amp. They are an efficient speaker and pretty rare - beautiful fit and finish. The Cary has plenty jam to drive these. It also has 4ohm/8ohm switching by design and can take on more challenging loads. - B
It's been over twenty years; but- I owned a Rocket 88 and tried to get enough SPL to satisfy, with my Maggie MG12/QRs, actively bi-amped (w/Dahlquist DQ-LP1), at 200Hz, in a relatively small room. I'm a realistic SPL listener; so- it wasn't the amps' fault, that it couldn't fully sate my cravings. HOWEVER; I enjoyed the presentation enough; I bought two Cary SLM-100s, which I've since owned, modded and loved, MUCH. I tried them with a pair of 1.7i Maggies and realized; I was destined to either go SS, or- ditch the planars. If I'd had the 95dB/2.83V, open-baffle, speakers I now own, then: the Rocket would probably been a keeper. Don't know if that helped any, but- I've been celebrating, so........ HAPPY LISTENING!
While the "R" model is 10w more in Triode mode than the standard model, it appears your SF CD speakers are 88db/1w sensitivity (4ohms). You might not be getting replies as the std model is less rare than the higher power R model. Also, many have changed coupling caps in the Rocket 88 with some degree of success.
As for tubes, the Raytheon 12BZ7s are decent, not overly warm, and I’m wondering about two things for you.
1) Are they truly NOS tubes, like never broken in, need more time to settle in? Give them 30 days. 2) Do you have access to (8ohm) speakers above 90db sensitivity to try?
So I've run through various speakers with this kit,... now using Sonus Faber Concertino Domus and a set of borrowed Equation 7s; both are fabulous albeit with very different presentations. Question: I recently replaced a set of Electro Harmonix 12BZ7 with a set (2) of NOS Raytheons when one of the EH failed. I find the Raytheons to be thin and a bit brittle compared to the EHs. I'd like to hear what members found to be the most successful tube setup for this amp. I'm running a full set (4) of Genelec Red Lions "88s" in the output section, the Raytheon 12BZ7 (2) in the driver/phase inverter stage and a set JJs (2) in the EL84 slots. Wondering what people have used and got the best results from. TY!
Turns out it's actually a CAD 808 R and is a 30/60 watt newer piece. Have had ProAc Tablet EBs and liked them. Thinking on a set of Audio Physic Step SLE,... I primarily listen late night in a super quiet environment. I bet the Response 2 would be very nice. How about some Spendor SP 1/2? 8ohm load, pretty easy to drive and respond well to tube amps. Must be others that have had this "Rocket 88R". By the way, using the Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 with a pair of borrowed TAD Hibachi mono blocks with the Linns & it's a pretty amazing little setup
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