Looking for an AMP to match JA Pulsar and Lampi


Hey everyone,

I’m on the hunt for an amp that pairs well with my Joseph Audio Pulsar speakers and Lampizator Big7 DAC. Right now, I’m using an older Arcam Alpha 9 amp and preamp, but the Arcam is struggling to drive the Pulsars properly. I’m still undecided whether I should go for a solid-state or tube amp. I’ve been considering a preowned Audio Research 80S, but it’s pretty expensive and hard to find in Europe. Been thinking also about VTL, Ayon Audio... 

Any recommendations? I’m aiming for a sound that’s detailed but also rich and full. My budget is around $9k.

 

Thanks!

 

gabriel123

Sorry, I don’t know anything about Qualiton separates, but given the high praise for their x200 integrated I’d expect good things.  For what you’re looking for I’d go with a tube pre and solid state amp, and a relatively neutral tube pre like ARC or Octave with a warmer amp like Coda might be a good match.  Or a something like a VAC or Audio Hungary pre with a Hegel amp may also work well.  I’d avoid VTL as their customer support/service has a poor reputation unless it’s somehow better in Europe.  I still think a hybrid integrated like the Unison Unico or Class A integrateds from Gryphon or Vitus could also work really well. 

Thanks, I think too that tube pre + ss amp would be great for my taste. For a moment I was toying with the idea of tube pre + tube amp, because Qualiton prices are very reasonable, but then I got afraid that with my Lampizator and Emerald USB cable it may be too too sweet/warm together.

They are excellent (I own one) but like ARC they are on the neutral side so if you’re looking for warmth you should take that into account for the amp you choose.  One thing is they are not balanced if that’s a consideration. 

I guess a LTA preamp would be a good match for a bit warmer A class amp such as CODA? And warmer Hungary Audio preamp would fit well with Hegel, for example?

I'm not sure what I'm really looking for, but it's OK for me to go in bad direction and replace one preamp with another - this is also a beauty of buying preowned audio equipment - I don't loose a lot of money when reselling...