Narrowing on suitable amp for Martin Logan CLX

I have been asked to write a little about my expereinces with these amps

VTL Siegfried

Marco dynamics big! Tonally very accurate with huge soundstage and layering
So seemed to tick most of the boxes
But to me seemed to lack interest, personal opinion but after a while I found it difficult to get enthused

Goldmund Telos

Incredible dynamics
Amazing transparency
Best high frequencies I have ever heard
Total and absolute command over speaker
On the neutral side by far
Possibly a little clinical and "anal" but incredibly accurate

Soulution

Interesting combination transparency, accuracy and bloom
The only solid state amp othe than boulder I have heard with bloom
Tremendous base
Instruments a lot of meat on the bones

Handy as can configure to biamp

Accuphase

Lush and beautiful
Textured bass
Easily drive the speakers
Tone is to forefront rather than transparency, but its all there if you listen

Suppose music hits you more than the hifi
Less "impressive" more musical

CH precision

Like Goldmund but more musical, and tonally richer
Tends to the accuphase side of things but dynamics of the Goldmund

Hope that helps

Andrew

Andrew, thanks.

I would go with the CH Precision A1 over all those amps. It's probably the best amp out there today as it has the beauty but brawn as well and can provide proper power/current into your speakers. You can also adjust the feedback and gain to suit tastes. Read the TAS and Positive Feedback review of the A1. Both writers prefer CH over Goldmund and Soulution so you might find these reviews very informative.

Any amp that can give good current drive in these loads from 20hz to 20khz and stay flat with it's frequency response would be the amp to consider (look at the bottom of the page for the impedance graph in the link)

The CLX range from 100ohms in the low bass (which most amps have no problem with) to very low impedance through the upper bass/midrange, and extremely low impedance through the high frequencies.

The amp to get is an amp that has good wattage into 8ohms, because the CLX's are not too efficient at 84db, but ones that can increase their wattage for each halving of impedance down to 2ohms, these amps will give you nice linear drive (stay flat) from 20hz to 20khz. Some tube amps are ok but they need a 4ohm tap and have low output impedance < less than 1ohm, preferably .5ohm

Amps that cannot do this may still sound ok, but will not produce a flat response, they will act like a fixed tone control, up in the bass and down in the treble.

http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/loudspeakers/65-reviews/252-martin-logan-clx.html?showall=1

Cheers George