Narrowing on suitable amp for Martin Logan CLX


Hi there

Interested in peoples experience with the following amplifiers with the CLX

All but one I have now heard

VTL seigfried
Soulution 700
CH precisions A1
Goldmund 1000 Telos
Accuphase A200
Berning Quadrature

I have heard all but Berning Quadrature

But I hear great things about Berning with electrostatics

The rest of my system is Accuphase reference 3800 900/901 DG 48 with stealth IC and SC
Room is 60ft b y 18 ft dedicated room with idescent subwoofer

I listen to classical mainly orchestral, piano and vocal

My priorities are timbral correctness, detail and transparency with good soundstaging

Up till now I have achieved all but tonal correctness especially on violin and woodwind (not brass)

Any thoughts or experiences especially with Berning would be most edifying

Warm regards

Andrew
awsmone0
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
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