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Perfect speakers for audio Research Classic 30

Hello!
I really hope that you all would be fine in this tragic situation, at least in Italy.
I fortunately live in Venice which hasn't been hit so much by coronavirus.
Anyway I've relatives and friends in a lot of northenr Italy cities and every day it is a war bulletin.
So I'm a bit upset to talk so lightly about our futile passion...
Anyway...
I've recently bought a really perfect Classic 30 power amp, ad it's lovely but I think that it is a bit tense in properly driving my Proac D30R, I can perceive its very good qualities but finally it lacks in bass control and in definition.
It's very strange to say (?) but it works a lot better and apparently more easilly with no preamp, I mean with my PS Audio Direct Stream dac directly connected.
What are your suggestions for the ideal partners for the Classic 30?
I've no prejudice towards bookshelf, monitors, floorstanding and so on but I suspect that an easy load, good sensibility, mid sized bookshelf speakers could make perfectly the job.
Please consider that I live in Italy so please don't suggest exotic, local, not exported speakers, thank you very much.
Looking forward for your suggestions...
Mario 
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Showing 2 responses by jjss49

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jjss49
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Mario

When I read you writing the Classic 30 driving the ProAcs were 'tense' I thought you meant too sizzly and strident, not too bassy and slow.  I misunderstood but no problem.

Given the actual problem you have I would definitely retube the amp first.  I suspect the tubes are old and dulled.  The Classic 30 should NOT sound dull into a high line ProAc!  Suggest you get KT88 instead of 6550 power tubes for more bass control.  I think modern Russian replacement small signal tubes should be fine as they are a little brighter than most older tubes.  Be sure to re-bias the new power tubes upon installation.

Good luck.




jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
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I have ProAc D30R’s driven by various nice ARC tube amps of roughly the same vintage as your Classic 30. (My amps are VT60, VT50, V70). I run a nice REL subwoofer to augment the low end. Listen to jazz and vocals mostly. The sound is wonderful. Saturated tonality, great sense of space, very organic, but still quick and impactful when needed.

I think a key to making this ARC amp work well with a solid state digital source is a tube linestage to ’round out’ and ’fatten’ the sound profile. I use nice CJ linestages to accomplish this - Premier 16 or ET5. The older CJ’s would do the same. The Classic series (my V70 is a close relative) errs on the side of sharpness and lean bass, while giving you wonderful transparency and sense of space.

Another thought is to look at the input and driver tubes in the Classic 30 - buy some old stock tubes which can play warmer tones and fatter bass than modern Russian tubes typically supplied by ARC (if that is what your amp came with).

If you were to mate ’warmer’ speakers to the Classic 30, I would think about Vandersteens, Spendors, Sonus Fabers, perhaps higher KEFs and Linns.

Good luck and take care.
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