Luxman SS is also a very good candidate. Certainly I think more reasonably priced in the US.
Thoughts on Tube vs SS amplification for Sony SS AR1s
Hi all~
Was hoping someone with more knowledge than me may be able to help clear up some confusion I’ve been having.
I recently was able to acquire my ‘unicorn’ speakers, the SS AR1s. 4 ohms, 88 dB, 28hz-60khz.
i have an integrated tube amp, the Luxman LX-380, which on paper doesnt seem to deliver a lot of power for these speakers (14 w into 4 ohms), but i have been really surprised by how full/robust everything sounds with the Luxman in place. I had been advised that a more powerful SS amp (‘at least 200 w per channel!’) would be needed to get the most out of the SS AR1s (and i have had a lot of SS amps in the past), but To be honest I’m pretty impressed with how it sounds already - So, i was just hoping someone with more experience here could weigh in? Is it necessarily true that tubes just aren’t a good match for a speaker of this sensitivity? Would a more powerful amp like the luxman mQ-88uc (25 w into 4 ohms) be worth looking into? Would a powerful SS amp really make these speaker sing (and i just dont know what I’m missing)? I want to take advantage of the low-end of these new speakers (which is the main difference from my previous pair), so looking for some guidance re tube amps and exerting control over speakers like these.
thanks much!
Was hoping someone with more knowledge than me may be able to help clear up some confusion I’ve been having.
I recently was able to acquire my ‘unicorn’ speakers, the SS AR1s. 4 ohms, 88 dB, 28hz-60khz.
i have an integrated tube amp, the Luxman LX-380, which on paper doesnt seem to deliver a lot of power for these speakers (14 w into 4 ohms), but i have been really surprised by how full/robust everything sounds with the Luxman in place. I had been advised that a more powerful SS amp (‘at least 200 w per channel!’) would be needed to get the most out of the SS AR1s (and i have had a lot of SS amps in the past), but To be honest I’m pretty impressed with how it sounds already - So, i was just hoping someone with more experience here could weigh in? Is it necessarily true that tubes just aren’t a good match for a speaker of this sensitivity? Would a more powerful amp like the luxman mQ-88uc (25 w into 4 ohms) be worth looking into? Would a powerful SS amp really make these speaker sing (and i just dont know what I’m missing)? I want to take advantage of the low-end of these new speakers (which is the main difference from my previous pair), so looking for some guidance re tube amps and exerting control over speakers like these.
thanks much!
Showing 2 responses by erik_squires
The biggest issue, that I can see, is the dip in impedance between 100 Hz and about 700 Hz. https://www.stereophile.com/content/sony-ss-ar1-loudspeaker-measurements What I have found is that even with modest SS amps, this causes a noticeable depression in the output. So... what you may be enjoying is a very V shaped curve. If you find yourself listening at low volumes, that's what's happening. You've set yourself up with an accidental loudness button. :) Should you change it? Only if you are dissatisfied. A beefy SS amp or just beefier amp in general, will flatten out the audible response. Better for higher volume listening for sure. I'm sure you'll hear a difference, pay attention to the ideal listening level when you try other amps, and the upper bass. Listen for a while and see if it's better or worse for long term listening. |