2. amps-preamps
  3. 1285123790

Tube amp to drive Tyler Decade D1's?

Anyone out there with experience driving the new Decade line from Tyler acoustics with a tube amp? I am currently using a very sweet DNA-125 and ALD-1 (both with Gold revisions) from McCormack, and they sound as good as anything I have heard from a transistor setup. I was thinking of changing it up with a tube amp or tubed integrated as well, and was curious if others had some success or failures they would like to share with me. The speakers are around 90db/W efficient (they do seem to play loud with the volume pretty low). They are rated at 8ohm, but with multiple drivers, I wouldn't be surprised if they required more current than an 8ohm load should. I have already tried a couple of tube amps on them:

1) Cayin A-88T: surprisingly powerful, not any more full than the DNA-125 though, and a bit of loss of detail and also a bit hazier sounding. A great deal and enough power for this setup if one was on a $1200 (used) budget; doesn't match the McCormack's performance though. A higher-end KT88 type amp may be the ticket (more power wouldn't hurt).

2) Atma-sphere M60 MK2.2: Not enough juice for my speakers. They sounded very rich, but a bit flat, and lacking bass. I know these amps are very highly regarded (the guy who got mine was over the moon with their performance) but OTL amps and the Decade D1 seem not to be a good match.

Unfortunately, tube amps are nearly impossible to take home for a demo from a shop, as they are very hard to find. Even the McIntosh dealer rarely has tube amps anymore.
dawgcatching

Showing 2 responses by arch2

arch2
308 posts
 
I have D2's arriving this weekend or early next week from Ty. I am currently selling a Mystere ia21 integrated (50 watts with KT88's) but am going to hold off on selling it until I have had a chance to try this amp with the D2's. D2's are 88 dB vs the 90 dB of the D1 (both 8 ohm loads). I did ask Ty about using this integrated with both the D2's and D1's and he thought they would do fine together. I'm a little skeptical about this combination as the Mystere is a very full sounding amp mated with a speaker that already has really good bass response, but anxious none the less to try it out (I don't want too much of a good thing). I will try the combination and report back, granted it won't be with the D1's but it may be of some use.
arch2
308 posts
 
I have been using the 50 watt Mystere integrated (KT88's) with the D2's for several days now and the sound is beautiful but I think the D2's really benefit from an amp that can take control of the woofers. I liked the Mystere on previous speakers because it created a very full and spacious sound on less than full range speakers. With the D2's being full range speakers they are already very full and spacious on their own so I feel like the 50 KT88 watts are really not letting the bass response of these speakers live up to their potential. Everything else is great though. I loved the Mystere with my previous Tyler Linbrook Monitors and I suspect tubes would do great with either the D3's or D4's.

My suggestion for D2's (and D1's as well but I have not heard them) would be either a more powerful tube amp than what I am using, something that can really grab hold of the woofers, or solid state. I have also been using ice amps and I absolutely love that combination with the D2's. With class D the woofers are in iron fisted control. It's really astonishing what deep, quality bass will do in regards to a 3-dimension, enveloping sound. Keep in mind it's not just about bass response either, even in the midrange and high end I prefer the ice amps over tubes with the D2's because of the clear, resolving, un-etched sound. With previous speakers I preferred tubes over class D. With D2's I prefer class D. I don't have a class A or AB amp on hand to experiment with and I'm sure there are plenty of great combinations in that arena as well. Keep in mind too these comments are based on 4 days of listening with fully broken in D2's. Hope this helps.
More to discover