Tube Amplifiers: Carver Crimson 75 wpc or Primaluna Monoblocks
Looking for modestly powered tube amp to power high sensitivity speakers (> 92 db) in a new 12 × 16 foot listening room upstairs. I have Canary 140 wpc monoblocks in my basement reference system and love them. However, as I get older and tire of trying to lug around PassLabs 100 pound amps, I am setting up a low weight system. The amps need to fit the following: 1) less than 50 pounds, 2) economical like under 5K, 3) at least 60 wpc, and 4) a recognized extreme value piece of kit.
I spoke with Don Sachs and he is semi-retiring or something along those lines. He is not regularly building his amps/preamps anymore. I did get on his waiting list with no real guarantees.
I appreciate your thoughts on the two amps I inquired about and any others that I did not.
Decide upon the speakers first and then the amplifier.
Also, what preamplifier is in the mix, or could you possibly be happy with an integrated?
In such a small room you might be fine with 20 (or so) GOOD tube watts, which would increase your choices considerably.
I hear you about the weight as I'm still hurting from transferring Six 20 pound bags of kitty litter up a flight of stairs (from the car trunk) a few days ago.
If you have the coin, consider the Carver crimson 350s’ at some point, you will want to upgrade, having 350 tube watts at your disposal/ready is something to consider!
I saved, and researched for a long time, bought A Carver sunfire 600. Do I need 1200W at 4 ohms? Nope, is it effortless, and amazing,...YES!!
ALWAYS better to have something superior in the stable.
I cant give you much of any recommendation but oh boy can I relate to your comment. I recently moved to a new house and I don’t trust the movers to move my stereo stuff. I should have let the movers move my stereo stuff. I’m way older and way fatter than I used to be.
BTW I have a primaluna dialogue premium hp amp (single amp not monos) with kt150s and love it.
A Music Reference RM-9 Mk.2 if you are patient enough to wait for one to become available (less than a thousand were made). 125w/ch, EL34 tube life 10,000 hours (four tubes per channel), around $2,000 used. Or the RM-200 MK. 2, about the same power but with a ss input stage and KT-88 or 6550 output tubes (two per channel), around $3,000. The RM-200 is Michael Fremer’s "budget" tube power amp reference, continuously on Stereophile’s Recommended Component List (in Class A) since first reviewed many years ago.
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