2. amps-preamps
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Upgrade advice, please.

I'd appreciate some input/guidance/opinion about the most cost-effective upgrade move to make - amplification or speakers? Major components of my system are posted (I also have some rudimentary room treatments in place not shown in my system post). After playing around for years with placement of my Totem Forests I feel like I've finally found something that really sounds good Most of the time I'm very happy with the sound whether running a factory modified JoLida 502B (Winged C KT88s; Mullard AT7s; Ei Elite AX7s) or a JAS H-1 hybrid (ss pre; Winged C EL34 tubes) so possibly I shouldn't do anything at all. My budget is $3000 at most. Used is OK. My listening area is smallish...an open ended alcove roughly 13' x 15'. Should I upgrade amplification? I'd like any upgrade here to be all tubes. Change speakers? Do nothing? My goals are more volume (getting to 85 - 90 db without things sounding strained), deeper and better controlled bass, higher resolution. Thanks in advance for your time and input.
ghosthouse

Showing 4 responses by samujohn

samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
Do you have any audiophile friends? If so, borrow a high powered amp and see if power is a problem. I discovered some years back that some of the distortion that I thought was on my recordings, was actually my 60 watt KT88 tube monoblocks overloading. Recordings with few dynamics sounded fine, but the stinkers were actually the ones that were the better recordings.
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
I will add that the CJ 2500A @ 240 per channel will easily power almost any speaker and can be had for around $1500. The 2250A is similar, is also very powerful, and costs even less. An Alternative is a digital amp. I own a Tact and there is an S2150X for sale on Audiogon for $1350 which is plug and play (assuming it has the analog inputs) and can be upgraded to the S2150XDM (room correction software) for about $600 if desired.
There are many fine solid state amps, but these are among the more tube like, yet powerful and inexpensive.
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
If you really want to stick with tubes, one stereo tube amp I can recommend unreservedly is the Music Reference RM 200 or the older RM9.
It has been highly rated (class A) for years, as was the RM9 versions one and two, its predecessors. While it sells for about $2500 on Audiogon, it is unusual in that:
1. It has plenty of power and is stable into difficult loads, such as electrostatics
2. Uses only four output tubes
3. Can use all the major output tubes (KT88, 6550, EL34, 6L6, etc.)
4. Is well built and reliable
The RM200 is a hybrid while the RM 9 is not, unless you count the rectifier.
The RM9 uses 8 output tubes.
Sorry this sounds like a commercial, but I have had many tube amps and this one addresses most of my concerns, such as reliability and load tolerance, while sounding as good or better than the competition that I have owned (ARC,CJ,VTL, Quicksilver).
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
I liked tubes for their musicality, and solid state for the power, but the Tact digital is impressively quiet and stunningly quick. Previously I had no idea how much low level detail was obscured by transistor noise, or how much tubes compress the dynamics. Nothing is perfect, so I might say that it is more literal, and less liquid and inviting than tubes. As for air; the white noise in conventional amps can give a false impression of ambiance, but it is not in the recording. After a bit of adjustment, I have come to like the Tact better because I can hear more actual detail, provided it is in the recording to begin with.
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