What tube amp to drive Guarneri's?


My current amp is a Rowland Model 8 with choke. It drives the SF Guarneri's very well and sounds great. However, I would like to add a tube amp that would compliment the speakers, what suggestions?
daveyf

Showing 4 responses by daveyf

Tmiddle, do you remember what other equipment was being used with the ATM-2's?
Also, what kind of music were you listening to?

Chris, I am a little surprised that you fed your G's with only 18-20 watts, since my Rowland at 250 watts is working to drive them, although I suspect not too hard. My room is very small, is yours?
Guess I should have elaborated on "add". I am going to keep my Rowland since the amp is so good and I want to swap out with a tube amp to get tube sound vs. the ss sound of the Rowland.
The Rowland sounds great but like all ss amps, I am fairly sure that it does not sound like a tube amp and apparently the SF's like tubes.
Chris, how large was your smaller room?
I suspect probably all speakers work better in a larger room than a smaller room. Mine is 10x11 with a 15' vault ceiling. I sit in the near field( no other choice). Sounds good, but I am sure a larger room would be much better.
Here in S.Calif, the room size is by far the most expensive component you are going to buy. Makes all other equipment choices in comparison seem like chicken feed in cost.
Chris, your 19x11 room would seem to be more problematical in its ratio of size than your 21x15.5 room. Did you have the speakers on the long wall or firing down the long wall in the samll room?
I would suspect that maybe the smaller room would be an issue with most speakers due to its ratio.