Wright WPA 3.5's What's Next?

I had the Wright WPA 3.5's for a while. Great amps and especially for the price. I replaced them in my low powered system with a J. Korneff 45 which you can get used for about the same price as the WPA 3.5s'. I use RCA biplate 2A3's in the Korneff (gives more dynamics without losing very much over 45 tubes- although I do use TJ mesh plate 45's now and then for light jazz or vocals). I personaly prefer the Korneff to the Wrights. By the way I am driving Soliloquy SM2A3's (designed by Dennis Had of Cary specifically for SET amps)or my Rogers 15 ohm LS 3/5 speakers.

Another vote for type 45s. I have the Wright monoblocs. I once had the Korneff amp but the size and weight put me off. I never actually a/b'd the two but I do like type 45s. I also owned the Minimax preamp, very seductive. I can understand your choosing it over EVS nude attenuators. For me tube preamps are a necessary part of the chain for the type of musicality I'm looking for (I use the Wright preamp). -- Of course there is always the Wavelength Gemini 45/2A3 that is totally out of my price range. Never actually heard them but they get great reviews.

Have you considered that the problem might have more to do with the Bag End monitors than the Wright amps?

Those speakers were primarily intended for pro live sound setups like clubs or theaters, which has slightly different sonic priorities than private home systems. The current TA series is listed as being intended for:

Auditorium Sound Reinforcement
Church Sound Reinforcement
NIghtclub Applications
DJ Systems Installation
Foreground Music Systems

To quote the TA5000-C Time-Align (updated TA-15) review in On Stage:

"Before taking the TA5000-Cs out on a gig, I tested them in my studio. The TA5000-C sounded a mite lean in the midbass and bright and highly detailed on top."

Combining those types of speakers with 2A3 amps is a pretty sure bet for a more dry or lean sound. 2A3's are accurate, revealing, an magical but certainly no one would describe them as rich or lush in the way that other tubes are famous for.

But, I would bet that the Wrights, mated with proper speakers, are likely to produce more pleasing sound than the Bag End monitors with other amps.

Regardless, if you want a more lush or full sound, try a really good EL-34 amp, maybe even an 845 set. Along those lines, the most "lush" sounding amps I have ever heard are Cary 300B amps. For my tastes they are far too much so, but in a system that is slightly lean, the combination may be heavenly.

Thanks for the responses gang!Someone emailed me privately and suggested i may want to swap out the stock Sovtek 2A3 to get more of what i am looking for.Does anybody have any recommendations for a sweet, warmer and still punchy 2A3 tube?
Also,even though the minimax preamp is nice could i do better by upgrading in this department perhaps?Just actually got it not long ago and am definitely enjoying it.So perhaps things can even get better by a further upgrade here.Any suggestions for even better preamps that won't dig a hole in the savings to deeply?

Thanks for the help Darkmoebius.Ya know these speakers are also used as studio monitors and are really revealing.They can sound incredible with my system and it seems to have alot to do with the actual recording(cd)i am listening to.Maybe there are just alot of bad recordings because sometimes i play some discs and i am amazed how good things sound.Maybe it is the bad recordings that keep me wanting better equipment ; 0?

Do 45's have the punch that this Wright 2A3 have?I see Danner that you listen to classical music exclusively where i am all over the place with my listening habits.

thanks everyone!!