Once again ridding the world of the scourge of solid state!

PAC

After the regretful sale of my Lumleys and trying quite a few amps since then (I have been busy!), I seem to have come back full circle to valves again.  I've found it very difficult finding any SS amp that delivers any sort of emotional involvement with the music with my fairly sensitive monster agathons.  Finally settled on a Consonance Cyber 10 signature (2A3's used in tandem pairs in push-pull) which delivers a staggering.............11.5 watts (no sniggering at the back there).  That's enough to rattle the windows with these 'speakers though and once again happy to have an amp that promises to delivers music in the most engaging manner (taking the mind off the hifi).  I don't care how it measures, it's the sound that counts!

details:  

coops

Ultimately they are your ears!
What type of music do you mostly listen to?
KR Keith.

Jim

My DHT 807 amp is an equally staggering 8 ish watts. But they drive EX4s @ 99dB sensitivity and then only from about 120Hz and up. Agree with your post completely.

Never heard the Consanance amps.
Glad they work for you.

PAC

Hi Keith

my musical tastes are very Catholic; I listen to many genres from opera through to blues, acoustical, rock, symphonic, pop, folk and even the odd punk album! Trying to achieve system synerg to cope with that range is no easy feat I've found (I used to believe a good system should convey all music types well, but over the years, that's proved to be a very tall order).

Hi Jim

your 'speakers are a similar sensitivity to my own, but from around 20 Hz up and control of bass is sometimes a challenge with valve amps, but I'm amazed how well big bottle triodes manage it!

Brain_Dead

Try some of the Single Ended Class A's from Nelson or even Paul Quick's ID25 very nice sound but with a deeper than valve bass.

Or build your own that would be fun, watch out for smoke if it escapes then the devices are dead, he he.

Col

Alan

Hi Paul,

well done finding something that suits you. I will have to hear a system in the same vein some day. How about a PAC - System thread with photos? I for one would love to see how it looks these days.
I like Cols Nelson Pass suggestion, there was a first watt F5 (I think) for sale recently, and if I had the dough I would have been right there.

Jim

Hi Paul

What speakers are you using?

If you have written it up in another thread I appologise - I'm a lazy bugger.

PAC

Thanks guys, I may well get around to building a SET one of these days...been meaning too for a while but always something else takes priority!

Alan

I'll start up a system thread with pics so you can see what bits are currently in use.  Its pretty unique in so far as its not a system many would wake up one day and think to themselves "I know, I'll throw together this lot for an awesome sound" but it sounds pretty awesome to my ears at present!

Jim

Loudspeakers are the last incarnations of Tommy Horning's Agathon Ultimates. DX4 modified lowthers (mid range duties only...and whizzer cone removed).  Horning Lotus tweeter and twin 12 inch Beyma short throw bass units around back; all firing into a compound horn and all perfectly time aligned.  Sensitivity is close to 100dB for 1w.  Each one weights around 10 1/2 stone and around 4ft tall, so once positioned, not the easiest things to shift around!