Linear Tube Audio

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aldoallen

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Linear Tube Audio
« on: 28 Feb 2020, 04:01 pm »
I have the Spatial Audio M4 Triode Masters and initially tried to amplify them with a Cary Rocket 88 that puts out 30 watts triode and 60 watts ultralinear. Overall it sounded pretty good but on some music the bass just disappeared. So then I went to a CODA 10.5R solid state amp that puts out 100 watts with the first 25 watts in Class A. The M4's sounded really good with this amp and I had no issues with bass at all.
I noticed Clayton uses the Linear Tube Audio 10 watt integrated tube amplifier on the M3 Sapphires at shows and since I was already using the LTA MZ3 as a preamp, I decided to try out the 10 watt LTA tube power amp. Since I didn't have much luck with a 60 watt traditional tube amp, I had doubts that the LTA amp could sound as good as the CODA (which works very well) but with LTA's liberal return policy, I could always return it.
Well, the CODA is going away because the little 10 watt LTA has a little more detail, better tone, and cranks out as much bass as the CODA. My room size is 10' by 20' by 8' and this amp can easily blow me out of the room if I wanted to crank it up. As far as the bass goes, the frequency response specification for the amp seems to show why it works so well. It goes to 6hz and is down only 0.5 db. This is at 8 ohms. It may go lower at the M4's 12 ohm average. I may be wrong but I seem to remember the Rocket 88 specs show it going down to 10 hz but down 3 db. Apparently this makes a difference on these speakers.

Thought I would relate my experience with this amp in case anyone is on the fence about trying it.

Al

musicdre

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Re: Linear Tube Audio
« Reply #1 on: 29 Feb 2020, 12:11 pm »
excellent post.  good reminder that its always good to take specs with a grain of salt and leave pre-conceptions at the door.  its how an amp works and sounds in one's own system that counts.