What amps are people using with VMPS speakers?

J Harris · « **on:** 8 Jun 2003, 05:23 pm »

Name your amp, typology and power, and the speakers you're using.

I'm using a Pass Aleph 3 (30 wpc, SS, pure Class A) with my 626Rs.

It sounds excellent, but I think I could use more current on the peaks. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Aleph 5 (60 wpc), but don't know whether that will offer such a significant increase in power. Probably could use a 100 wpc, high-current amp. I like the (real) Class A sound though. Any recommendations? Plinius is probably beyond my financial ability at the moment.

J!

Tyson · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Jun 2003, 05:32 pm »

Got an AVA Fet/Valve 550ex hybrid tube amp for my RM40's. 500 watts in to 4 ohms, and a touch of that sweet tubed sound. AVA is a bit reticient on publishing much in the way of specs, but I"m certain that it is biased very high in to class A because the heatsinks are too hot to touch anytime it's powered on. The straw that convinced me to but (besides the review here from Jackman) was a guy on audiogon bought an AVA for his home theater, and happened to own a Plinius as the "main" amp in his 2 channel setup. According to him the AVA trounced the Plinius. I have to say the AVA gear looks about as far away from "audio jewelry" as you can possibly get, but the sound is among the very best I've heard.

Woodsea · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Jun 2003, 06:34 pm »

I am powering my LRC and 626's with a whopping 75 watts from the Harman Kardon 520.

JoshK · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Jun 2003, 06:54 pm »

Using a Spectron Musician II to power my RM40's. Simply the best amp I have heard to date.

TheeeChosenOne · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Jun 2003, 08:30 pm »

Josh,
I heard your Spectron amp on Friday at the HE SHow in S.F.

It sounded really nice!

One guy sitting in a chair with a stern concentration on his face remarked "Those are the best highs I've ever heard!". The guy who ran the room said that he was a big fan of the designer since the "SWAMP" days....I guess that's terminology for the early version products from Spectron.

JoshK · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Jun 2003, 09:09 pm »

Yeah apparently the first production models of the Spectron MII weren't too up to snuff (in terms of reliability) and according to their own engineer, they really should have changed the name with the newer versions because so many parts were changed. The fixed runs spectrons all have 2000& up serial numbers, mine is 2011.

FWIW, to date I haven't heard better highs or lows from SS or tube (even SET) amp.

shokunin · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 08:05 am »

I'm using a Pass Labs X-250 with my RM40's. However, I would love to hear them with Ampzillas in my setup. So far the Pass has been great with the Rm40's.

Horsehead · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 01:31 pm »

Agree with Pass Labs. Using an X350- perfect match.

cinema&sound · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 01:51 pm »

I am using a B&K Ref 200.7 seven channel amp. driving the RM40s and LRC.

I have used the Cinepro 3KSE6 Gold in the past. That has been driving the new larger sub since it is no longer available new.

wshuff · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 03:40 pm »

I've been using a Sherbourn 5/1500 with my 626R/LRC/626R front array, and I've been very pleased. I also was fortunate enough to hear RM40s driven by Pass Labs amps, and all I can say is that I'd be very happy to have Pass amps in my home, for the sound, the build, and the heat in the winter. I've placed an order for two of the new Nohr LeAmp2s, so I'll see if I like that any better than what I have. If not, they'll be powering my rears.

Sedona Sky Sound · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 03:52 pm »

My setup includes:

Ampzilla 2000s for RM40s and LRC (fantastic sound)
Marsh A200s for 626R (another fantastic combo)
Bridged Classe DR10 for New Original Sub (seems to work well but I have the feeling that the sub sometimes wants more current and watts than the 400W I am giving it)

I have also tried the Marsh with the RM40 (not enough current), the Classe DR10 with the RM40 (sounds OK but missing some detail), the Ampzillas with te 626R (great sound but I like the Marsh a little better), and Acurus 3x100 with 626R (too bright).

This past weekend I brought my 626Rs down to San Antonio for the Lone Star Bottlehead meet (http://www.wardsweb.org/LSB/) for some really interesting tube combinations. An interesting finding that a 3 watt SET amp is capable of driving the 626Rs as long as there is not a lot of bass in the music (however, any bass totally kills it). An absolutely fantastic combination was a Shanlin tubed SACD player with a Foreplay tube pre-amp mated to the Ampzillas

Julian

reefrus · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 07:37 pm »

Hi all,
I'm extremely happy with my Atma-sphere MA-2 II.3 driving the RM40,even they are not the right amp(OTL) driving the spks have impedance under 4 ohm.I feel a bit weak on the bottom end(under 30hz)during loud passage.I also having a chance bought a pair of Ampzilla 2000.All I can said is,the bass on those Rm40 really require big SS to sing.Although the A2k are not the same league(mid and high) compare with Atma-sphere MA-2,but the bass and dynamic are far better than the MA-2 on the RM40.Top to bottom,the A2k is hard to beat,they sound superb.
Unfortunately,I don't have a chance to try bi-amp.Because of moving to east coast in the next few months,so I have to let the A2k and RM40 go .A friend of mind heard the A2k and RM40 combo, took them both in a heart-beat.He sold his Maggie and Rogue gears right away.
I think when I settle in next few month,I'll give the RM/X a try,just to see how good are they compare with the RM40.Or I might just keep my Sound Lab A-1 since they are better match with the MA-2.

hmen · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Jun 2003, 07:40 pm »

For my RM2's (auricaps and FST) I'm using a pair of Decware Zen SET Model C's which each produce a whopping 10wpc. At first I was using a passive preamp and the amps were clipping a lot. I then switched to an AES/Cary Super preamp and now the system sounds great and almost never clips. The first time I called VMPS to inquire about buying speakers Brian asked me what I was using for amplification and when I told him he told me that I would have to bi-amp. Before I upgraded my pre I thought he was right. I guess it turns out that the speakers are even better than Brian thinks. Despite the fact that I'm really happy with the sound and my wife is always telling me to turn it down I'm going to bi-amp anyway. I'm having an old Dynaco ST70 restored and I'm going to use it for the bass. This way I figure I'll get a little more punch on the lower end (even though it's pretty good already) and still be able to maintain my pretensions as a tube snob.

AVB · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jun 2003, 02:56 am »

System 1.I power my ST III SRE's with a Cinepro 3K6SE Gold. I have 2 sets of channels bridged for the bass modules (about 1600 WPC) and the other 2 channels power the mids/highs. LRC, 4 modified 404's and bass shakers are juiced by a Cinepro 2K5II. Larger Sub powered by a Parasound HCA-1200II

System 2. For the ST/R SE, they are powered by a Parasound HCA-1200II

System 3. My old SuperTowers are using an SAE A501.