How many HT3 owners use SS amps?

Big Red Machine · « **on:** 3 Oct 2007, 12:40 pm »

I'm not saying I will go there just yet, but I have kicked around the idea of trying a SS amp. With the low efficiency of the HT3 though, it will need to be 200+ wpc or some mondo monoblocks in my experience to getting rippin'.

Anybody use some now that I could check into (bench research and RMAF research)???

Pete

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 05:24 pm »

Just a tad pricey for me. Anybody ever try Rowland?

TomS · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 06:30 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 3 Oct 2007, 05:24 pm

Just a tad pricey for me. Anybody ever try Rowland?

I haven't heard them on HT3's, but I had 7's for a long time with Aerial 10t's. Very dark sounding overall. Not sure how that would mesh with the Salks at all. Zybar had the DNA500 (which I had and liked) and big BAT on his HT3's too. Not quite so pricey. Tom

zybar · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 06:38 pm »

Quote from: TomS on 3 Oct 2007, 06:30 pm

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 3 Oct 2007, 05:24 pm
Just a tad pricey for me. Anybody ever try Rowland?
I haven't heard them on HT3's, but I had 7's for a long time with Aerial 10t's. Very dark sounding overall. Not sure how that would mesh with the Salks at all. Zybar had the DNA500 (which I had and liked) and big BAT on his HT3's too. Not quite so pricey. Tom

The BAT VK600SE was the best SS amp I have owned and it worked beautifully on the HT3's.

The DNA-500 was also an excellent amp and worked very well with the HT3's.

If you need to go for something at a lower price tag, the CI Audio D-200's are also quite good and get you close the DNA-500 in many areas.

I had Rowland 201's, but feel that all three amps I listed above would be sonically superior. The 201's can sound a little thin and brittle by comparison.

George

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 08:15 pm »

I have a Dodd battery pre coming by month's end (I am told).

At one time I owned some Monarchy SE 100 specials that while Class A were higher powered than the standard 100's. I liked the sound but they were noisy - hiss, etc. in that system (pre HT3).

I kinda want to go the monoblock path (sure! more PC's

) but have eyeballed Agon amps by Levinson, Krell, Rowland (as mentioned), and even the Consonance Cyber 800 (which is totally the opposite spectrum being tube and 78 watts). Darn efficiency of the speakers does limit the amp choices.

TomS · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 08:45 pm »

I would second the Odyssey Mono SE's. I've had them for several months and am very pleased with them, especially at the price point. I've had Joule Electra VZN-100's, McCormack DNA-500, and BEL 1001's in my system which were all very good.

The Odysseys let me enjoy listening after a long day at work, not fiddling with the gear so much. Quite a few available at reasonable prices, but you might check the pedigrees with Klaus before hand. Lots of variants out there as each set seems to be a little different. Klaus's upgrades to "the latest and the best of everything I know how to do" are always more than reasonable, yielding nice improvements. Driving power is not an issue in most cases (not Kraft monos, but still quite the brutes).

Tom

jermmd · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 09:08 pm »

I have three solid state amps I use or used with my HT3's. I have the McCormack DNA-500 (best), Cal Audio MCA-500 (very,very good), and Parasound 5250 (not bad). They're all plenty powerful for the Salk speakers which sound great with SS amps IMHO.

Sonny · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 09:29 pm »

Pete, we exchanged a couple emails regarding the Cyber 800s and well, I also put in a request with Vinh at Norvinz who then forwarded to Joe at Utlra Violet Audio, the US distributor for Consonance and he feels that they would work fine...

here's what he had to say below:

-----Original Message-----
From: trelja@aol.com [mailto:trelja@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 1:55 PM
To: vinhtvu@optonline.net
Subject: Re: Cyber800

Vinh,

Hello. Thank you for your e-mail.

Yes, you are right, the sensitivity is not as crucial as people often believe. I think the impedance/phase angle plays a huge role. But, I personally feel the crossover topology makes the biggest impact as to whether or not the amplifier will mate well with it or not.

Based on checking their website, I see Dennis Murphy designed the crossover. Though the specs don't really look so great, this should not be an unduly difficult speaker to drive, and if the person is looking for a tube amp to drive them, the Cyber 800 should do as good a job as any amplifier in the category. Yes, he'll be able to produce 95 dB with the combination.

Thank you,
Joe

woody · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 06:50 pm »

I'm using a Pass Labs X 250.5 with an Aesthetix Janus preamp with excellent results. I previously had an Innersound ESL300 and I thought that was good, but the x 250.5 is much better. The bass is fuller and more powerful without being overwhelming. I was skeptical of the improvement(s) an amp could make in a system, but this has made me a convert. There is definitely some synergy working here. Perhaps the 35 watts or so in Class "A" has something to do with it.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 07:40 pm »

Love the recommendations coming in from firsthand experience.

Anybody ever try the Brystons? Look like lots of bang for the buck.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 07:52 pm »

Quote from: woody on 4 Oct 2007, 06:50 pm

I'm using a Pass Labs X 250.5 with an Aesthetix Janus preamp with excellent results. I previously had an Innersound ESL300 and I thought that was good, but the x 250.5 is much better. The bass is fuller and more powerful without being overwhelming. I was skeptical of the improvement(s) an amp could make in a system, but this has made me a convert. There is definitely some synergy working here. Perhaps the 35 watts or so in Class "A" has something to do with it.

I never thought I could afford one. An older version on Agon right now. How is the reliability? Love to have Class A again, is it quiet??

Toka · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 08:14 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 4 Oct 2007, 07:40 pm

Love the recommendations coming in from firsthand experience.

Anybody ever try the Brystons? Look like lots of bang for the buck.

I really like the current SST line from Bryston...don't own 'em, but have heard 'em a few times...very impressed every time. Not a touch of grain or glare anywhere, among the best SS designs I've ever heard. If I had the loot to really do a HT I would go Bryston without hesitation.

zybar · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 10:49 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 4 Oct 2007, 07:52 pm

Quote from: woody on 4 Oct 2007, 06:50 pm
I'm using a Pass Labs X 250.5 with an Aesthetix Janus preamp with excellent results. I previously had an Innersound ESL300 and I thought that was good, but the x 250.5 is much better. The bass is fuller and more powerful without being overwhelming. I was skeptical of the improvement(s) an amp could make in a system, but this has made me a convert. There is definitely some synergy working here. Perhaps the 35 watts or so in Class "A" has something to do with it.

I never thought I could afford one. An older version on Agon right now. How is the reliability? Love to have Class A again, is it quiet??

I personally thought the DNA-500 was a big step up from the x250 and x350.

I have heard some very good things about the x250.5 and x350.5, but haven't been able to hear them myself. Some people I trust, do say that there was a very big improvement with the new ".5" series.

George

woody · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Oct 2007, 07:27 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 4 Oct 2007, 07:52 pm

Quote from: woody on 4 Oct 2007, 06:50 pm
I'm using a Pass Labs X 250.5 with an Aesthetix Janus preamp with excellent results. I previously had an Innersound ESL300 and I thought that was good, but the x 250.5 is much better. The bass is fuller and more powerful without being overwhelming. I was skeptical of the improvement(s) an amp could make in a system, but this has made me a convert. There is definitely some synergy working here. Perhaps the 35 watts or so in Class "A" has something to do with it.

I never thought I could afford one. An older version on Agon right now. How is the reliability? Love to have Class A again, is it quiet??

Well -- I can't speak to the reliability of the X 250.5 since I haven't had it very long. However, in general, I've never read about any problems with any of the Pass Lab's amps or preamps. As for noise, it is nonexistant. The only noise I hear is a minor amount of tube rush from the Aesthetix Janus preamp and that is only noticeable when I'm within 2-3 ft of the HT3s (mostly from the tweeters). When I'm sitting in my listening position, I hear nothing but but music, music, music

audiotom · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Oct 2007, 08:42 pm »

big red - I thought you were the poster child for the Moscode 401HR hybrid?
is my memory bad or did it not work in your situation?

it performs beautifully with my HT3's
all the slam of solid state with the air of tubes

Tom

95bcwh · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Oct 2007, 08:46 pm »

"True Audiophiles" never sit still for long...

Quote from: audiotom on 5 Oct 2007, 08:42 pm

big red - I thought you were the poster child for the Moscode 401HR hybrid?
is my memory bad or did it not work in your situation?

it performs beautifully with my HT3's
all the slam of solid state with the air of tubes

Tom

woody · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 Oct 2007, 11:41 pm »

Big Red,

You may want to read and jump onto this thread:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1190074557&openfrom&18&4#18

yooper · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Oct 2007, 09:26 pm »

Hey Pete,

If your interested in hearing a pair of Odyssey Mono Extreme SE's, I can certainly bring mine out to your place, giving you a chance to hear them in your own listening room. If after listening you like what you hear, and if your interested, we could swap amps for a bit if you would like to hang on to them a little longer.

Everyone has an opinion on what they like, but you really do need to give them a listen as I believe they will compete with the best of them at their price point, and more.

Let me know,

Mark

jbtrio · « **Reply #18 on:** 9 Oct 2007, 01:35 am »

I use Spectron Musician III with excellent results combined with a tube pre-amp.

ctviggen · « **Reply #19 on:** 9 Oct 2007, 10:02 am »

As a second question, how my HT3 owners combine SS and tube? I'm thinking of using tube on the highs/mids and SS on the lows. Right now, I'm using a Jeff Rowland #10. I don't consider this to be "dark" at all, but I would like to dabble with tubes.