[jeffreybehr]

I wrote last time... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=94967.0 ...on the power required to drive my 5As at 2 different levels.

Since then I've purchased, been using, and been very happy with a quad of Marantz MA-24s, 30Watts-into-8, rich-Class-A-biased monoamps*.  I've been slowly improving parts in these 4 amps but recently injured one badly and temporarily replaced it with one 50-Watt Marantz MA-22.  Most recently I reconfigured my system to use ONE '30-Watt' amp per front channel.  That is, I'm using one MA-24 for each of the left- and right-channel 5As and a third -24 on the VCC-1 CC speaker.

I am very surprised and pleased at how well a total power of just 60 Watts-into-8 drives the 5As.  So far, I've heard no obvious clipping, but I suppose I'll be hearing it one of these days when a recording jumps at me.  So far, so good.

Probably I'll reconfigure the system to use the 2 50-Watt MA-22s on the 5As' lows and the 30-Watt MA-24s on the upper frequencies, but so far, so good.


(The two MA-500s drive the surround channels, while the Crown amp on the right drives the SuperSubs.)

* Oh how I HATE the term 'monoblocks'.  If single-channel amps are monoblocks, then 2-channel amps are stereoblocks.

[ecramer]

Very nice 30 watts on the vandys don't sound like a lot but class A can do some wonderful things.

[jeffreybehr]

And now for something on the opposite extreme than 30WPC, how 'bout 300WPC?

I'm fantasizing--and just that, as I don't have $12K to spend on amps!--about a pair of Marantz Reference-series MA-9S2s, 300WPC-into-8 monoamps.

http://10audio.com/marantz_ma-9s2.htm
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue44/marantz_ma9s2.htm

Any experience with these?

[dminches]

No, but I am finding my Cary 500.1 mono blocks to be a wonderful match for my 5As.

[jeffreybehr]

Back on the low-power end of things, I received the repaired* MA-22 and reinstalled it.  Now I'm back to three 30W-into-8 MA-24s and two 50W-into-8 MA-22s on the front three channels.  (The MA-24s are driving the upper frequencies while the MA-22s are driving the lower frequencies.)

Sounds mightly nice.

Now have the hots for a pair of Nelson Pass's FirstWatt F4s, 40WPC-into-4 stereo poweramps.  They use JFETS in the frontend and MOSFETS outputs, have ZERO Voltage gain, and no NFB.  They are very simple amps and apparently sound VERY good.

http://firstwatt.com/prod.html

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/firstwatt6/f4.html



We'll see (or hear).  Considered relatively-high-power stereo amps such as c-j's sandamps but would have had to buy much-longer expensive speaker cable...so bought amps that can be used as monoamps.  I'll drive the 2 channels in parallel and use a cap in front of one channel for the lower-freq. hi-pass filter.  Probably also will add level pots to the hi-freq. channels.


* Took the '22s to an Arizona Audio Video Club meeting and while connecting them into a strange system popped what turned out to be a tiny grounding resistor.  Took a double-doc-EE a week to find.

[TONEPUB]

Get rid of everything and grab a nice used CJ Premier 350.  You'll be floored at how much sound is still lurking in your 5A's...

[taam]

I love my vandy's powered by a papa Pass, Stasis 2 from Threshold.

taam

[jeffreybehr]

Maybe I'll tire of the FW F4s, but I'm sure going to try them.

Meanwhile, I'll keep my eyes open for a Premier 350, and thx for the recommendation, Jeff.

[jeffreybehr]

Jeff D., have you any opinions on the current McCormack DNA-750 monoamps?  They have even more power than a c-j 350, and Lew Johnson tells me that c-j has been converging the McC sound to be closer to the c-j sound.

Monoamps are LOTS easier (and less expensive*) for me to use than stereo amps.


* I can use my current 5-star-quality, custom-made IC and speakercable and amppads, v. about $3K to replace them.