[ctviggen]

Ethan has data on his website:

http://www.realtraps.com/data.htm

The auralex stuff comes up short, particularly in the low frequency band.

[hmen]

  The difference between Realtraps and EVERY other brand I researched was that to do the job on low frequencies you need much thicker treatments with the other brands if they're able to absorb that low at all. Also, Ethan is as knowlegable as anyone in the buisness and he's a tremendous help when you're trying to figure out what you need.
  Back to the original topic. I'm running my RM40's on a pair of Atma-Sphere M60's. They only put out 45 wpc per channel into 4 ohms but they're more than enough in my 19 x 15 heavily damped room . For about the price of the Jolida Music Envoy you could get a pair of Atma-Sphere M120's, Which would give you about 140 output transformless wpc into 4 of 8 ohms.

[zybar]

sbcgroup,

As folks here know, I use KORA Cosmos amps with my RM40s.  They have worked out well for me.  However, George (zybar) had the same amps (actually, he had an upgraded pair), and he felt they were insufficient driving his RM40s in his room and system.  The only differences were that his room was considerably larger than mine.  Plus, he didn't feed them a balanced signal, and I found a pretty big difference in their sound when fed a balanced signal vs unbalanced.

Now, is that enough to explain how he and I came to such different conclusions???  Who knows???  And I'm not gonna bore you with other tesitmonials from folks you've never met or corresponded with. 

I can say that back in the Harmonic Discord days, Brian Cheney stated that he had never heard the RM40s sound as good as they sounded when mated with KORA Cosmos amps.  Even when playing large orchestral pieces at very loud volumes, the KORAs did not run out of gas (while playing in his largish listening room).  Granted, this was before all the speaker improvements that have taken place over the last 4-5 years - and so I'm sure his experience with the KORAs/RM40 combo back then is no longer #1 on his list (of RM40 moments).  But remember, this listening session was with the very earliest version of the RM40s - completely stock (no upgraded caps, wiring, nothing).  Who knows - perhaps if he heard these monoblocks with his very latest and greatest iteration of the RM40s, he would once again reach the same conclusion.

Again, I'm a happy customer.  I've had them up and running now for ~ 5 years with no problems whatsoever.  Note I run them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  They only get turned off for their bi-monthly maintenance.

KORA Cosmos monoblocks
100W Triode Pure Class A

Kevin

P.S. - Here's an old link for the KORA amps:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/ces2001/preshow/page5.htm

To be clear, I found the Kora amps unable to produce the bass I wanted out of the RM-40 speakers.  I had no issues with volume or loudness. 

Kevin is correct in that I was running the amps single ended.

As for the sound (outside of the bass), the Kora amps had the best midrange and highs of any of the amps I tried with the RM 40's.  This list included the the McCormack DNA-500 and Jeff Rowland 201's.

George

[PLMONROE]

To be clear, I found the Kora amps unable to produce the bass I wanted out of the RM-40 speakers.  I had no issues with volume or loudness. 

Kevin is correct in that I was running the amps single ended.

As for the sound (outside of the bass), the Kora amps had the best midrange and highs of any of the amps I tried with the RM 40's.  This list included the the McCormack DNA-500 and Jeff Rowland 201's.

George

Like George, several reviewers felt a slight bass deficiency existed with the Kora Cosmos. That perhaps was the single thing that marred their perfection. Mine are the reference model which I understand to have improved components AND an additional transformer. At any rate I am bi-amping with them on the top so if there is any lack of bass with this model it is not an issue.The mids and highs are sublime!

...but does it REALLY matter? I mean, if you are producing commercial quality music in a recording room using Auralex, etc. Has anyone every ditched their Auralex stuff for Weiner's stuff?

-Ed

 Yes, IMHO, it REALLY does matter. I for one junked all of my aurelex which was pretty extensive. I went to Ethan's and Bryan's stuff which I feel is in an entirely different universe from aurlax for use in the home. As for recording studio use, I haven't a clue, but I would wager there are some significant differences.

Paul

 

[zybar]

To be clear, I found the Kora amps unable to produce the bass I wanted out of the RM-40 speakers.  I had no issues with volume or loudness. 

Kevin is correct in that I was running the amps single ended.

As for the sound (outside of the bass), the Kora amps had the best midrange and highs of any of the amps I tried with the RM 40's.  This list included the the McCormack DNA-500 and Jeff Rowland 201's.

George

Like George, several reviewers felt a slight bass deficiency existed with the Kora Cosmos. That perhaps was the single thing that marred their perfection. Mine are the reference model which I understand to have improved components AND an additional transformer. At any rate I am bi-amping with them on the top so if there is any lack of bass with this model it is not an issue.The mids and highs are sublime!

...but does it REALLY matter? I mean, if you are producing commercial quality music in a recording room using Auralex, etc. Has anyone every ditched their Auralex stuff for Weiner's stuff?

-Ed

 Yes, IMHO, it REALLY does matter. I for one junked all of my aurelex which was pretty extensive. I went to Ethan's and Bryan's stuff which I feel is in an entirely different universe from aurlax for use in the home. As for recording studio use, I haven't a clue, but I would wager there are some significant differences.

Paul

 

Paul,

My Kora amps were the Reference version, plus they had mods done to them by Blackie Pagano.

Short of putting in new and better transformers, these amps were taken as far as they could go.

Now if I had them now running with my Vandy 5A's...oh my!!

George

[ka7niq]

I heard Kevins Kora's in his room with the RM 40's.
He did have some gain issues with his preamp, but the bass was acceptable, and the midrange liquid.
We compared his Kora Monoblocks to a Class A Audire Parlando.
I though the bass was SLIGHTLY better with the Parlando, and the midrange slightly more liquid of the Kora Monoblocks.
I could have lived with either sound.
 neither Mike, Kevin, or I thought the Kora Monoblocks to be "bass shy".
Perhaps in a larger room, but not in Kevins.

The Parlando amp was mine.
I must admit, when I saw the Kora's, I thought the big Parlando would walk away from them driving the RM 40's.
The Kora's really surprised me in just how well they drove the RM 40's.

I would suggest them for someone in a smaller to medium sized room wanting a smooth, liquid sound.
I was impressed.

[doug s.]

i have heard woodsyi's rm40's being driven by his asl hurricane extreme's, from ~280hz on up, with solid state on the woofers.  absolutely killer.  tubes on top & s/s on the bottom are the way to go, imo.

there are literally dozens of choices for what would work well re: tube amps in this application, imo.  pic your poison!   aa  i had my audio mirror 40w set monoblocks in woodsyi's system, & they were also excellent, imo.  my present main tube amp, now, the extremely flexible mesa baron, would also work great, imo.  tho i haven't tried it in that system.  with power adjustable from 55wpc in full triode, to 150wpc in full pentode, w/part triode/pentode settings of 85wpc & 120wpc; and with negative feedback settings of 0db, -2db, -4db, & -8db, this amp can work well w/any speaker.

while i have several different lower powered amps, i am done shopping for a big power amp, since i found another baron.  there's one presently f/s on agon:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1188600584



note the vent slots on the chassis between the tubes - these are for better cooling, & not all barons have them...

doug s.

[ka7niq]

My Mesa M 180's were the original Prototypes for the Mesa Baron.
Randy Smith, owner of Mesa Engineering sent me many different revisions of the M 180 to listen to.
He used my input in the final voicing of the Baron.

Randy used to tell me of capacitor listening session where he had a musician actually play live music, as he tried various caps.

It was Randy's Goal to make an amp that could be "tuned" to sound great on any speaker.

IF you ever talk with Randy at Mesa, tell him Chris from Seattle sez hi!

[James Romeyn]

Ed
Drive the mid/treble w/ a hybrid Pathos Clasicc One Mk2 or 3, drive the bass w/ the biggest/baddest bipolar you can find, ATI are good value.  The Pathos input level control will allow you to slide the midrange L-pads up to max, & the treble w/ probably be only slightly attenuated...circa 100W of Pathos direct-coupled the mid/treble w/ leave you w/ no complaints IMO.

The only other alternative I know that MIGHT be better would be to employ one Pathos per side, trying it in both stereo (biamp each channel) or in bridged mono mode.

Happy hunting.