Need suggestion in what TUBE AMP that best paired for RM2

baluga · « **on:** 30 Nov 2005, 11:37 pm »

Hi I'm a newbee here and would appreciate very much your help to guide me in getting the best amp for a pair of VMPS RM2.

My budget is around $2000.00 for the AMP.

I would love to have my system play low volume for stereo listening and movie/TV watching between 30-50 decibels.

I have the RM2 currently paired with a cheap Kenwood receiver.

I also have a NORH pre-amp which I have not connected.

Thank you in advance for you advice/suggestions.

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 12:24 am »

30-50db is super quiet, lower than conversation. If that is all you want, try a push pull triode amp, like a EL84 PP (in triode). Jolida makes one that is pretty inexpensive and could be modded from guys like Response Audio Mods. You could have him heavily bias it into deep class A for best sonics.

warnerwh · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 01:01 am »

Are you sure you can hear 30 or 40db watching tv? If you have a decibel meter set it to C weighting and see what it reads at a level you like. That is way too low. You may also want to try a tube preamp with an SS power amp of at least 100wpc. If this seems like overkill remember that even at low volume peaks in the bass region can hit that will draw a magnitude of 100 times of what had been playing a moment ago. I don't like my amps to clip but I've no doubt many people with even 100wpc amps clip far more than they think. Welcome to the VMPS forum!

woodsyi · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 01:04 am »

I can't imagine you are saying that right. You can't even hear some lower frequencies at that level. I would think you want to be at least 70 db to hear most music in full dynamic range. I use tube amps for the ribbons on RM40s and love the sound. There are tons of great amps at your budget. Give Bill a call and I am sure he can get you a very good tube amp at that price range. It would also be nice to audition some amps if you can hook up with a local group. Where are you?

meilankev · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 03:28 am »

Hi Baluga,

Welcome to Audio Circles!!!

I've spent some time with the RM2, as a friend of mine here in the Tampa area owns a pair (along with Larger Subwoofer, LRC, and a pair of Ribbon Dipoles).

He drives all these speakers using a pair of giganormous solid state amps (multi-channel, of course). I swear I've never seen amps that large outside of audio shows - however the name escapes me right now. But after he heard my system (includes RM40s), he wanted to hear how his RM2 speakers would sound with my tube monoblocks. So, one afternoon, I lugged them over there - that was easier than him bringing the RM2 speakers to my home.

My impressions were that his speakers sounded really nice with my monoblocks, and really benefitted from the tube amps. Granted, these specific amps are out of your price range (~ $6,000 a pair), but it shows your concept of mating the RM2 speakers with a good quality tube amp can be a good fit.

I apologize for not being more knowledgeable of tube amps in the price range you are looking at.

Have you looked on Audiogon???

Either way, good luck to you. And again, welcome to Audio Circles.

Kevin

warnerwh · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 05:26 am »

I should add that all tube amps don't sound alike. Some sound very similar to an SS amp. The other extreme is a slow and very syrupy sound. Bass has no slam, vocals are extremely lush and highs are very soft. Now you also have everything in between those two extremes. My suggestion would be to read and hear all you can before purchasing.

There are qualities I love about tube sound but am using SS right now that is very smooth. Going from a Kenwood receiver to tube amps that are too mushy may be a shock to your ears and brain. Ask and see if there's anyone in your area where you can listen to tube sound. Audio Asylum has alot of people there too you can ask in the Tubes Asylum.

If you're really lucky you can find someone in your area that will bring a tube amp to your home to try in your system with your speakers. That would be the ideal test. I rarely use the word always but in this case it's correct. Always remember your taste is yours alone. What will sound best to you even with the same speakers and the same room may sound terrible to someone else. Two good examples would be Audio Research and Conrad Johnson's tube amps. They each have their own sonic signature and neither one is good or not so good except to you. Quality of both is excellent.

Please do all the research you can as this is a significant change. Many tube amps need to be biased regularly while others are auto bias. Best of luck. Isn't this fun!

flintstone · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 01:09 pm »

I have a pair of Rogue Audio M-120 Magnums driving my Apogee Duetta Signatures...these would work well for you, or...the bigger Rogue 150 Magnums would be even better.

I have VMPS homtheater system (Supertowers and 626's)...while I've not tried the Rogues on the Supertowers I'm sure it would work fairly well as they are not as tuff to drive as my big Apogees are.

Dave

ZMan · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 05:51 pm »

baluga,

I owed a pair of RM2 Neo's for 3 years and bi-amped them with an old Yamaha Receiver on the bass and Quicksilver Silver 60 tube monoblocks (60 watts-EL 34 based) for the Mids and Treble. I got these used on Audiogon for $1500 when the speakers were new. JoshK and Flintstone offered excellent suggestions as well, that are in your price range. The Quicksilvers operate in ultralinear mode. This style of tube amp design provides a warm sound with a wonderful midrange and good highs. Highs are not as extended or pristine as a good SS amp and the bass is only ok, but significantly better then a triode or SET tube amp. This configuration produced many a day of magic, considering that vintage tubes (50's-60's era) can assist in customizing the sound to your preference, and if bi-amping, the results will be even better. I spend most of my time listening to acoustic Jazz (Be-bob and Hard bop) and vocals which was an excellent match with the above set up.

A tube amp would be a major league step up from the Kenwood. There are considerable differences in tube audio design as warnerwh pointed out, some research in this area would be wise.

Welcome,
Z

hmen · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 07:30 pm »

I've been using Atma-Sphere M-60 monoblocks with my RM2's and I'm very happy with the combination. You can usually find them on Audiogon for around $2K.

baluga · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Dec 2005, 10:04 pm »

Hi All,
Very much appreciate all your inputs. It's good to know that there are a lot of people willing to help in. I would definitely follow your recommendations to do more research and compare Amps available.

To give some more info:

1. Low volume, yes I really do set the volume to a conversation level. I alway set the Captioning for watching Movie/TV. I'm not able to listen for more than an hour if the volume is set to 70 decibels. Even though I still wanted to listen the music longer.

2. I'm in Cerritos, CA. It would be great if I can audition/ check out tube setup. I really have not been lucky enough to have a friends who have stereo tube setup to audition. I have heard a lot of good comments about tube setup and it would be nice to listen to one. Although I know there's also a lot of very good SolidState amps that competes with Tube. I think the plus to tube is that it has more of wife's acceptance factor. The lighted bulbs looks very nice.

Thanks again for welcoming to this forum.