Ron’s New System
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
For the record, I had a powerful hybrid amp on my Apogees back in the day. Did I try a SET on them? Sure. Did it stay? No but it sounded better than expected. I used my Sphinx Project 14 mkIII throughout the speakers stay with me. I later sold them to Florian (yes Clarysis Florian) who drove them with a small Pathos Classic integrated quite successfully. It was only 70 watts but was sufficient in a modest room size.
I recommended the tubes on the pendragon ribbon tower as bass was active.
Ron’s VTLs should have plenty of power for the Clarysis speakers…
Alsyvox, being significantly more sensitive, would work better with lower power tubes.
I heard the predecessor to the Alsyvox panel at the New York audio show in 2012. I think it was called the Michelangelo. They were driving it with a 14 W SET and turntable. It sounded excellent in showroom conditions. The guy played two of my records and waited for me to come back the next day so he could play them again.
Sensitivity is just one part of the equation, ribbons and planers suffer greatly from field ( very lossy design ) saturation, when this happens it requires way more than twice the power increase to see an additional 3 db of SPL ..
Its the main reason they benefit from large current base amplifiers more so than toobs ..!
Pipe and Slippers playback not withstanding ..!
Its the main reason they benefit from large current base amplifiers more so than toobs ..!
Pipe and Slippers playback not withstanding ..!
“Pipe and slippers playback” is a wonderful phrase. I remember well the gentleman enjoying his music over a drink in his paneled library with his lovely company in those Tannoy advertisements.
I go back and forth between my VFET amps and tubes (little Wavac, big Wavac or flea). I like them all, they all sound great on my ribbons, and they all have their personalities (sorry objectivists).
Westminster amps sounded good on Picolo I gather at about 100 watts per channel, though It would be interesting to hear them with amps of less power, say, a 20 watt SET thingie. I think the Picolos might have real world efficiency that could make it work, but that is speculation subject to proof of hearing.
Westminster amps sounded good on Picolo I gather at about 100 watts per channel, though It would be interesting to hear them with amps of less power, say, a 20 watt SET thingie. I think the Picolos might have real world efficiency that could make it work, but that is speculation subject to proof of hearing.
The REIs achieve low frequency extension and bass detail and texture that eludes the Jadis JA100s on Clarisys speakers.
Would other solid-state amps achieve a similar effect? Very possibly.
But I was a regular participant during Keith's extensive and careful amplifier survey. Yes, on a different loudspeaker. But I found that audition of around 10 different solid-state amplifiers (including darTZeel, Gryphon Essence and two Pass Labs) in the same familiar system -- to be highly probative and informative.
Keith and I heard the same things from the REIs. Keith is a self-described "amp dude." He bought the REIs, and he has achieved enduring satisfaction with them. Keith is off the amplifier "merry-go-round." I consider that highly probative, as well.
The REI was my favorite solid-state amplifier during Keith's audition process. It had body and weight in the lower frequencies, and it sacrificed the least "breath of life" (compared to Jadis JA30s with selected tubes) of any of the solid-state contenders.
The Orange County Audiophile Posse heard my system on Sunday night, and everyone liked what the REIs are doing. I think the REIs are the right solid-state option for me to demo to Audio Café clients.
Last edited:
Maybe you are finally hearing your speakers driven with sufficient power
As I say, Ron, I’m not at all surprised. Just a bit curious about why it took so long.
Not that long. He has been an audiophile for over 20 years believing in valves, and he heard the Gryphon Pendragons with SS amps around 7 years ago, but as you see 20 > 7 so makes perfect sense why did what he did. The power of valves dominated SS. He tried Gryphons with both VTL and Jadis, never trying them with SS despite us asking him to, and why he chose them in the first place, so he gave up the Pendragons, and moved on to underpowering the Clarisys instead. Now, he heard the Clarisys with CH and Westminsters on digital, first digital set up he liked, and moved on to powering his Clarisys with Westminsters. It all ties together in a consistent fashion.
Have you been smoking Dutch tobacco again ?
No , but i ve been having american hotel breakfasts for the past 2 weeks .Have you been smoking Dutch tobacco again ?
Plastic cutlery biscuits / gravy and waffles with syrup not exactly " haute cuisine"
Stop sleeping at Motel 6!