Tube amps for lsim

northernwind
northernwind Posts: 57
edited March 2014 in Speakers
Hey guys,after getting into the world of hi fi not to long ago and being very happy with my ss amp.I decided that I want to try a tube amp since I've heard so many good things about them.My budget would be in the 100-1000 range, and because I'm from Canada,there are very little places to actually audition one.So any good recommendation would be greatly appreciated as I've bought the lsim 703 purely base on this forum and have been very happy with it.
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  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    edited March 2014
    grant has a showroom clearance sale coming up. http://grantfidelity.com/site/
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
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    Puritan PSM156
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  • northernwind
    northernwind Posts: 57
    edited March 2014
    DSkip wrote: »
    Don't feel like you have to get the most watts possible to make those things sing. I've been very happy with my Shuguang pre/monoblock combination and would definitely buy another product from them. Grant Fidelity is the dealer (in Canada at that) and I think they have a few products still in stock with nice discounts.

    Yaqin makes a good budget tube amp as well, but it appears you might want to steer clear of the MS30L that a couple of our members are having issues with.

    Ya these lsim seem to be very effecient as I've went from the denonx1000 to ss amps,and feel that the extra wattage isn't very necessary.

    marvada-Very interesting,I'll def give that a look.
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  • stretchl
    stretchl Posts: 1,334
    edited March 2014
    I run my LsiM-705's with my Luxman at 70 wpc or my Yaqin with 52 wpc. No problem powering the speakers with either amp.

    I also second DSkip's endorsement of Grant Fidelity. Very good people to work with.
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
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    Hi-Fi
    Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Odyssey Khartargo Mono Plus --> LSiM-705's
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2014
    I agree with Grant Fidelity if you can get over there. Ian and Rachel are great!
    Jake
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2014
    Grant Fidelity, good stuff. +1!

    Get a nice integrated 50 watts x 2 or so. Should do you fine. But you'll probably have to roll some tubes to see what those LSIMs like. I have no idea on that! Others can chime in. But it would be my suspicion that LSiMs might need some synergistic matching? Especially since they seem to like most good SS amps quite a bit?

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,318
    edited March 2014
    ^^^^Yep I was there, but remember that the 12watt kicked the **** out a 35watt in the shootout that day also.

    Kinda funny as the 35watt vendor walked out of the room with amp in hand and a long face :-(
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2014
    This one looks nice and speakers that respond well to SS usually also respond well to KT88s or similar.

    http://shop.grantfidelity.com/Psvane-TC5-Integrated-KT120-Tube-Amplifier.html

    2266.jpg
    Jake
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  • northernwind
    northernwind Posts: 57
    edited March 2014
    Yikes I click on the link and the first thing that I notice is,due to seemingly high early failure rate....Also what do some of you guys notice when switching from a ss to a tube amp?
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2014
    DSkip wrote: »
    They are talking about the shipment of the KT88 tubes all the way from China, NOT the amp itself. Read the entire disclaimer.

    Correct. GF stands behind their tubes 100%, and have sent me replacements free of charge before. I have have a Psvane amp, and they a good quality tube amp; GF doesn't sell the cheap, out of spec, Chinese junk.
    Jake
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited March 2014
    I've had good luck with both a Rogue 88 Magnum and Primaluna Prologue 4 with the 703s. Incidently I like running GE 6550s with both amps with the 703s and I've tried just about all new and NOS EL34s, 6CA7s, 6550s, and KT88s with them. The punchiness of the GEs combined with the same trait of the 703s is simply sublime.
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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    edited March 2014
    I run my lsim 703's with a yaqin mc100b they sound sweet
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited March 2014
    I say PrimaLuna, what you get for the money is great and the tone from them is superb!!
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,001
    edited March 2014
    I'd say don't mess with a tube amp at all, and get a tubed pre amp instead. I think that's the spot you'll get the biggest bang of SQ increase with tubes.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • northernwind
    northernwind Posts: 57
    edited March 2014
    I been thinking about going preamp but feel that it would be a waste of my x4000.Spent 1k on it and if I could do it all over again I woulda went seperate.I thought that 32xt was going to be amazing from hype,but it is only good for movie and not so much for music.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,001
    edited March 2014
    northernwind wrote: »
    I been thinking about going preamp but feel that it would be a waste of my x4000.Spent 1k on it and if I could do it all over again I woulda went seperate.I thought that 32xt was going to be amazing from hype,but it is only good for movie and not so much for music.

    So keep it for movies then. Find a tubed pre with a HT by pass, or simply add a splitter and connect the amp to both receiver and pre. A tube amp will require more attention than a tubed pre and most find the magic with a tubed pre and SS amp.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2014
    Maybe something like this?

    http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-jolida-jd-1501brc-100wpc-hybrid-int-amp-perfect-2014-03-01-integrateds-30067
    Jake
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