bi-amping Ls3/5a and AB-1

[rsm2a3]

Anyone using separate power amp to dirve Ls35a and AB1. Any suggestion what amp to drive AB1 will match a set-up with St70 driving the Ls35a. I was thinking of 30-50w SS power amp with gain control.

[ichabod]

I've used an old Luxman amp receiver mind you to some of the greatest musicality I've heard on the LS. Sad to say while it's still breathing music, one of the channels can sometimes get distorted until after playing it long.

What you need is amp that has it's timbre set to middle C. Avoid amps that sound bright, tipped up and too transparent. You will lose some of the coolness or analogue character of the LS specially on vocals.

I've driven my LS with a luxman power amp (200 loud watts/side) and a foreplay but still would miss my older tubey sounding Luxman receiver. What I'm saying here is the LS likes a particular voicing for an amp, and if you find that one, you'll be in for a revelation.

Let me see, an ss amp that has deep but tight bass, with less aggressive sweet highs, and a lucid midband that sounds more like a tube amp, with that unmistakeable solicitous bloom, and I think it will sound good.

What's at the back of my mind is the NAD 3020. The original first version. You can separate the amp section I believe.

[rsm2a3]

ichabod,
i'll keep the St70 to drive the LS3 and will try a NAD amp section to drive the Ab1. Both amp will be connected to same preamp. reason why i want to try it is sometimes there are materials i like listening with AB1 and others w/o Ab1 and in this case i'll just power off the SS amp.

[mozilla]

If you wire both LS3/5A & AB1 in parallel to the ST-70 w/o going thru the AB1's xover which will be the case when you'll use separate amps, then all you'd have to do is unhook the AB1 when you listen to the LS alone.

Another option (which I haven't tried) is to experiment with the LS3/5A on the 16ohm tap of the ST70 and the AB-1 on the 8ohm tap. I dunno how this will do and I don't know if it'll wreck the amp so pls don't blame me if something goes wrong

The reason I brought this possibility up is because I bumped into a U.S. based guy who uses an LS3/5A + ST70 + FP, bi-wired with the Lo/Mid hooked up to the 8-ohm tap and the hi to the 16ohm tap.

Haeven't tried it myself tho so the usual discalimers apply.

[mozilla]

The idea of an ss amp driving the AB1 might seem good in the sense that a sub needs an amp with faster, tighter bass. However, the AB1 was supposed to complement the LS's sound to the point that Andy Whittle even used the same kef driver on the AB1. So having a "diff character" for the AB1 might not seem like a good idea. YMMV.......

[ichabod]

For me, if I were a guy who likes or loves (not just the wife here) bass like Audio Tyro, I would go for the closest design that would match the LS 3/5a.

But as it is, I'm very happy with its output that putting more bass will make me rewrite everything that already sounds good to me. Is there something out there that we should know or have missed or messed around. Anyway, good plan that, rsm. If you have that 3020, waste no time and try it. Let us know. You're right. Many types of music and recordings go for this and that particular style of voicing in the amp. This I believe applies to the LS. Any unamplified wood, string, and percussive instruments like the piano, and the human voice are tops in the LS. It likes to go the natural way I think. My kind of music too.



Or someone should visit Jo Ki and hear for himself if indeed it's such a perfect system for the LS as I have so heard?

[rsm2a3]

For me, if I were a guy who likes or loves (not just the wife here) bass like Audio Tyro, I would go for the closest design that would match the LS 3/5a.

But as it is, I'm very happy with its output that putting more bass will make me rewrite everything that already sounds good to me. Is there something out there that we should know or have missed or messed around. Anyway, good plan that, rsm. If you have that 3020, waste no time and try it. Let us know. You're right. Many types of music and recordings go for this and that particular style of voicing in the amp. This I believe applies to the LS. Any unamplified wood, string, and percussive instruments like the piano, and the human voice are tops in the LS. It likes to go the natural way I think. My kind of music too.


Or someone should visit Jo Ki and hear for himself if indeed it's such a perfect system for the LS as I have so heard?

i can't find a bargain 3020..so i use my old pioneer A400X, and result is ok. the reason i want a separate amp for the AB1, is that i want it on only when i watch video (concerts)..and off when listening music only.

[zetroce]

rsm2a3 wrote :

i can't find a bargain 3020..so i use my old pioneer A400X, and result is ok. the reason i want a separate amp for the AB1, is that i want it on only when i watch video (concerts)..and off when listening music only.


The NAD 320 should have been a perfect match in place of the 3020, but........

Sayang.... can you sing that tune.....hehehe

[caruzo]

rsm2a3,

I go with bi-amping system.
Try to look for a 50watt RMS class A solid state amplifier to drive the Low side.
Maintain your LS3/5A set-up using an ST-70 (in "perfect" condition!)
LS3/5A is amazing when powered by the "old" 75-75 watt RMS Audio Research
Power Amplifier with an LP sound source.

[ichabod]

Just a side note, the cyrus mission amp of yore was reported to be good on the LS 3/5a also. Any one of you may have heard or have it, tell us. I have an old luxman receiver that sounded strangely addicting, but the control settings are these: loudness in, bass between 7 to 9 only. Otherwise you'll hear them squak! Open clear sound for an ss amp that sounds like toobs. Maybe we can run a list of amps that are good on the LS 3/5a. Here's mine not in any order.

Stromberg Carlson 220 using 6V6 power tubes; fisher 100b using 7868s; eico st 40 using 7591s, Pilot 232 using el 84s; fisher "the 101" using el 84s. I'm still hunting for more collectibles for the LS 3/5a, and maybe your find can be mine as well.