What drives your LS35A?

What drives your LS35A?

Postby cia » Thu May 12, 2005 9:09 am

For those who would answer that they use tube amplifiers, please indicate the type of power tubes used i.e. EL34, 6550, KT88 etc. Thanks in advance for the info.
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Postby KD » Thu May 12, 2005 9:22 am

A Dynaco/Rivo ST70 with EL34 tubes.
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Re: What drives your LS35A?

Postby cia » Thu May 12, 2005 10:46 am

Dynaco ST 70 using Svetlana winged C EL34 modified by Cleby from the US.
Last edited by cia on Thu May 12, 2005 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby raffy » Thu May 12, 2005 10:46 am

Drive my Spendors with Quad IIs (upgraded, Rivoed with Mullard and Valve Art tubes)

Used to drive them with a Rivo ST70 as well.

CIA,

Don't know if you have checked but if you log on to LS35a.com check out files section and see what the global members of that site drive their 35as with. Interesting picks of vintage, modern, solid state and state of the art. With brief commentaries too.

cheers
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Postby mozilla » Thu May 12, 2005 10:53 am

CIA, Signal & rectifier tubes are important to the sound quality so I added them as well.

Mozilla'd :)
Quad II:
Output tubes: GEC KT66 (Brown base, clear glass with inverted cup getter), GE 7581A, RCA 6L6GC
Signal: TFK & Miniwatt EF86
Rectifier: Pope, Mullard & Miniwatt GZ32

ST-70
Output tubes: Svet (Winged C) EL34 & Sovtek EL34WXT
Driver: RCA Blackplate and Sylvania 7199
Rectifier: Philips big brown base O-O getter, Mullard black base and Dumont GZ34, Mullard CV379
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Postby cia » Thu May 12, 2005 11:05 am

raffy wrote:Drive my Spendors with Quad IIs (upgraded, Rivoed with
Don't know if you have checked but if you log on to LS35a.com check out files section and see what the global members of that site drive their 35as with. Interesting picks of vintage, modern, solid state and state of the art. With brief commentaries too.

cheers


Hi Raffy,
I have seen that site and was hoping we can get an idea also here in the PI what amps are being used. Thanks.
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Postby ichabod » Thu May 12, 2005 2:52 pm

The De Wald amp (inte) driving my LS seems to prefer Mullards all the way.
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Postby efm2 » Thu May 12, 2005 6:09 pm

Tono 300B. Magical but a little slow. Will try a McIntosh MC275 CE this weekend (KT88). That if my friend shows up at my doorstep with the amp. In the very near future a pair of Quicksilver Mono-Mites with KT88 or 6L6. Bahala na kung ano ang pinakamaganda!
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Postby zetroce » Thu May 12, 2005 10:29 pm

Tubong Bastos 2a3 : Sovtek 2a3

Stock Dynaco ST70 : Svetlana EL34

EICO ST40 : Electro Harmonics 7591

8)
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Amps

Postby Mr. Plumber » Thu May 12, 2005 11:48 pm

Tubong Bastos: Sovtek 2A3, TJ 2A3, Shuguang 2A3
Sansui AU-111: RCA 6L6GC, GE 6L6 GC, others.
Holy Valve Monoblocks: Mullard EL34, National 6CA7 Gold, others.
DIY EL84 Amp: TFK EL84, Shuguang EL 84, others.

mp
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Postby rsm2a3 » Fri May 13, 2005 9:50 pm

DIY 2A3
Pioneer A400X
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Postby toobs » Sat May 14, 2005 9:08 pm

amplification used.

sound valves m40 (el34)
Dynaco mk IV (el34)
300b se (soft listening level)

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Postby zetroce » Sat May 14, 2005 9:28 pm

rsm2a3 wrote:Pioneer A400X


Bago na naman yan???? :? :? :?
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Postby raffy » Mon May 16, 2005 10:22 am

Tried it with my

Jadis JA30 monoblocks (el 34)

was shocked at the performance and how to me bettered the QUAD IIs
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Postby vintage_dog » Mon May 16, 2005 10:35 am

am not surprised. the LS3/5A wants more juice the QuadIIs can't provide. the EICO EL34 PP monoblocks better the QuadIIs as well on dynamics, but the Quads win on mids smoothness and musicality. what tubes you use on your QuadIIs? the 7581s I use are good but does not have the solid presentation and magic of the GEC KT66s...

the LS3/5A is ideally driven by a PP amp of about 30wpc and up (bigger the better). 300B/2A3 can make them play good vocals and strings, but could sound slow, wimpy and lacking dynamics with fast music (rock, heavy jazz, orchestra). for PP, use the amps with EL34, 6550, KT88, KT90, etc. try also 7591, KT66, EL84, but YMMV.

btw, the CJ MV60SE clips on my Rogers due to impedance mismatch (factory-wired CJ at 4ohms vs 11ohms for the Rogers)

cheers! 8)
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Postby ichabod » Mon May 16, 2005 1:47 pm

Honestly, this may sound a little pathetic. I remember KK giving a short list of modern amps that suit the LS 3/5a or at least provide users with every alternative on the planet.
Unison Research was mentioned there.

Apart from smoothness, midrange clarity, and treble finesse, the LS needs power to get the music going authoritatively. With little power I'm not surprised the LS just can't bring out all its virtues. But in smaller rooms and not to play loud to avoid clipping, the Quads weave their "magic" as well.

The fishers too (mono blocks using el37s, and yes that's 30 watts VD) can make the LS sound a little more expressive and still keep its bloom, midrange magic, and tight sweet trebs.
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Postby cia » Tue May 17, 2005 10:05 am

vintage_dog wrote: for PP, use the amps with EL34, 6550, KT88, KT90, etc. try also 7591, KT66, EL84, but YMMV.

cheers! 8)


Hi Francis,
What is the noticeable sound difference of LS35A when using EL34 versus 6550 or KT88? Thanks.
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Postby mozilla » Tue May 17, 2005 12:33 pm

With my room & the type of music I listen too nowadays, the QII gives me better mids and sweeter highs plus a better soundstage so it's the amp of choice for now. No doubt EL34PP amps like the St70 will give more dynamics and punch for the LS3/5A. Ditto for 6550s which I've tried on a modified ST70 and an LS3/5A. Don't overpower the LS though coz too much power kills its mids.

It all depends on what kind of music you listen to and at what volume levels. This could range from the Unico Research 845 which sounds luscious in em according to KK. 211's are also ok. Hey, don't forget KT77's for EL34's!

Radfords sound good with the LS as well as QII's. They sound different but one is not necessarily better than the other. One can't have a perfect system as it would not leave room for self expression as far as musical preferences are concerned.

For me, vintage amps are better - some Leaks, Quads, Radfords, Dynaco etc. But if your're not prepared to maintain them, you'd be better off getting modern ones. Of course there are crappy vintage amps as well and what was once cr*p still remains cr*p.
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Postby vintage_dog » Tue May 17, 2005 1:08 pm

cia wrote:Hi Francis,
What is the noticeable sound difference of LS35A when using EL34 versus 6550 or KT88? Thanks.
CIA


the only 6550/KT88 amp i used with the LS is the MV60se. unfortunately, the amp clips so i can't really enjoy it much...with the Eico PP EL34 amps, I get very good dynamics , warmish mids and good extension on highs as well as lows...
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Postby ichabod » Tue May 17, 2005 1:33 pm

The key really on power for the LS is to stay within what is required to drive them. I don't think a 10 watter amp will do it justice. Somewhere between 25 to 35 is more like it.

MOre powerful amps have the tendency to sound too weighty and hard sounding on the LS.

Surprisingly though, I remember pretty well Ferdie driving my spendor with a MCormack 100 watter ss to good results. Of course, a tube preamp was used. I used to drive my LS 3/5a with a Luxman receiver, a 45 watter ss amp, and it sounded as good as tubes. The Cyrus mission amp I heard are equally agile performers on the LS. What I'm saying really is there are a plethora of amps that can work equally well with the LS 3/5a. It should widen your choices rather than sounding pathetic coz you can't buy it the so-called best amp. There's no doubt there's more probably on the tube side of audio that can weave magic like that old Luxman 3045 monos (if I got the model right) as I recall in the U.S. LS shootout that turned out more like which amp drove the LS better.

What probably one needs to discuss even further is the kind of sound for an amp that best suits the LS. If one knows for certain what kind of sonic character for an amp does the LS want, it would be relatively easier to find a successful match. My take is the LS adores a crisp yet smooth sounding tube amp that keeps the flow of music unimpeded without sacrificing bloom (this in essence is proportionate to its power and room size as pointed out above) or having to cloy the tonality of musical instruments in space.

In other words, getting a response that maintains a "warm curve" to keep things natural!
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