Power Amp choices

[jimbones]

Really want 100 wpc. Thinking KT88 based. I dont have $30K so forget the crazy expensive brands.

Adding Quicksilver Mono 120 to the list

 

[Argonaut]

Not quite 100W however perhaps consider an ARC REF75 running KT150’s

 

[Daverich4]

Not quite 100W however perhaps consider an ARC REF75 running KT150’s

Ref75 SE does a nice job of driving my Wilson Sasha ll’s

 

[jimbones]

@Daverich4 I was considering ARC but they are known to have reliability problems and run their tubes hard. I will reconsider.

I demoed a Carver 305 and it was good but not great. I wonder if their other offerings are better.

 

[Argonaut]

@Daverich4 I was considering ARC but they are known to have reliability problems and run their tubes hard. I will reconsider.

I demoed a Carver 305 and it was good but not great. I wonder if their other offerings are better.

All volume manufacturers have a percentage of faults, for every negative anecdote you will find several others stating no problems in years of ownership.
Actually you will find the more recent models sporting various KT1** valves run them relatively conservatively.

 

[twitch]

Really want 100 wpc. Thinking KT88 based. I dont have $30K so forget the crazy expensive brands.

One of the best $$ values out there IMO and they sound great to boot !! ...........

Products: M-180 Monoblocks

 

[Pacha]

I had an ARC Ref 150 that I purchased used for $4500 that did a fine job of driving B&W 801D speakers.

 

[RidingBean72]

Really want 100 wpc. Thinking KT88 based. I dont have $30K so forget the crazy expensive brands.

Have you considered the Prima Luna Evo 400. The mono's come with EL34 tubes, but you can put KT88. Considering they output 82W in triode with EL34, I would think you could reach 100W even in triode with KT88 tubes. I don't know what you budget is, but they are under 10K for the mono pair

 

[Adco]

I always pictured Mc as mid-fi. Though the 275 is given a class A rating in Stereophile(?)

BTW, I am open to other manufacturers my budget is 5k and I can go used.

Might want to look at Clayton Audio.
Boutique builder of no ill repute. All class A solid state. Beautiful sound from these devices, truly

they come up on A-gon from time to time

I have had the S100 stereo amp and currently run a set of custom made/specified M200 monos…. Utterly fantastic amps

 

[LL21]

Might want to look at Clayton Audio.
Boutique builder of no ill repute. All class A solid state. Beautiful sound from these devices, truly

they come up on A-gon from time to time

I have had the S100 stereo amp and currently run a set of custom made/specified M200 monos…. Utterly fantastic amps

I remember reading lots on Audiogon about them...fascinating. Monstrously powerful! I bet they are fantastic...do they also design preamps? Are you using a full Clayton set of pre/power?

 

[Adco]

I remember reading lots on Audiogon about them...fascinating. Monstrously powerful! I bet they are fantastic...do they also design preamps? Are you using a full Clayton set of pre/power?

I don’t actually think he does a pre amp, or used too but not now

I use a Jeff Rowland Corus with the super capacitor power supply as a pre. The combo is astonishing really

after I posted my first comment I actually looked on A-gon and there is a special addition 100 watt stereo version in there. Oddly the guy is local to me here in Canada but I do not have a connection to him nor is that my old amp…. I feel like the coincidence looks fishy and smells like I’m trying to sell something …. Not the case

I have used a Gamut Di3 preamp and Conrad Johnson ART pre and the JR Corus is just a spectacular match for the robust Class A amps

so, objectively . You probably want to buy Clayton used. As terrific as his amps are they are not “brand” name . Because of that you don’t see them often used as people tend to keep them and the resale on them is tough in respect to the financial hit.

I bought the M200’s new because I had lengthy emails back and forth with the owner and he agreed to build in some stuff that was prototype up until my units. My monos have all military spec components , a seriously upgraded power supply , upgraded transformers and capacitance is up from the usual 160000uf per unit to 360000uf per mono unit.

as it stands the sound is just amazing by anyone’s measure but to date after 40 sum years farting around with hifi I have never had amps that exude such effortless power and explosive dynamics, all while retaining what would be a classic Class A tonal quality.

good stuff and in your budget if you can find used it would serve you very well

 

[LL21]

All great to know! Thanks for taking the time to go through all of that. Sounds like a stunning system. And interesting that another CJ fan (I owned CJ preamps for 21 years consecutively thru CJ GAT 2)...went high powered Class A SS on the amplification.

 

[jimbones]

Update:
Amps that I have on my list:
VTL MB185: Nice power output but older and too many 6550's
ARC VT80SE: A plus is that it comes with KT150's (4) but only rated at 75 watts. Auto biasing and fuse protected tubes are a plus.
Quicksilver V4: 180 watts is nice but they are not on used market often and not all versions accept KT150's.

My speakers are a 6 1/2 in 2 ways 90db efficient in a room 14x22x7.

Any front runners here?