Best Amp to Drive CLS I's????

as most on here know, it take alot of current and power to properly drive these speakers...my current amp not doing a great job.

I will prob buy the amp used on Audiogon...looking to spend 2K-3.5K.

People seem to like Pass Labs and Plinius around here...any other suggestions????

I am using a Krell FPB 600c with great result on my CLS1, the FPB 300 , FPB 400CX or FPB 350 mono's should be inside you budget.
CLS1 needs the control in the lows that these amps offer!

This is the most asked question on the site. Some of this is subjective, since different amps have different sounds. To my ears, a Krell amp could sound wonderful. To your ears, it could sound harsh or bright or colored.

I always read that you should look for an amp that can deliver double the power as the resistance is cut in half?

for example:
250 Watts RMS per Channel into 8 Ohms and
500 Watts RMS per Channel into 4 Ohms

also, can the amp handle a <1 Ohm load for short periods?

High current = YES. definitely that is something to look for.

Definitely the CLS is not a loudspeaker that every amp will be able to drive effectively, so you need to do some research to help you decide. There are many members here on the MLO that have CLS and they're driving them with different amps. Go to the Members Systems section and starting searching.

As a lot of us have found, getting a high quality amplifier will make the world of difference to what your speakers are capable of doing.

Good Luck and welcome!

Tom.

I agree with Tom and Lagonda.
Krell will do everything you could wish for as far as control is concerned. I LIKE the Krell sound..not everyone does, but that is the nature of this hobby we have in common. (I enjoy other flavours also :music
On the stability side, even the Krell FPB 200 (baby) will run TWO sets CLS (NOT talking CLS2 series..that might be asking too much) in parallel and not show any signs of discomfort.
I'm sure the 300 and 600 series would do so with even less effort (and warm your room as a bonus..LOL)

I don't use my Baby Krell atm, but don't want to sell it either (we have an attachment):ROFL:

I am thinking of buying the Pass Labs X250(250wpc) and the Audible Illusions Modulus 3A preamp....anyone think this will be a good match for the CLS's/??

Fantastic amp. Great match with any MLs. Will have no problem with the CLS's

Agree with Tom... tough to go wrong with Pass, period.

OK, got the amp...need help on preamp

I have been on audiofool hiatus for 10 yrs...back for 1 month and so far I have I have accumulated these parts:

1. ML CLS's
2. PS Audio Digital Link III(tried bd Audios Tranquility DAC but didnt like the sound).
3. Running Macbook and Itunes(trying desperately to convert AAC to lossless files) and going USB out.
4. Pass Labs X250.


I need a preamp now...after reading the Pass manual its clear I need to use balanced input/outputs....the Audible Illusions M3A tube premap I was going to get doesnt have balanced unfortunately.

So need help finding a preamp now...I feel it should be a tube preamp and obv need balanced.

So far I am looking at ARC SP5mkii, ARC LS 25mkiii, ARC LS 26, BAT VK-5i.

Am I in right ballpark?...any others you would consider in this price point. I will be buying used on Audiogon.

Now if the car I am selling sells, my budget might open up by another 1K......anyone looking for a garage queen Carrera 4S??...

tsv_1 said:

Agree with Tom... tough to go wrong with Pass, period.

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Provided one avoids the pre XA.5 monoblocks. IIRC there were issues with low impedence loads which were "corrected" as one of the several improvements made in the XA.5 version.

More importantly, the XA.5 amplifiers have tremendously larger output current capacity over their corresponding XA models – more than five times the current – which is more than 25 times the power into very low impedance loads. Very difficult loudspeakers are now very appropriate loads for XA.5’s.

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http://www.passlabs.com/xa_5_series.htm

RUR said:

Provided one avoids the pre XA.5 monoblocks. IIRC there were issues with low impedence loads which were "corrected" as one of the several improvements made in the XA.5 version.

http://www.passlabs.com/xa_5_series.htm

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I retract the "period"...

I own a ARC LS5 mkIII which I believe is what you were referring to. The III has eight 6922s compared to ten in the II, at any rate I like it very much. If you do get one let me know I can let you know what tubes you might want to roll in it.
I had a pair of CLSIIzs that I had hooked up to a ARC 400 MKII which is 200 watts into 8ohms 400 into 4 ohms I don't know if it really was enough power at least I was never completely happy with it.
If you really did mean the ARC SP5 it's all solid state and not a good preamp in my opinion.

cyclone said:

I own a ARC LS5 mkIII which I believe is what you were referring to. The III has eight 6922s compared to ten in the II, at any rate I like it very much. If you do get one let me know I can let you know what tubes you might want to roll in it.
I had a pair of CLSIIzs that I had hooked up to a ARC 400 MKII which is 200 watts into 8ohms 400 into 4 ohms I don't know if it really was enough power at least I was never completely happy with it.
If you really did mean the ARC SP5 it's all solid state and not a good preamp in my opinion.

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You are right it was the LS 5 mkIII I was referring to...that one gets rave reviews.

Also, I would have loved to have bought the X250.5 but out of my budget for now, esp since I need a preamp....but my understanding is this, the X250 while not ideal to run the CLS's should have no prob running them despite the lesser current.

Even the manual says that Nelson Pass isnt aware of "any" speaker that the X250 couldnt run sufficiently.....

You'll be fine with the X250, it ran my CLS IIz's with ease. Great amp with plenty of current!

churchill said:

You'll be fine with the X250, it ran my CLS IIz's with ease. Great amp with plenty of current!

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I like your set up alot...can you tell me abit more about your preamp?

also, do you recommend those wood blks under your CLS's???

mact3333 said:

I like your set up alot...can you tell me abit more about your preamp?

also, do you recommend those wood blks under your CLS's???

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I'm using the Pass Labs X-1, a line stage pre-amp. It's a two box design with the power supply separate from the analog. I purchased it used on Audiogon. It's a great pre and mates well with my Pass XA60.5 monos.

The wood blocks are actually bed risers and are a temporary solution. I feel the CLS's sound better off the floor and the stands I want are very hard to find as they are no longer manufactured (Arcici).

If I did not run Krell I would be all over the big PASS..

For obvious reasons I second the Krell
I have heard CAP's system many times and the Krell is magic.

In an earlier post you mentioned using a tube pre with a Krell amp, I am not sure about the Pass but when using any tube pre that passes direct current as many do, you need to insert capacitors into the signal path. usually not a good thing.

In the newer EVO series Krell recommends using the single ended RCA inputs when using a tube pre.


My System:http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169

Ken and CAP, you have beautiful systems!

I am going to take home and demo the ARC LS 17 and 26 preamps.

My local dealer is offering me a deal that is almost too good to pass up.

The LS 26 seems to get rave reviews.

I still dont have a CD player or turntable.

Do people feel going from laptop using itunes if you have a decent DAC, has closed the gap enough on a decent CD transport/DAC or a CD player???.

Or is the CD player still the way to go even if its mid entry model /price???

CD or computer ?

I use a Mac laptop with iTunes and Pure Music software into a seperate D/A converter with good result! But the highs sound better on my Krell CD player, to my ears a good transport still has the edge!!

all I can is wow!...ok, since I foolishly thought I was going to get back into audio slowly, I initially bought a no name integrated tube amp rated at 50wpc...I didnt sound right from the beginning...it didnt help that I ended buying a high end DAC which didnt sound right either and I returned it later to find out it was broken.

I ended up buying the Pass X250 amp...running my macbook laptop using Pure Music with PS Audio Digital Link III DAC...using marginal interconnects and speaker cable...borrowing a Robert Gradinsky 30 year old preamp for now until my Pass X1 preamp gets in early next week(decided against the ARC LS 26 for cost reasons).

All I can say is wow...the X250 is a unbelievable amp...best I have had in my listening room ever....sounds better when compared to when I had the ARC D200 and Audible Illusions M3A preamp awhile back...the sound stage opened up by 10 ft at least and the detail and openness/transparency was shocking...the bass is so much deeper and tighter...and the speed of this amp is unreal....way beyond what I expected...I didnt think a amp could make this much difference.

Although I will cont to work to get better sound(cables, power conditioner, etc), I could be happy with this system right now...I would be shocked even further if the Pass X1 pre makes a huge difference but I am hoping it will since I already bought it!....