Cls

Will any of this amps do with CLS: Emotiva XPA2, Sunfire Cinema Grand 5x400W, or Acurus 3x200W. Or other recommedation.

I've got a slightly smaller Accurus amp (150W) that worked pretty well with my ReQuests, but just runs out of gas on my CLS's. I listened to the Emotiva stuff 2 days ago at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and I was very dissapointed in their sound. They seemed entirely dry and lifeless, and this was paired with Emotiva's own speakers which one would think should be entirely synergistic. Plenty of folks around here run and endorse the Sunfire's. One member (Raygun) is driving his CLS's with a Sunfire as I recall. I know it's heresy and I'll likely be strung up for it, but here goes. I think the Carver stuff is muscular and capable, but I don't find it especially musical. The CLS's are incredibly revealing. I think if you streched your budget a bit more and looked into something along the lines of BAT, Pass, CJ or any number of other really High End amps you would be immersed quite a bit deeper in the performance.

Thanks MiTT, I can also get a set of Rogue D150 tube monoblocks, and a Krell KSA 50. The Sunfire I have to pay $1000 for.What about big surround recievers, will they do? Tor

I don't know from your post if you have CLS's or are considering purchasing them so some of this may not apply.

As a CLS owner I would highly recommend them if you are willing to be patient and take the time to set them up properly and add the best equipment you can to bring out what they have to offer.

I would think the Rogue's would work fine Tim will probably have more details on them. That Krell with 50 watts may very well work since you will have 100w at 4 ohms and more as the ohms lower. CAP may be the one to add more info on that one.
As for the Receiver I doubt you will be happy with what you will hear coming from CLS's as Mitt said they are very revealing. I have changed every piece of equipment since purchasing mine 2+years ago.
If you go the CLS route just work at improving your associated electronics as time goes by. You will be well rewarded for the time spent.
With any of your amp choices is will also depend on how you want your system to sound. Try listening to different amps even if they can't be on your speakers. This will give you an idea if you favor say SS over tubes. If that's the case then listen to more of that type of amp and decide from there.
I would even suggest using the electronics you have now (unless they will self destruct from the load on the CLS's) to see what the CLS's sound like and then try borrowing different pieces to see what changes they makein the sound. Each piece of gear will have an effect on the sound of other equipment in your system.
Better to take it slow than make to many changes at one time. It is almost impossible to know which piece had the desired result.
Post what equipment you currently have and it may be easier for the members to make some suggestions to you.

I don't know of any recievers that would be a good pairing, but I'm not a hardcore AV guy and there could be some big boys out there that might fill the bill. That being said, I return to what I mentioned earlier. The CLS's are incredibly revealing. Most big recievers these days are tailored to multi-channel AV, not so much for the absolute best reproduction of music. If you plan to go the home theater route it might be a good step, but even then I'd recommend seperates (a good pre-pro and a good set of power amps).

I used to have Rogue M-120's. I do miss the mid-range magic they presented. I only sold them because at the time I had some space and heat limitations. If I could still have them today I think I'd be very happy with them on my CLS's. Someday I WILL have some nice tube amps hooked up to them again. If I were in your shoes the M-150's would be the choice I'd make.

MiTT said:

I know it's heresy and I'll likely be strung up for it, but here goes. I think the Carver stuff is muscular and capable, but I don't find it especially musical.

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Let the lynching begin !!!

BTW I bought my ARC VTM120 monoblocks from a guy who said that they did not work well with his CLS's. However, they work great with my SL3's.

Thanks for answers. I have CLS I with 5 year old stators and my equipment is Consonance Reference 2.0 SACD (cd player) Marantz SR5500 (surround reciever used as pre-amp) Holfi NB 250 (poweramp) Leben CS300 (12W tube amp.). The Holfi is on loan, and I will also try a DK Design Group Reference MKIII the coming week. Tor

CLS NEED A HIGH Current amp. Wats not necessary as important as Current. They dip to 1 ohm occasionally. The SS amps do well in bass and tubes can bring out GOD in them if done right. I would steer as far away from Carver for CLS as possible. Sunfire maybe. As for Krell , its a acquired taste that I find musical with the right ancillary equipment. Krell mates well with Krell. The model of the CLS makes a huge difference in amp selection. CLS are way needy. CLS 1 are not as bad but like current. CLS2 are less amp sensitive but more revealing of their flaws. Bass is a tad different on each too. Set up is the key with CLS. The single biggest thing you can do to help CLS is GET THEM ON STANDS !

I have CLSZ2 and have had the opportunity to try out some amps that might seem at first glance to either blow up or be dreadful with this speaker. I used to have both a Carver 1.5 and a Carver PM 1.5( used for subwoofer duty)...tried both on for size and both were really good in particular the PM pro design. Adcom GFA-555 will work but way too bright IMHO...Sunfire Sig II was excellent but a lttle tilted down at the top..though the detail was still there and it does sound "tube like" with an excellent midrange...finally my preamp was in for service I tried a realistic receiver I used to use strictly for FM duty. It had 100/ch and it may have been working hard (flame suite pre-installed) but for whatever reason it sounded quite similar to a 2K$ CR tube amplifier ....long and short of it... see if you can take the amplifier home on a trial basis.

stevac said:

I have given up my CLS. They sounds good, but I can´t get rid of "scratching" sound?

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scratching? do you mean buzzing? you might well have the internal tape working loose and rattling.

mine sounded like a bumblebee until i took out the tape.

the tape that comes loose is INSIDE the panel. i know the tape you are talking about on the top and bottom of the panels and that is not the buzzing tape.

if you look VERY carefully at the panel you will see a number of strips of clear tape that run from the top to the bottom of the panel. i think that each panel has either 2 or 4 strips of tape inside the panel. the tape is about 2 inches (5cm) wide. a flashlight might help see the tape. it might also be easier to look for the EDGE of the tape. it's pretty darn invisible.

over time the glue on the tape dissolves and loosens so that the tape buzzes against the mylar in the panel.

i would be more precise, but my panels are boxed up still after this summer's move.

zaphod said:

scratching? do you mean buzzing? you might well have the internal tape working loose and rattling.

mine sounded like a bumblebee until i took out the tape.

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Interesting. What is the purpose of this tape? Thanks.

I think I read that it is used to frequency tune the panels.

The buzz is an annoying sound. I have an extra pair of panels that has one piece of tape coming loose. It only vibrates with specific CD tracks which is odd but it does it every time.
I have been thinking about laying the panels face down and using a vacuum to hold the tape tight to the perf panel and applying some adhesive through the holes to glue the tape back. I am guessing it won't be a job for the faint of heart and may not be very good looking in the end. Though the panels are of no use as they are.

Zaphod did you slice the foam tape at the edge to pull them out or what?

i used a pair long nosed, but BLUNT nosed tweezers to reach in from the back of the panel, through the stator hole to pull out the loose damping tape. i used a q-tip also through the back stator holes to help push off the bits of damping tape that were still stuck to the stator (the tape is glued to the inside of the metal stator, not to the mylar ) This is what Jim Powers sent me when i had this problem.

If in fact the damping tape has come loose, and it sounds like it may have, our best bet is to remove it and replace it with new tape on the OUTSIDE of the panel. It will be on the backside so it will hardly be noticeable but it will still serve the same purpose. It indeed does serve a purpose. It dampens or limits the excursion of the foil. It can rattle like crazy without it. Now for getting the tape out. It takes patience, good light and a steady hand. Don't try to do it after polishing off a pot of coffee. You will do best if you can find a high quality pair of tweezers that have a curve or hook on the end. Try to gently reach inside and snag the very pointed endof the offending tape. Once you have a secure grip, use something like a Q-tip or dull pencil to reach inside the grid and unstick the remaining length of tape. Just give it a slight push in spots down the length of it until you can see that it is completely floating. As soon as the entire length is floating, start slowly and steadily pulling the tape out through the single hole with the tweezers. If the tape snaps, carefully get another purchase on it and continue pulling. Usually you will see the adhesive powder up around the hole you are pulling from. Don't be concerned about that. It will clean up later. After the entire length of tape is removed, re-install some 2 inch wide clear packing tape in roughly the same area and pattern as the previous tape served. That will probably take care of it.

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WOW at first reading that doesn't even sound possible. That is a big piece of tape and a very small hole.
How many pieces did the tape come out in?
Thanks Zaphod

it came out in one very long piece. i didn't think that i could do it either. the hardest part was getting the initial purchase and bit out of the hole. i think that i grabbed a hole or two down so that i pulled the top edge down and out.

the second hardest part was getting the entire strip loose. because it was *mostly* loose. sigh. this involved putting slight tension with the tweezers on the bit that i had pulled out and then using the q-tip through the holes down the length of the damping tape to knock the tape free from the stator.

after that it was just a slow gentle pull with a lot of "cool, this really works" tossed in.

i have a second piece loosening, but the panels are gonna get replace instead. maybe after that i'll take some pictures of the process. that will be a while though, everything theatre is still in boxes.