low power tube amps

[lpaudio2]

Is it worth even entertaining the idea of trying to drive the logans ESL pannel (bass would be either a CJ or parasound amp) with a low power mcintosh amp? Its a mc225, wonderful sounding, but I dont really want to blow the amp or speakers with a impossible load. Has anyone tried a tube amp <40w?

This is with martin logan re-quests

 

[risabet]

What speakers? I drive Clarity's with a tube amp that is 50 wpc in triode mode with no problem. Give it a try and see, you may be quite surprised.

 

[Craig]

I've used a Jolida 502a (40w) with Ascents and Aeons (not at the same time) with no problems. I also have an Art Audio Jota 300BXLS amp (24w, high current) that I've used on Summits and Aeon i's for extended periods and it has worked fine on those.

From what I've read on many posts is that MLs are considered a heavy load especially at the higher frequencies but not impossible. And that seems to have been my observation based on trying many different SS and tube amp combinations on MLs.

I'm currently using a pair of 600w Nemo SS amps to drive the Summits and although this combination is hard to beat in the frequency extremes there is not as much of a difference between the 24w tube amp and the 600w SS mono blocks in sound as there is in wattage. I find the Summits to be a very versatile speaker as far as amp matching goes and the quality of amp power and everything else has a lot to do with the overall sound.

I've never used a McIntosh amp and I can't guarantee your MC225 amp would not have any issues with your Requests but I'd be surprised if it didn't sound good and was reliable. If it were me I would try it. I'm sure if the amp is strained the sound would reflect that.

So in theory, as long as you don't listen to music that plays constantly at 20k Hz you should be fine. Let us know how it sounds and hopefully no smoke is involved.

 

[Craig]

I've used a Jolida 502a (40w) with Ascents and Aeons (not at the same time) with no problems. I also have an Art Audio Jota 300BXLS amp (24w, high current) that I've used on Summits and Aeon i's for extended periods and it has worked fine on those.

From what I've read on many posts is that MLs are considered a heavy load especially at the higher frequencies but not impossible. And that seems to have been my observation based on trying many different SS and tube amp combinations on MLs.

I'm currently using a pair of 600w Nemo SS amps to drive the Summits and although this combination is hard to beat in the frequency extremes there is not as much of a difference between the 24w tube amp and the 600w SS mono blocks in sound as there is in wattage. I find the Summits to be a very versatile speaker as far as amp matching goes and the quality of amp power and everything else has a lot to do with the overall sound.

I've never used a McIntosh amp and I can't guarantee your MC225 amp would not have any issues with your Requests but I'd be surprised if it didn't sound good and was reliable. If it were me I would try it. I'm sure if the amp is strained the sound would reflect that.

So in theory, as long as you don't listen to music that plays constantly at 20k Hz you should be fine. Let us know how it sounds and hopefully no smoke is involved.

 

[miljac]

I'm using Ascents with 35Wpc tube amp. Works like a charm. Can get very loud without distorting.

 

[aliveatfive]

Part of the answer depends upon the size of the room in which they're set up. Many years ago I tried to drive Sequel IIs with an ARC Classic 60 in a fairly large space. (A 60 watt per side amp) This was not a good combination. Even after I tried an Aragon power amp on the woofers I was not satisfied. On a newer ML product you might be successful. I'd try before I purchased.

 

[raanan]

I have had great results driving SL3 panels with Leak TL12.1 clones.
12 watts Class A triode.And a different SS amp for the bass units.
But a cheap Behringer EP1500 gave even better results fullrange.